data insights Archives

My Favorite Advice

Keep It Positive (and Personal)

In a world where it feels like everyone and everything is vying for our attention, what does it take for one message to stand out? Well, Change.org analyzed 164K online petitions and figured out which best converted scrolls to clicks and clicks to donations. My main takeaway (there were a lot, really) is that knowing your audience is key. Supporters are already passionate and motivated to act. So how petition creators framed their call to action — for example, whether they put it in positive or negative terms — often made the difference in supporter numbers. According to this study, the most effective headlines start with a strong action word and signal “the ideas of restoration of rights or coming to the aid of others.” Check out the study for many, many examples.

Profit with the Pareto Principle

Data analytics is tough, even for large corporations. It’s no surprise that only 5% of nonprofits report using data in every decision they make. But enough bad news! What are some practical steps your organization can take to fix this? This piece talks to the YMCA of Austin about what they did to create a data-driven culture. My favorite takeaway: apply the Pareto Principle to data analytics. “Identify and focus on the 20% of performance indicators that will produce 80% of your success.” Another big takeaway: Analytics aren’t exclusive. Every employee within every department can use data to make more intelligent decisions.

The Dark Side of UX Design

Ever heard of “dark patterns?” Probably not, but you’ve definitely seen at least one or two examples. Basically, it’s what NOT to do with your website. Dark patterns are crappy designs that intentionally make it difficult to do something. Dark patterns are legal but incredibly annoying (and slightly unethical). Instead of tricking users, take the time to build trust and loyalty with your audience. It’s not hard.

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