Gaining Insights Into Your Targeted Audience
Through Competitive Analysis, Analytics, and Stakeholder ResearchyLisa TragerLead Content Strategist, Senior User Experience Designer
Content Strategy Workshops
October 9, 2012
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs 3.0 UnportedLicense. To view a copy of this license, visit htp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by‐nc‐nd/3.0/
For more information, please contact Lisa Trager at [email protected]
Workshop Exercises
1. Competitive Research2 i2. Features Matrix3. Competitive Sitemap Analysis4. Keyword Research5. Investigate Free Tools for
l d lAnalytics and Social Listening6. Develop Stakeholder
Q tiQuestions
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 2
WELCOME TO THE TEAM!PURRFECT PET COMMUNITYPURRFECT PET COMMUNITY
Welcome to the Purrfect Pet Community Team!
• Assignment: Do research to help determine the needs of an online community for pet owners
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 4
Qualitative Analysis
• Human behavior• Non‐numerical factors• Quality of content• Applies to:
– Competitive Analysis– Heuristic Analysis– Content AuditU bilit T ti– Usability Testing
Quantitative Analysis
• Hard dataS i i• Statistics
• Metrics• Provides actionable insights
Methodology
1. Discovery2 Definition2. Definition3. Design4. Development4. Development5. Deployment
Client
Gaining insights into your d ditargeted audience
WHY DO IT?
Process takes time
Costs money
Obstacles
Our SEM campaign is kicking off in a month –
h ill th l diWe’ve never done it
this way.
when will the landing pages be ready?
Marketing ManagerProject Manager
Marketing Manager
We’re over budget and six weeks to l h J t h th b t tlaunch. Just show us the best way to get our marketing messages out.
Account ManagerAccount Manager
The Team• Project Management• Account Rep• Creative Director• Technology• Analytics• Product Managerg• Development• Stakeholders
Who is representing the interests of the user?p g
The Content Strategist
• A Content Strategist brings an understanding of:
Who?What?
Who is the targeted audience?
What information is relevantWhat? What information is relevant
Where users are coming from and most likely going next Where?
When? When is the best time to present contextually relevant content?
Why users are coming to the website and Why? y gwhat are they looking for?
Why?
Roles and Skills of a CS
What are the benefits of research?
2. Removes guesswork1. Provides insight into what
your users want
3. Is a more scientific approach, which is harder to challenge
Right Message at the Right Time and Place
Laptop or PC
TabletMobile or smart
phone
Insights to Persuade/Convert/Sell• Gaining insights into• Gaining insights into
your targeted users is ultimately about:
If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their l – Persuasion
– Conversion– Sales!
language.The most effective leader is the one who satisfies the psychological needs of his followers.
David Ogilvy
Sales!followers.
f h bTo convert somebody go and take th b th h d d id th One of the best ways to
persuade others is with your ears ‐ by listening to them.
Dean Rusk
them by the hand and guide themSaint Thomas Aquinas
Dean Rusk
Would you persuade, speak of interest, not of reason.
Benjamin Franklin
COMPETITIVE ANALYSISCOMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Clients Love Competitive Research!
• Clients love:T l b t– To learn more about their competition
– How they ratey– What they can do better– Getting new ideas about
• Features • Functionality• Topics
What’s the competition saying?
• What are the differentiators?– StrategyStrategy– Messages– Claims – Calls to action– Website design– Guided path they present to users
20
Competitive Research Deliverables
• Can address many different things and can be presented in g pmany different ways:1. Presentation – show screenshots,
which illustrate site objectives, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)opportunities, and threats (SWOT)
2. Features Matrix – spreadsheet showing primary topics andshowing primary topics and features and can be used for rating
3. Sitemap Comparisons
Value
Useful Content Content is related to user requirements and objectives, is useful and provides value
Efficient Steps have been taken to ensure the user can execute tasks quickly and easily
stics
and easilyDesign
Clean Design Overall design is clean and simple, with only the necessary information
Visibility of The system should always keep users informed about what is going
Heuris D Visibility of
System StatusThe system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time
Intuitive Required actions, site elements, and processes are easy to comprehend and do not rely upon memoryH
ructure
Consistent Site elements ‐ including titling, nomenclature and processes are consistent.
