Recently was invited by Scott Abel and Rahel Baillie to do a workshop at Content Strategy Workshops in Portland, Or. Here's the presentation that helped guide our 2 -1/2 hour work session.

1. Gaining Insights Into Your
Targeted Audience
Through Competitive Analysis,
y
Analytics, and Stakeholder Research
Lisa Trager
Lead 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 Unported
License. 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 tragester@gmail.com

2. Workshop Exercises
1. Competitive Research
2.
2 Features Matrixi
3. Competitive Sitemap Analysis
4. Keyword Research
5. Investigate Free Tools for
Analytics and Social Listening
l d l
6. Develop Stakeholder
Questions
Q ti
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 2

3. WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
PURRFECT PET COMMUNITY
PET COMMUNITY

4. Welcome to the Purrfect Pet Community Team!
• Assignment: Do research to help determine the
needs of an online community for pet owners
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 4

5. Qualitative Analysis
• Human behavior
• Non‐numerical factors
• Quality of content
• Applies to:
– Competitive Analysis
– Heuristic Analysis
– Content Audit
– Usability Testing
U bilit T ti

6. Quantitative Analysis
• Hard data
• Statistics
S i i
• Metrics
• Provides actionable
insights

7. Methodology
1. Discovery
2.
2 Definition
3. Design
4. Development
5. Deployment
Client

8. Gaining insights into your
targeted audience
d di
WHY DO IT?

9. Process takes time

10. Costs money

11. Obstacles
Our SEM campaign is
kicking off in a month –
when will the landing
h ill th l di
We’ve never done it pages be ready?
this way.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Project Manager
We’re over budget and six weeks to
launch. Just show us the best way to
l h J t h th b t t
get our marketing messages out.
Account Manager
Account Manager

12. The Team
• Project Management
• Account Rep
• Creative Director
• Technology
• Analytics
• g
Product Manager
• Development
• Stakeholders
Who is representing the interests of the user?
p g

13. The Content Strategist
• A Content Strategist brings an understanding of:
Who? Who is the targeted audience?
What? What information is relevant
What information is relevant
Where users are coming from and most likely
Where? going next
When is the best time to present contextually
When? relevant content?
Why? Why users are coming to the website and
y g
what are they looking for?

14. Roles and Skills of a CS

15. What are the benefits of research?
2. Removes guesswork
1. Provides insight into what
your users want
3. Is a more scientific approach,
which is harder to challenge

16. Right Message at the Right Time and Place
Tablet
Mobile or smart
Laptop or PC
phone

17. Insights to Persuade/Convert/Sell
If you’re trying to persuade people to
• Gaining insights into
Gaining insights into
do something, or buy something, it your targeted users is
seems to me you should use their ultimately about:
language.
l
David Ogilvy – Persuasion
The most effective leader is the one who
satisfies the psychological needs of his – Conversion
followers.
followers. – Sales!
To convert somebody go and take
them by the hand and guide them
th b th h d d id th One of the best ways to
f h b
Saint Thomas Aquinas persuade others is with your
ears ‐ by listening to them.
Dean Rusk
Dean Rusk
Would you persuade, speak
of interest, not of reason.
Benjamin Franklin

18. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

19. Clients Love Competitive Research!
• Clients love:
–T l
To learn more about
b t
their competition
– How they rate
y
– What they can do better
– Getting new ideas about
• Features
• Functionality
• Topics

20. What’s the competition saying?
• What are the differentiators?
– Strategy
– Messages
– Claims
– Calls to action
– Website design
– Guided path they present to
users
20

21. Competitive Research Deliverables
• Can address many different
things and can be presented in
g p
many 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 and
showing primary topics and
features and can be used for rating
3. Sitemap Comparisons

22. Useful Content Content is related to user requirements and objectives, is useful
Value
and provides value
Efficient Steps have been taken to ensure the user can execute tasks quickly
and easily
and easily
stics
Design Clean Design Overall design is clean and simple, with only the necessary
information
Visibility of
of The system should always keep users informed about what is going
The system should always keep users informed about what is going
Heuris
D
System Status on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time
Intuitive Required actions, site elements, and processes are easy to
comprehend and do not rely upon memory
H
Consistent Site elements ‐ including titling, nomenclature and processes are
consistent.
ructure
Path Paths to calls to action meet users needs and mental models by
being available as a guided path as well as instantly available.
b i il bl id d th ll i t tl il bl
Str
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 order.
user s language and appear in a natural and logical order
Clear & Succinct The benefits of using the service/product are succinctly and clearly
stated
egy
Segmentation Presenting information in more than 1 way to appeal to different
information in more than 1 way to appeal to different
Strate
user types.
Help Help functions and customer service options are offered for
assisting users

23. Petcentric Strengths – Photos & Videos
• Petcentric makes
it easy for pet
lovers to
lovers to
– Find popular
photos and videos
based upon tags
based upon tags
– Sort by
• Most Recent
• Most Popular
Most Popular
– Share pictures and
videos
– R t
Rate and
d
Comment
– Find ‘More Like
This’
Thi ’

24. 2. Features Matrix
• When comparing
sites, identify what is
sites identify what is
similar vs. different:
– Topics
– Features
– Help
– Targeted audience
– Messaging
– More!

