1) The document discusses how to use metrics and analytics insights to drive effective content creation. It emphasizes understanding goals, learning from data, and pairing metrics for a holistic view rather than relying on single metrics. 2) Key topics include where to start, distinguishing fact from fiction, leveraging the power of pairing metrics, and balancing short-term tactics with long-term strategies. 3) The presenters provide examples of metrics and questions to ask, and emphasize testing hypotheses and continuous refinement based on data.

1. DATA DRIVEN
using Analytics insights
to drive effective content creation
welcome to

2. Yes. Hello.
Rebekah Cancino, Communication Strategist at Forty
So glad you’re here
Anna Hrach, Content Strategist at RIESTER
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

3. So how does this
work?
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

4. Today’s plan
1. Understand why we use metrics
2. Find out where to start
3. Learn how to find and read content-relevant metrics
4. Distinguish fact vs. fiction
5. Discover the power of pairing
6. Balance short-term tactics and long term-strategy

5. is year, the average
consumer will see or hear
1 million marketing
messages - that's almost
3,000 per day.
-

6. Why data?
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

7. Content is not a
feature.
- Kristina Halvorson
Image credit: Bob Maske http://www.flickr.com/photos/audio1bob/320065808/

8. Data allows you track experiences

9. “Observe everything. Communicate well.”
Image credit: reurinkjan http://www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/5505995483

10. Good: metrics are about measurement
Better: metrics are about learning
It’s about learning
Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/e8albumdkmatai/4274025836

11. Discover opportunities
Content that’s working
How people find your site
Popular content
Image credit: Monte Mendoza http://www.flickr.com/photos/elmundodemontemendoza/8216522379/

12. Reveal problems
Content that isn’t working
Bad user experiences
Information architecture issues
Image credit: Daniel Schneider http://www.flickr.com/photos/rapturedmind/6544675195

13. Design smarter
Content
Information architecture
Navigation syntax and structure
Image credit: Brian Purkiss http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianpurkiss/1398732343/

14. Where to Start
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

15. Start with what
What needs to be accomplished?
Image credit: Erik Daniel Drost http://www.flickr.com/photos/edrost88/7811696028/

16. Ask why?
Balance wants with needs
Image credit: Rick Munish http://rickmunish.deviantart.com/art/Justice-162068786

17. business
goals
reader
goals
content strategy gold
Get alignment

18. Take a look inside
Who are you writing for? What do they need?
Photo credit: Florin Gorgan

19. emotional
physicalcognitive
Right for the user
Personal-Behavioral Context: e New User Persona. © Daniel Eizans, 2010
DOING
Environmental, physical,
disabilities, preferences,
sensory stimuli
FEELING
Psychological state,
stress level, desires,
wants, needs
LEARNING
Cognitive assumptions,
learning ability,
education

20. Find and Read
Content-Relevant
Data

21. Analytics reveal a lot
You just have to know how to read them

22. Learn to love data
Meet user needs
Make your job easier
Accomplish business objectives
Image credit: Skinned Mink http://www.flickr.com/photos/21148821@N02/2055959594/

23. Construct your toolbox
Find the right tools for the job
Make sure platforms meet data analysis needs
Image credit: red11group http://www.flickr.com/photos/red11group/4870242163/

24. On-site search
Listen. Analyze. Understand. Improve.
Visitors telling you exactly what they need
Rewrite or add content to meet needs
Image credit: designerweb http://designerweb.deviantart.com/art/Stylish-Search-Bar-201157774

25. Google Analytics: let’s define our metrics
Image credit: Roel Willems http://www.flickr.com/photos/roelwillems/4461453799/

26. Feeling overwhelmed?
Begin at the top
Start with defining goals and key metrics
Drill your way down
Image credit: Nomadic Lass http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomadic_lass/6832118879/

27. Organic search?
Gauge content rankings and gaps
List of what your site is ranking for
(not provided)
Image credit:Mark Hofstetter http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avocado_Seedling.jpg

28. Bounce rate?
4 scenarios: back button, close browser, new URL, does nothing
% of people who never visit a second page
Determine content effectiveness & audience
Image credit: MichaelMaggs Edit by Richard Bartz"

