Use data to get the truth about content performance
Data analytics tools help you measure website performance so you can make decisions about improving your content.
Quantitative research provides numerical answers to questions such as “how many” “how often” “when” and “what”.
However, data is not just about numbers. You need human eyes and gut instincts if you want more people to come to your website.
Qualitative data based on real-life experience and opinions can provide insights so you can understand the why and the how of what you’re seeing in the data.
Use this guide so you can make better data-driven content decisions. Find out:
- how to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data
- why you should put both approaches into place to reduce bounce rate – when people leave a webpage without taking an action
Start by defining your goals
You should start by identifying what you need to achieve with your content.
For most, the main goal is to improve the conversion rate. Website conversion happens when people take actions, for example filling out a form.
Define your data-gathering goals by identifying:
- who you are targeting
- how you will measure success – key performance indicators (KPIs)
- how success measures match your business goals
Goal-driven data means you can focus on the data you need to gather and make the best use of your time.
Analyse your website traffic (and your competitors)
Online data analytics tools provide insights into user behaviour and preferences on your website.
Tools that can help you address content gaps and analyse your competitors’ websites include:
Start by tracking page views and compare popular content across different pages.
You can analyse this information to see how people behave online.
Common metrics include:
- social visibility
- traffic sources (paid, direct, organic, social media, referrals)
- backlinks (links from votes of confidence in your website)
- bounce rate (people who visit your website, look at one page and leave without interacting further)
- engagement time
- keywords (what people type into search engines to find answers to questions)
Check how people are using your products
You can get insights about how people are using your products from qualitative tools to add vital context to numerical data. These insights will include:
- what drives people to your site
- which features persuade them to take action
- ease of understanding and usefulness in the content
Learn from session recordings and heat maps
Tools such as Hotjar and Visual Website Optimizer allow you to view session recordings of users on the same pages. You can literally get a second-by-second view of how people are interacting, or not interacting with your website.
Heat maps, notably on Hotjar, track and visualise user interactions such as clicks, scrolls, and drop-offs. This can give you more evidence of specific problems or opportunities.
Test different versions of your product
A/B testing gives you the chance to test out different ways forward.
This includes:
- analysing the performance of different versions
- testing hypotheses on how to improve your content
You might test two different versions of the same content. For example, each with a different placement for call-to-actions (CTAs).
Google Optimize is an A/B testing online tool that is free for small businesses. It’s easy to use and can be integrated easily with Google Analytics.
Use feedback from people who use your products
You might also want to use feedback from people who use your products. Just be aware that this can be very subjective and biased.
You can do this by reviewing comments on:
- interviews
- social media
- customer’s reviews
Ideally, combine user feedback with user testing.
Talk through data with your team and stakeholders
Gather just enough data so that you don’t get lost in the details. Identify trends and patterns and interpret them in line with user needs and your business goals.
Prioritise the actions you need to take to refine your content and tackle issues. You can then present your data to stakeholders to gain backing for changes.
Monitor your data regularly and share data insights with your content team.
Give your team access to reports and present data in “show and tell” sessions with your team for discussion.
Remember it’s not about numbers, it’s about people. Llibertat specialises in creating data-driven stories that enhance website engagement. Get in touch.