Path Paths to calls to action meet users needs and mental models by b i il bl id d th ll i t tl il bl
Str being available as a guided path as well as instantly available.
User Control User is in the driver’s seat throughout their site experience
Nomenclature Words, phrases and concepts are familiar to the and are in the “user’s” language and appear in a natural and logical orderuser s language and appear in a natural and logical order.
egy
Clear & Succinct The benefits of using the service/product are succinctly and clearly stated
Segmentation Presenting information in more than 1 way to appeal to different
Strate Segmentation Presenting information in more than 1 way to appeal to different
user types.
Help Help functions and customer service options are offered for assisting users
Petcentric Strengths – Photos & Videos• Petcentric makes
it easy for pet lovers tolovers to – Find popular
photos and videos based upon tagsbased upon tags
– Sort by • Most Recent• Most Popular• Most Popular
– Share pictures and videos R t d– Rate and Comment
– Find ‘More Like Thi ’This’
2. Features Matrix
• When comparing sites identify what issites, identify what is similar vs. different:– TopicsTopics– Features– Help– Targeted audience– Messaging– More!
3. Sitemap Comparisons
List sitemap of each to better understand: 1. Amount of content
• Robust vs. shallow
2 Type of topics and2. Type of topics and role played in overall strategy:
• Navigation• Utilities• Footer Links• Segmentation• Global Callouts
EXERCISE 1 ‐ COMPETITIVE ANALYSISEXERCISE 1 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Pet Community Competitors
1. PetCentric.com2 HealthyPet com2. HealthyPet.com3. Cuteness.com4. Iheartpaws.com4. Iheartpaws.com5. PetPop.com6. YouPet.com7. TheGreenPetCommunity.com8. Aspca.org
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 27
Pet Community Competitors
1. PetCentric.com2 HealthyPet com2. HealthyPet.com3. Iheartpaws.com4. Aspca.org4. Aspca.org
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 28
Petcentric.com
• Objective: to be the ‘Ultimate Destination for Pet Lovers” by offering lots and lots of content
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offering lots and lots of content.
HealthyPet.com
• Objective: Awareness about standards for care, adoption, and treatment of small animals
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treatment of small animals
iHeartPaws.com
• Objective: An advertising basedadvertising based pet community that encourages
ti i tiparticipation through– Forums– Blogs– Pet Contests
ASPCA.org
• Objective:J i– Join us
– Be a part of our life‐fsaving work.
Competitive Analysis Presentation
• Look at the strategy, structure design and
1. Grab images of good examples of eachstructure, design and
value to users and identify:
examples of each2. Place into the PPT
templateidentify:– Strengths– Weaknesses
template3. Find at least 2 bullet
points for each– Opportunities– Threats
points for each heuristic element you’re presenting
• Apply heuristics in overall evaluation
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 33
PetCentric.com
• Strengths
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 34
Petcentric Strengths – Social Media• Petcentric is on
– Facebook– Twitter– YouTube– Android Market– Iphone
Petcentric Strengths – Content
• Content – Articles– Photos– Videos– Games– TravelFind a Pet– Find a Pet
– Blog
Petcentric Strengths – Interactivity• Entering zip code and keywords
bl tenables users to find:– LodgingLodging– Parks & Beaches– Pet Services
R t t d E t– Restaurants and Events
PetCentric – Duplicative Content
Travel & EventsTravel & Events
Blog
• Lack of User Control• Not Intuitive• Diminishes TrustDiminishes Trust
PetCentric Weaknesses
• Structure– No clear path– Primary nav items could apply
to multiple categories:• E.g. Funny Cats (Videos,
articles, photos)p )– Target cat vs. dog people?