29. Top content?
Understand why people come to your site
Identify most popular pages
Determine how to prioritize deeper content
Image credit:emiliokuffer http://www.flickr.com/photos/22298955@N08

30. Mobile users?
Evaluate layout, design and information delivery
Prioritize content
Recognize the need for responsive design
Image credit: DanielZanetti http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iphone_4G-2.jpg

31. Average time?
Understand average visit
Key difference: time on page vs. time on site
Image credit: mararie http://www.flickr.com/photos/32404172@N00

32. Fiction
vs.
Fact
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

33. ere’s no shortcut for identifying
why a piece of content exists.
is is the first step to understanding
how to measure its performance.
Remember

34. Don t fall for it
More traffic=more money
e only metrics you need to measure myth
Industry standards
Engagement metrics
Image credit: Suburban Paparazzi http://www.flickr.com/photos/38549058@N03/3545848025/sizes/l/in/photostream

35. Seek the truth
Look for patterns
Pair metrics for real insight
Learn>measure
Image credit: Jacqueline ter Haar http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquelineterhaar/3550688115/

36. Pop quiz!
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

37. FALSE
Unique visitors = count of persistent
cookies dropped in a browser
Unique visitors represent real people?

38. FALSE
It doesn’t count time from bounced
visitors and last page in session.
Better to use page (vs. site) level data
for precise content segment
measurement.
Average visit duration is a precise
measure of how long visitors spend on
your site?

39. TRUE
Best practices are great, but nothing
beats analyzing Analytics against your
own site goals
ere’s no such thing as the most
important metrics for everyone or a
plug-and-play measurement strategy?

40. Content that drives a lot of traffic to
your site is very valuable?
IT DEPENDS
Not if it’s driving unqualified traffic
that doesn’t meet your business
objectives

41. Having a high bounce rate can negatively
impact your search result rankings?
FALSE
Google is smarter than your bounce
rate, a high bounce rate doesn’t
always mean a bad experience

42. e Power of
Pairing
#DCSC@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino

43. ere are three kinds of lies:
lies, damn lies,
and statistics."
- Mark Twain

44. Better together
ere’s no short cut for identifying why a page/site exists
Always view metrics in context of your goals
Image credit: Kory Trapane http://www.flickr.com/photos/trapane/3059905337
Single metrics don’t tell the whole story on their own

45. page level: goal of page + bounce rate + avg. time on page
How do I put the bounce rate in
context?
Ask questions, like

46. page level: unique visitors + page views + time on page
What content do visitors want more of?
Ask questions, like

47. page level: bounce rate + entrances
How can your content make a better
first impression?
Ask questions, like

48. site level: pages/visit + avg. visit duration
How can I tell if visitors are finding what
they need?
Ask questions, like

49. Photo credit: Usama Salehhttp: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephencuyos/5430355182
Every metric needs a buddy

50. Ask questions. Formulate a hypothesis. Test. Repeat.

51. You formulate a hypothesis: Maybe our navigation is unclear?
Sample scenario
You see a high amount of page views per visit with a relatively low
avg. time on site, and you wonder: Are users having a hard time
finding what they need?
Which leads to an experiment: Let’s clarify the navigation syntax and
see if there’s an improvement.

52. ere’s no such thing as
“the most important
metrics to measure” or a
plug-and-play
measurement strategy.
Remember

53. Short-Term Tactics
and
Long-Term Strategies

54. e key to success is strategy
Photo credit: Loco s Photos

55. Get everyone talking again
Marry with user needs
Identify business objectives
Develop content that satisfies both
Photo credit: Ivan Walsh
Photo credit: Ivan Walsh

56. Establish benchmarks and standards
Image credit: Bionic Teaching http://www.flickr.com/photos/bionicteaching/6986167357/

57. Track. Measure. Report. Refine. Rinse. Repeat.
Image credit: Louise Docker http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TapeMeasure.jpg

58. Create monthly scorecards
Photo credit: Stephen Korecky

59. Take accountability and responsibility
Image credit: Brian A Petersen http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpbp/

60. You’ve got
questions? We’ve
got answers.
@annabananahrach @rebekahcancino