Porter Mason, Steve Daignaeult, and Kira Marchenese gave a presentation on creating a testing plan with no constraints of time, budget, or resources. They discussed overcoming excuses for not testing, prioritizing tests and metrics, making sense of results, and provided next steps for attendees to begin implementing a testing process. The presentation provided tools and advice for starting simple tests immediately and developing a testing calendar and documentation to continuously learn and improve campaigns.

1. No more excuses
Create a testing plan with
no traffic, time, or budget
#12NTCNoExcuses
Steve Daignaeult
Kira Marchenese
Porter Mason

2. Evaluate This Session!
Each entry is a chance to win an NTEN engraved iPad!
or Online using #12NTCNoExcuses
@ www.nten.org/ntc/eval

3. Who are these people?
Porter Mason
• Deputy Director, Social Media – US Fund for UNICEF
• @portermason
Steve Daignaeult
• Vice President, eCampaigns – M+R Strategic Services
• @Daigneault
Kira Marchenese
• Director, Internet Communications – Environmental Defense Fund
• @kiramarch
No more excuses Slide 2

4. What are they going to say?
Porter Mason
• Obstacles to testing
• Where to start
Steve Daignaeult
• Prioritizing tests
• Choosing metrics
Kira Marchenese
• Making sense of your results
• Showing off sketches made with her fancy iPad
No more excuses Slide 3

6. You think you don’t have the
time/resources/money to test?
Yeah, you know, you, uh, I mean I don’t you,
personally, or your individual situation, but, uh…
honestly, and just speaking from my perspective
really... You, uh... you know, you probably do.

7. Why aren’t you testing?
• I don’t have time. • Yes, you do.
• I don’t have money. • You don’t need any.
• I don’t have resources. • You don’t need any.
• I won’t learn anything. • Yes, you will.

8. Where to start?
ABT – “Always Be Tracking”
tracking

9. Where to start?
Finding opportunities for testing
• Email
• Paid search
• Website
• Social

10. Making it part of your workflow
Coding links must become normal practice.

11. Making it part of your workflow
Gather ideas collaboratively.

12. Making it part of your workflow
Take the edge off of creating variations.

13. TAG! STEVE IS IT!

14. Prioritizing which test to run
• What goal will this help you meet?
• Can you expect a big lift?
• How long will it take to get results?
• How much time will it take to implement?
• Will it be applicable to future results?

15. Picking which metrics to use
• Email actions - Open, click, response, unsub
• Donate forms - Completion, avg. gift, monthly
• Advocacy/signup forms - Completion, opt-in
rate, add’l data rate
• Social - Click, share, conversation, applause
• Surveys

16. Metrics of mixed value
• Emails Sent (but not delivered)
• Open Rates
• Clicks / Opens
• Total Opens (not unique)
• Total Clicks (not unique individuals)
• Total File Size
• Social followers (not engaged)

17. Setting benchmarks
• M+R and NTEN - benchmark study
• Convio
• Target analysis
• Your own benchmarks!
– Save your results
– Repeat!

18. TAG! KIRA IS IT!

19. Idea #1
More data 
better decisions

27. Idea #2
Choose your sample
thoughtfully

29. Idea #3
Bigger differences
are easier to see

35. Idea #4
Yes/no questions
are easier than
amounts

38. TAG! PORTER IS IT!

39. So what now?
Tools
• Google Analytics
• Google Website Optimizer
• UTM code builder
• bit.ly, tiny.ly
• WhichTestWon.com
• Website Optimizer Duration Calculator
• Sample size calculator
• Chi-squared test

40. So what now?
Step 1. Things you can do right now
• Open a Google Analytics account (or at least
bookmark it)
• Open a Google Website Optimizer account (or at
least bookmark it)
• Bookmark the UTM tracking code page
• Open a url shortener account
• Rate this session highly

41. So what now?
Step 2. Things to do when you get back
•Add Analytics code to your site
•Decide UTM code standard, start using it
•Start adding/soliciting ideas for that testing doc
•Look at Analytics data, determine “traffic centers”
•Look into tracking/source code info of your CRM
(Convio, etc.)
•Set up an initial sample test in GWO, get a feel for how
it works

42. So what now?
Step 3. Things to do in a few weeks
•Pick at least one test and start it (let us know!)
•Create a calendar (shareable) for testing and add a few
more (be realistic)
•Add to calendar when you’ll check data (don’t do it
constantly!)
•Add to calendar when you’ll update the calendar
•Make a testing results doc (shareable)

43. So what now?
Step 4. PROFIT
• Gain fame
• Attain fortune
• Brag to co-workers and friends

44. Questions? #12NTCNoExcuses
Porter Mason
• @portermason
Steve Daignaeult
• @Daigneault
Kira Marchenese
• @kiramarch
No more excuses Slide 43

45. Keep in touch!
Porter Mason
• @portermason
Steve Daignaeult
• @Daigneault
Kira Marchenese
• @kiramarch
No more excuses Slide 44

46. Evaluate This Session!
Each entry is a chance to win an NTEN engraved iPad!
or Online using #12NTCNoExcuses
@ www.nten.org/ntc/eval