• Strategy– No clear call‐to‐action– What’s in it for me to ‘join the
community?’• Value
– Not readily apparent– Sharing photos, videos and
events
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 39
HealthyPet.com
• Strengths
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IHeartPaws.com
• Strengths
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 41
IHeartPaws.com
• Weaknesses
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ASPCA.org
• Stengths
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ASPCA.org
• Stengths
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 44
ASPCA.org
• Weaknesses
Recommendations• Enable users to upload content:
– Pictures– Videos– Videos– Stories
• Encourage advocacy for animalsJ i– Join a cause
– Contribute• Develop content strategy that includes social media:
– Facebook– Twitter– Pininterest
• Create an editorial schedule that will guide content on:– Site– Social Media
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Social Media
EXERCISE 2 – COMPETITIVE FEATURESEXERCISE 2 COMPETITIVE FEATURES
Competitive Features Matrix
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2. Features Matrix
Things to look for: • Topics• ToolsTools• Customer Service/Contact (e.g.
Live Chat)L l f T• Level of Trust
• Registration (Difference in content once logged‐in)
• Segmentation (Targeted audience)• Downloads
M lti di• Multi‐media• Social Media• Utilities (e.g. Print/Share/Text size)( g / / )
Ranking• Subjective based upon
– Your analysis of sites auditedO ll li f i b i l d– Overall quality of sites being evaluated
• Scoring– Add all features– Add all features– Give extra point for features that are particularly good– Deduct for poor application
• Can be helpful to show in competitive analysis presentation
Competitive Rankings
EXERCISE 3 – SITEMAP COMPARISONEXERCISE 3 SITEMAP COMPARISON
Structure and Guided Path
Although these sites made it easy to find relevant content, the nomenclature of the i i i d f f h i d li l d i C llprimary navigation and structure of most of these sites does little to drive users to a Call‐
to‐Action or to “Join the Community.”
Common Topics
Step 1 – copy and past sitemaps side by side
Step 2 – add color to highlight similar content between sites
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSISQUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Quantitative ‐ Analytics
• Dozens of backend programs enable data mining – Better known include Google Analytics, Webtrends, Omniture
– Cost: Free to very expensive!
• Metrics will help you – Gain insight into web or mobile sitesC ith id f t i l t– Come up with new ideas for topics, nomenclature, or features
Why Data is Important
• Data can help you learn more about your users:Where they go on your site– Where they go on your site
– Keywords they use or things they are looking for– What is of most interestWhat is of most interest– Where they’re coming from– Time spent on site– Content they’re interactingwith most:
• Visits/Unique visitors• Visits/Unique visitors• Path• Downloads
Getting insights that you can act on
Don’t rely on guesswork when it comes to your social media investment. Get insights and data that you can act oninvestment. Get insights and data that you can act on.
Google Analytics
Engagement
• Analytics measures engagement and path• Can be customized to provide a specific view of your data
• Filtered data allows you to isolate and analyze b t f t ffisubsets of your traffic
Conversions
• Enables you to see how your marketing channels are working together to create sales and conversionstogether to create sales and conversions.
Google Analytics Multi‐channel Funnels
KPI’s
• What ways can analytics help us? Id tifi ti f A /G d /Ed ti /L ti– Identification of Age/Gender/Education/Location
– Forms• Successful completionSuccessful completion
– Engagement• Click• Call• Email• Download
Web.com – Proprietary program
Importance of tagging
• All content should be tagged in existing sitesd 2 6 h l i• Need 2‐6 months to get analytics
• Have a conversation about existing site– What are Key Performance Indicators?– Monthly/Semi‐annual/Annual ReportsWho’s looking at the data?– Who s looking at the data?
