This webinar discusses strategies for reducing risk when redesigning a website. It recommends justifying redesigns with data and testing assumptions on the current site. A step-wise redesign approach is suggested to introduce changes gradually while monitoring metrics. Case studies show how testing redesigned pages on the live site helped determine what changes increased performance.

1. Lab Coat Lessons Webinar
Brian Massey
Joel Harvey
@bmassey

2. @bmasseyhttp://www.internetretailer.com/2013/01/08/finish-line-loses-3-million-sales-its-new-web-site

3. @bmassey

4. @bmassey

5. @bmassey

6. @bmassey

7. @bmassey
Why redesigns fail

8. @bmassey
Justifying the risk and effort of a redesign

9. @bmassey
Use your existing site to reduce risks

10. @bmassey
Apply a data-driven methods to avoid
redesign pitfalls

11. A/B Testing Experts
B2C and B2B Ecommerce
Lead Generation
SaaS
Brian Massey
@bmassey
bmassey@conversionsciences.com
www.ConversionScience.com
(512) 961-6604

12. @bmassey@bmassey

13. What JJ Knows
@bmassey

14. Know What to Keep
and
Know What to Create
@bmassey

15. The things that
decrease
performance
The things that
increase
performance
All Website Changes

16. The things that
decrease
performance
The things that
increase
performance
All Website Changes
“Give it more time.”

17. @bmassey
“The redesign that was two years in the
making started badly leading to an
8% decrease in online sales not to mention
countless frustrated and irate customers.”
http://www.digital-tonic.co.uk/digital-tonic-blog/went-wrong-marks-spencer-website-redesign-made-lose-sales/
£150 million redesign took two years.

18. The things
that
decrease
performance
The things that
increase
performance
All Website Changes
“We’re geniuses!”

19. @bmassey
http://dminc.com/case-study/african-wildlife-foundation/

20. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
WHY REDESIGNS FAIL
@bmassey

21. Repeat Visitors are Shocked
@bmassey

22. Designed for Wrong Segments
@bmassey

23. Your Audience Has Several
Local Maxima
@bmassey

24. Your Visitors Didn’t Go to the
Same Design School.
Half of your changes will decrease the
site’s performance.
@bmassey

25. Reliance on Best Practices
@bmassey

26. More
Choice is
Better,
Right?

27. Too Much Emphasis on
Look and Feel
@bmassey

28. Photo Credit: drinksmachine https://www.flickr.com/photos/95457978@N00/3732782275/ (cc)

29. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
TYPICAL REASONS TO REDESIGN
@bmassey

30. @bmassey
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/64636204@N00/2373428173/ (cc)

31. @bmassey
Photo Credit: rkleine https://www.flickr.com/photos/47544801@N00/3566407243/ (cc)

32. @bmassey
Photo Credit: the_steve_cox https://www.flickr.com/photos/35468147898@N01/6294412553/ (cc)

33. @bmassey
Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27904432@N00/6672288949/ (cc)

34. @bmassey
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/2065282685/ (cc)

35. These sites will improve faster and
more reliably with an optimization
program.
@bmassey

36. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
GOOD REASONS TO REDESIGN
@bmassey

37. @bmassey
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/108488366@N07/14359994013/ (cc)

38. @bmassey

39. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
STRATEGIES FOR REDESIGN
@bmassey

40. @bmassey
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/39804614253@N01/1761955352/ (cc)

41. @bmassey
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19365001@N00/123811344/ (cc)

42. Bets
The Right Value Proposition
The Right Calls to Action
The Right Copy and Images
The Expected Look and Feel
Trust Builders
Proof
Risk Reversal
@bmassey

43. All Website Changes
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-20%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
+5% The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-10%
We see these changes as Bets.

44. The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-20%
The things that
increase
performance
+30%
+5% The things that
increase
performance
+30%
-10%
All Website Changes

45. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
WHAT TO WATCH
Metrics that Matter in a Redesign
@bmassey

46. The Kinds of Information We Use to
Make Design Decisions
Informed Intuition
Self-reported Input
Best Practices
Experience
Qualitative Behavioral Data
Quantitative Behavioral Data
@bmassey

