Bee Measure

Get Direction From Your Data

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Your Website Redesign, Online Fundraising & Building a Data Culture

Not Another New Year’s Article

I know it sounds cheesy, but put better data collection at the top of your list of new year’s resolutions. This article is written by Salesforce to promote Salesforce, so take it with a grain of salt, but they have good suggestions about what organizations should be focusing on in 2019. For example, committing to a data collection tool and making sure it is set up correctly ensures your nonprofit can be confident in the data you collect – and the decisions you make from it.

When It’s Time to Redesign

If you want to start fresh in 2019, this handy UX research process explains the steps and timeline for redesigning your website with users at the forefront. One thing that stuck out to me was their emphasis on the importance of combining generative (user interviews) and evaluative research (A/B testing, mouse tracking, remote usability testing). Hot tip: since you want the research to define the direction of your design, “put generative techniques at the beginning.”

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Understanding the Why, Marketing Efficiency & One Charity’s Unexpected Findings

The Ethics of A/B Testing

The ethics of A/B testing are up for contention! While it may seem harmless, many people don’t like the idea of being tested without their knowledge. I don’t blame them. So, what does this mean for nonprofits? For those wanting to err on the side of caution, it’s best to be transparent. Inform your audience and give them the chance to opt out.

Getting to the “Why”

Looking to improve your website? You need “why” data. I like this article because it breaks down the types of information you can collect about your site and what each provides. While Google Analytics can show you where users are running into trouble, it can’t explain why something is happening. Qualitative data, such as survey responses, help you understand why your users are behaving in a certain way and provide the insight needed to solve any issues they’re having on your website.

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Passé Website Trends, Writing Better Surveys & 2018’s Top Social Campaigns

Don’t Forget the Pictures!

When your organization’s work is, um, less than visually compelling, it’s easy to make images an afterthought. But before you download yet another boring stock photo, check out Hubspot’s list of statistics why visuals matter. Compelling images can impact not only viewers’ attention spans, but also result in higher retention and engagement. Here’s my favorite fact from the piece: “When people hear information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later.” Nice!

The Best of the Best

The Digital Agency Network presented their picks for the best social media campaigns in 2018. I love this list because it features sophisticated uses of a medium many consider, well, “basic” and, um, narcissistic. And as a bookworm, my favorite is NY Library’s InstaNovels campaign.

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Google’s Big Birthday News, Picking Your A/B Tests & Painting Data

Happy Birthday, Google! (And What That Means to You)
Most media celebrated Google’s 20th birthday with retrospectives of Google Doodles. More interesting to me, however, is the future. The tech giant shared how it expects to change search in the coming years. I had two big takeaways: an increased emphasis on making images (and video) really work on search and new features to keep users on its platform (reducing the need for them to click off to websites). Stay turned! I’m sure this newsletter will cover more about what’s next for Google.

Maybe You Don’t Need to Test…. Everything
For most nonprofits, just finishing a website redesign is a huge achievement. (I’ve been there. Extra bonus points if it’s on time and in budget.) The idea of A/B testing everything before launch is so daunting. Here’s one consultant’s take on what to test and what to push out and refine later.

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Redesigns for Small Orgs, Data vs. Writer’s Block & A Wish for Bigger Pockets

Reach Bored People on Facebook
It’s worth turning on the sound to watch this video from Entrepreneur Network. It makes a really good point. A successful marketing campaign is not just about reaching the right demographic. We also need to consider what potential supporters will be doing as they receive our message. Are they ready to listen? Facebook users are often browsing for any content that catches their attention, while Google searchers are looking for specific information. These two channels tend to show better campaign returns than say, YouTube pre-roll, which interrupts the viewer.

Tips for a Drama-Free Redesign
Planning to redesign your website soon? (Who isn’t?) Check out this new Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio podcast episode for tips on gaining stakeholder support, managing contractors and using data to drive better engagement. It’s also a shameless plug! Two colleagues and I were interviewed for this episode after speaking at the 2018 Nonprofit Technology Conference.

Lifelong Learning (Whether You Like it or Not)
In an industry that’s always changing, how does anyone stay up with the latest skills? If you are interested in brushing up your marketing analytics chops, listen to the latest edition of the Digital Analytics Power Hour podcast. In this episode, the hosts analyze the latest online courses, bootcamps and other learning resources.

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