Interpreting the data
• Data can be accessed asCSV Fil th t– CSV Files that can download the data into Excel or be printed as a PDF
– Graphs– Heat maps
Keyword Research
• Provides insights into what users are looking forusers are looking for
• Leverage insights into content strategy
• When selecting keywords consider the:
FrequencyI t t k d i – Frequency – Online competition
• Where are they ranking?
• Integrate keywords in:– Sitemap (structure of the site)– Directory structure (page name)– Metadata Where are they ranking?
• Why are they ranking?Metadata
– Page titles– Headings– Text (page copy)– Images (alt tags)– Videos (alt tags)
Keywords
• Both local and external search engine reports provide a window into how users think about:
Nomenclature– Nomenclature – Topics– Objectives
• What they’re search for may be a missing i di t t itingredient to your site
• Short head vs. long tail
Short Head vs. Long Tail
Common queries
Zipf Curve
Common queriesMore common terms
Lower ranking, more unique terms/phrases
Finding Meaning
• Beware of data overload!• In order to have meaning
– Look for patterns in the data that ‘tell a story’
k d h– Group keywords together
Finding Patterns
Ambien CR Sitemap
Competitive Analysis Using Keywords
www.comscore.com
Quantitative Keyword ResearchPet Related Keywords Monthly Searches Indexed Pages
Pet Care 101,056 19,900,000
Pet Adoption 2,428 169,000
Pet Videos 1,578 2,330,000
Pet Training 1,376 1,900,100g
Animal health 1,274 1,880,000
Pet Behavior 1,100 900,900• Integrate keywords in:Pet Fitness
Pets and kids
Pet Loss
• Integrate keywords in:– Sitemap (structure of the site)– Directory structure (page name)– Metadata– Page titlesPage titles– Headings– Text (page copy)– Images (alt tags)– Videos (alt tags)( g )– Articles (topics and titles)
Nomenclature
• Primary navigation is the most important vehicle – To engage users g g– Provide ‘scent’– Tell a story
Drive to calls to action through a path– Drive to calls‐to‐action through a path• Keywords can be an important driver
– To get targeted audience to the site– To get search engines to understand and categorize your site for
search• Testing can help ensure that you’ve gotten it right!Testing can help ensure that you ve gotten it right!
EXERCISE 4 – KEYWORD RESEARCHEXERCISE 4 KEYWORD RESEARCH
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 75
Keywords, Trends, and Competition• Here are some FREE sites that can enable you to test out
keywords and see dashboards related to the competiton:
Keyword/Competitive Analysis:– Comscore.com ‐
http://www.comscoredatam
Think With GoogleGoogle Insights for SearchGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Adwords
ine.com/category/web‐traffic/
– Alexa.com– SEM RUSH
gSEOBook Keyword Suggestion Tool
http://tools.seobook.com/keyword‐list/generator.php
– SEM RUSH Other popular keyword tools:Wordtracker
http://tools.seobook.com/keyword‐p // / ytools/seobook/
SEOmoz keyword difficulty tool
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Analytics ‐ Competitive Researchhttp://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/aspca.org#
SEMrush’s Keyword Research Dashboardhttp://www.semrush.com/search.php?q=aspca.org&db=us
See keyword research for pet care
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 79
Using Analytics for CS
• Yellow: Overall themes:– Forums– Facebook– Adult communities (seniors)(seniors)
• Pink: LocalizationFilters by local region– Filters by local region
• Pet friendly places to live• Find a pet• Vets
Google Insights
PRODUCTS CONDITIONSAND TOPICS
PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY
PATIENT EDUCATION AND SUPPORT
MY SERVICES
Google Insights
PRODUCTS CONDITIONS RESOURCES PATIENT EDUCATION SERVICES
http://www.google.com/insights/search/
EXERCISE 5 – LISTEN TO THE BUZZEXERCISE 5 LISTEN TO THE BUZZ
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Impact of Social Media
• Trends: wwwHitwise comwww.Hitwise.com
Hitwise 3/15/2012 announcing Facebooksurpassed Google for most visited website.p g
Listening to the buzz
• Radian 6– Volume of conversationVolume of conversation– Share of voice (competitors)– Trending topics
T t l l– Total volume– Volume by media types– Sentiments– Top languages– Influencers– Age/gender demographicsAge/gender demographics– Top phrases being used to