47. Returning Users
Are probably in the
Consideration Phase
or
Action Phase
@bmassey

48. Lead Generation
Did we make it harder for
visitors to take action?
@bmassey

49. Lead Quality
@bmassey
Lead Score
Lead Pipeline Stage
Lead Close Ratio

50. Conversion Rate
@bmassey

51. Average Order Value
@bmassey

52. Lead Value
@bmassey

53. Revenue per Visit
@bmassey

54. Conversion by Traffic Source
@bmassey

55. Compare
Before and After
Year-over-year
@bmassey

56. @bmassey

57. B2B Furniture Site
@bmassey

58. Reasons for Redesign
New Content Management System
Increase Revenue Per Visit
Better Search Engine Optimization
Increase Mobile Revenue
@bmassey

59. December
January
March
April
July
August
November
September
The
Plan
Busy Season

60. December
January
March
April
July
August
November
September
The
Result

61. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
This is Typical
A Website is Software Not
Page Design.
@bmassey

62. December
January
March
April
July
August
November
September
The
Process
Consulted with Conversion Sciences on
Best Practices

63. @bmassey
Before After

64. @bmassey
Before After

65. No Change in Conversion Rate
@bmassey

66. No Change in Conversion Rate
@bmassey

67. No Change in
Average Order Value
@bmassey

68. Is This a Problem?
@bmassey

69. Returning Visitors
@bmassey
Returning Visitors
All Visitors

70. Mobile Conversion Rate Improved
Substantially
@bmassey

71. Responsive Mobile Site
@bmassey
Significant decrease in Home Page load time

72. Testing has begun to increase
conversion rate.
@bmassey

73. @bmassey

74. Reasons for Redesign
Increase Revenue
@bmassey

75. @bmassey

78. Extreme Site AB Test

79. No Change in Conversion Rate
@bmassey

80. No Change in Average Order
@bmassey

81. Things You Should Test on Your
Current Site Before a Redesign
Value Proposition Language
Calls to Action
Risk Reversal
Trust Builders
Landing Pages
Form Length
@bmassey

82. @bmassey

83. Reasons for Redesign
Increase Trials of Pro Services
Increase Revenue
Get Users to Try More Features
@bmassey

84. B2B
Applications:
MXToolbox
@bmassey

85. New Look
Before
After

86. @bmassey
“New Application Interface”
Before
After

87. Let the Visitor Tell You
@bmassey

88. New Features for Anonymous Users
Before
After

89. Results
Positive Feedback From PRO Users
Decision to hold off on new interface
for anonymous users.
@bmassey

90. @bmassey

91. B2B Inventory and
Asset Tracking
Systems
@bmassey

92. Reasons for Redesign
Increase Live Demos
Present a Better Brand Impression
@bmassey

93. Test New Design and
Calls to Action
@bmassey
Before
After

94. After
Test Demo Form Page
@bmassey
Before

95. New Design Influenced by Testing
@bmassey
Before After

96. @bmassey

97. Landing Page
Home Page
Category
Pages
Form
Pages

98. Why This Crazy Approach?
@bmassey

99. Constant Feedback to Designers
@bmassey

100. Product 1
Start of Redesign Process
Increase Leads During Redesign
@bmassey
Product 2
Product 3
All Offers

101. December
January
March
April
July
August
November
September
The
Result
$
$
$ $
$
$
$ $
$
$
$ $

102. Caveats
Wasp Barcode was an outlier. We don’t
typically triple leads in such a short time.
The intuition of the designers proved to be
very good for this audience.

103. The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
-5%
The things that increase
performance
+30%
+5%
BE READY TO GO BACK
@bmassey

104. "We made a strategic decision on December 6 to
transition back to our previous site, given the
importance of the selling season. As part of our
contingency plan, we had kept our previous platform
up and running, parallel to the new site, so we were
able to swiftly engineer a smooth return to the
original site.”
@bmassey

105. @bmasseyhttp://www.internetretailer.com/2013/01/08/finish-line-loses-3-million-sales-its-new-web-site

106. @bmassey

107. @bmasseyhttp://www.internetretailer.com/2013/01/08/finish-line-loses-3-million-sales-its-new-web-site

108. @bmassey

109. We often redesign for the
wrong reasons.
@bmassey

110. Without data, redesigns are risky.
@bmassey

111. Going All In is the most risky
(and most common!)
@bmassey

112. Collecting test data on the current
site mitigates the risk.
@bmassey

113. Testing assumptions on the current
site further reduces risk.
@bmassey

114. A side-by-side approach allows you
to back out poor performing features.
@bmassey

115. A stepwise approach eliminates risk
while increasing performance
immediately.
@bmassey

116. Do you need a redesign or an
optimization program?
@bmassey

117. Free Site Evaluations
-First Three-
Tweet something nice
using #labcoatlessons
@bmassey