Gave this presentation to a class of Communication undergrads in Fall 2014. The focus was giving students a conceptual framework for organizing an analytics strategy around answering practical questions, setting goals, and being systematic and tackling what the client needs to learn in order to be successful.

1. The Data-Driven, Steady
Upward Course
STRATEGIZE TO OPTIMIZE

2. PUBLISHING SERVICES ADVISORS
Conversion Rate Optimization
Publishing Services Department
@valentinejames
• Public Relations/Visual Media (’12)
• Cluster: Economic Research
• Content Manager for LDS.org
• Product Manager, Analytics
• Advisor, Conversion Rate
Optimization
• Masters in Strategic
Communication from
Westminster College

3. FLIGHT PLAN
• “The Challenge”
• Getting started
• Digital measurement
framework
• Bringing it together

4. There is too much, let
me sum up…
THE CHALLENGE

5. “The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective
analysis would suggest.”
JOHN GOURVILLE, HBS

6. JOHN GOURVILLE, HBS
“The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective analysis
would suggest.”

7. JOHN GOURVILLE, HBS
“The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective analysis
would suggest.”USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS

8. USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS 1. See things as they really are.
Analytics, User Research, Surveys, Feedback.

9. USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS 1. See things as they really are.
2. Help users see it that way.
Analytics, User Research, Surveys, Feedback.
A/B testing, SEO, marketing, user experience.

10. Getting Started

11. What are we trying to
achieve?
How will we know if we’ve
done that?
1. See things as they really are.
Analytics, User Research, Surveys, Feedback.

12. WHAT ARE WE
TRYING TO ACHIEVE?
Nothing really happens
because of analytics until
you start setting goals and
expectations around
performance.

13. (THIS IS NOT GOAL SETTING.)

14. Deliverables:
• Goals or Targets
• Audience Segments
• Research Questions
WHAT ARE WE
TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

15. HOW WILL WE KNOW
IF WE’VE DONE THAT? When performance is measured,
performance improves. When
performance is measured and
reported, the rate of
improvement accelerates"
THOMAS S. MONSON:

16. HOW WILL WE KNOW
IF WE’VE DONE THAT?
Deliverables:
• Key Indicators
• Custom Reports
• Conversion Funnels
• Heatmaps
• Dashboards

17. Dashboarding Pet Peeves
• Vanity metrics
• Dejá Poo
• Pie charts
• Where’s the beef?
• Overshare

18. Dashboarding Fung Shui
• Use segments, funnels and ratios
• If it doesn’t change, don’t report it.
• Trends show context
• Analysis = report + recommendation
• Dashboard at the rate of decision
making.

19. What do we think drives
or impedes the users’
experience?
How will we know if we’re
right or not?
2. Help users see it that way.
A/B testing, SEO, marketing, user experience.

20. WHAT DRIVES OR IMPEDES
THE USER’S EXPERIENCE?

21. WHAT’S YOUR
HYPOTHESIS?

22. I THINK THAT… [BELIEF]
IF I’M RIGHT, THEN … [ANTICIPATED RESULT]

23. WHAT DRIVES OR IMPEDES
THE USER’S EXPERIENCE? Deliverables:
• Hypothesis Library
• A/B testing ideas
• Paid/SEO/social strategy
• True-intent studies

24. HOW WILL WE KNOW IF
WE’RE RIGHT OR NOT?
(Incomplete Data)

25. HOW WILL WE KNOW IF
WE’RE RIGHT OR NOT? Deliverables:
• Test/campaign results
• Research plans
• Cost per engagement metrics
• Return on investment
• Scorecards

26. USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS
“The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective analysis
would suggest.”

27. USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS
“The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective analysis
would suggest.”

28. USER
PERCEPTIONS
PRODUCT
PERCEPTIONS
“The cause of marketplace failure is
two-sided, with (1) consumers
systematically undervaluing
and (2) firms systematically
overvaluing the firm’s innovation
relative to what an objective analysis
would suggest.”

29. Next Steps:
Bringing It Together

30. What do we think drives
or impedes the users’
experience?
How will we know if we’re
right or not?
What are we trying to
achieve?
How will we know if we’ve
done that?
GOALS
KEY INDICATORS
ACTION ITEMS
PLAN OF ATTACK

31. PUBLISHING SERVICES ADVISORS
James Valentine
Advisor, Conversion Rate Optimization
Questions?
@valentinejames