discuss your brand
Social Media Research
• Using SocialMention.com what trends or insights can monitoring social media provide?monitoring social media provide?– www.socialmention.com– www pinterest comwww.pinterest.com
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SocialMentionFree tool to hear the buzzzz:http://www.socialmention.com/
• Enables businesses to get insights into dozens of metrics including:metrics including:– Application Users/Content– Plugins– API PerformanceAPI Performance– Page Stories and People
talking about this– Page Impressions/Views
P E t– Page Engagement– Page Users (Age/Gender)– Page Content– Page PostsPage Posts– Page Post: Stories and
People talking about this– Page Post: Impressions
P P E– Page Post: Engagement– Domain Content
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWSSTAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
Purpose of Stakeholder Interviews
• Get business requirements and objectivesand objectives
• Understand the business modelmodel
• Learn about other research• Get their insights into• Get their insights into targeted audience
WIIFM – Or the User?
• What’s in it for the user?• What’s the Value Proposition?• What s the Value Proposition?• What Key Performance
Indicators are being used to measure success?
Market Research
Industry and Nonprofit Groups
Site Goals by Persona
Share a picture/video/event
Female 15-30 Female 31-49 Female 50-70
Find a pet
Find a vet/animal hospital
Order pet foodOrder pet food
Research pet care problem
Learn about pet behavior
Pl ( i /f )Play a game (entertainment/fun)
Despite varying levels of usage, all users have the shared goals of 1) High Usage
94
p y g g , g )sharing; 2) learning more about pets; and 3) getting high quality affordable pet food
Medium Usage
Gap Analysis
• Validate researchk h i i h• Ask what insights are:
– DifferentSame– Same
– New
• Stay on track?• Stay on track?• Other Resources• Other people we can• Other people we can talk to?
Insights from ToolsTool Insight
Competitive Messaging, features, content and technology used in th k t l hi h t t di ill bAnalysis the marketplace, which your target audience will be measuring you against
Analytics How, when and where users are when using the siteyThe mental model of users – what content is most meaningful as illustrated by visits, action taken, and path on site.
Keyword Research
What users are searching for in their words! Integrate keywords to lift rankings in organic search listings. Short head/long tail. Get insights into g g gcompetition with their keywords. Come up with new ideas for future content strategy based keywords and themes found.
EXERCISE 6 – STAKEHOLDER RESEARCHEXERCISE 6 STAKEHOLDER RESEARCH
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Stakeholder Interviews
• Develop 5‐10 questions to ask stakeholders
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 98
Questions for Stakeholders
List your questions:1 Wh t1. What…
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 99
Questions for Stakeholders
• Access to data/analytics• Insights into the consumer and/or targeted audience
• Competitors• Upcoming focus groups• Usability studies• Industry reports• Industry groupsy g p• List of stakeholders to interview
What next steps might be
• Create a sitemapi f• Wireframes
• Comps (Design)• Copydeck
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 101
Prepare a high level sitemap
• Develop a sitemap with the primary and some secondary navigation using the insights we havesecondary navigation using the insights we have gotten from:– Competitive ResearchCompetitive Research– Keyword Research– Social Listening– Stakeholder Research
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 102
Purrfect Pet Community Sitemap
Home Page
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted AudienceLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 103
Thank you
– Lisa L. TragerEmail: tragester@gmail comEmail: [email protected]: 201‐722‐8941
Oth t tOther ways to connect:– Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisatrager– Twitter: #LisaltTwitter: #Lisalt
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience STC‐NY Metro WorkshopLisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 104