25. 3. Sitemap Comparisons
List sitemap of each to
better understand:
1. Amount of content
• Robust vs. shallow
2. Type of topics and
2 Type of topics and
role played in
overall strategy:
• Navigation
• Utilities
• Footer Links
• Segmentation
• Global Callouts

26. EXERCISE 1 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
EXERCISE 1 ‐ COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

27. Pet Community Competitors
1. PetCentric.com
2.
2 HealthyPet.com
HealthyPet com
3. Cuteness.com
4. Iheartpaws.com
5. PetPop.com
6. YouPet.com
7. TheGreenPetCommunity.com
8. Aspca.org
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 27

28. Pet Community Competitors
1. PetCentric.com
2.
2 HealthyPet.com
HealthyPet com
3. Iheartpaws.com
4. Aspca.org
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 28

29. Petcentric.com
• Objective: to be the ‘Ultimate Destination for Pet Lovers” by
offering lots and lots of content.
offering lots and lots of content
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 29

30. HealthyPet.com
• Objective: Awareness about standards for care, adoption, and
treatment of small animals
treatment of small animals
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 30

31. iHeartPaws.com
• Objective: An
advertising based
advertising based
pet community
that encourages
participation
ti i ti
through
– Forums
– Blogs
– Pet Contests

32. ASPCA.org
• Objective:
–J i
Join us
– Be a part of
our life‐
f
saving work.

33. Competitive Analysis Presentation
• Look at the strategy, 1. Grab images of good
structure, design and
structure design and examples of each
examples of each
value to users and 2. Place into the PPT
identify: template
– Strengths 3. Find at least 2 bullet
– Weaknesses points for each
points for each
– Opportunities heuristic element
– Threats you’re presenting
• Apply heuristics in
overall evaluation
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 33

34. PetCentric.com
• Strengths
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 34

35. Petcentric Strengths – Social Media
• Petcentric is on
– Facebook
– Twitter
– YouTube
– Android Market
– Iphone

36. Petcentric Strengths – Content
• Content
– Articles
– Photos
– Videos
– Games
– Travel
– Find a Pet
Find a Pet
– Blog

37. Petcentric Strengths – Interactivity
• Entering zip code
and keywords
enables users to
bl t
find:
– Lodging
– Parks & Beaches
– Pet Services
– Restaurants and Events
R t t dE t

38. PetCentric – Duplicative Content
Travel & Events
Travel & Events
Blog
• Lack of User Control
• Not Intuitive
• Diminishes Trust
Diminishes Trust

39. 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
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 39

40. HealthyPet.com
• Strengths
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 40

41. IHeartPaws.com
• Strengths
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 41

42. IHeartPaws.com
• Weaknesses
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 42

43. ASPCA.org
• Stengths
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 43

44. ASPCA.org
• Stengths
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 44

45. ASPCA.org
• Weaknesses

46. Recommendations
• Enable users to upload content:
– Pictures
– Videos
– Stories
• Encourage advocacy for animals
– J 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
Social Media
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 46

47. EXERCISE 2 COMPETITIVE FEATURES
EXERCISE 2 – COMPETITIVE FEATURES

48. Competitive Features Matrix
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 48

49. 2. Features Matrix
Things to look for: • Topics
• Tools
• Customer Service/Contact (e.g.
Live Chat)
• L l fT
Level of Trust
• Registration (Difference in content
once logged‐in)
• Segmentation (Targeted audience)
• Downloads
• M lti
Multi‐mediadi
• Social Media
( g / / )
• Utilities (e.g. Print/Share/Text size)

50. Ranking
• Subjective based upon
– Your analysis of sites audited
–OOverall quality of sites being evaluated
ll li f i b i l d
• 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

51. Competitive Rankings

52. EXERCISE 3 SITEMAP COMPARISON
EXERCISE 3 – SITEMAP COMPARISON

53. Structure and Guided Path
Although these sites made it easy to find relevant content, the nomenclature of the
primary navigation and structure of most of these sites does little to drive users to a Call‐
i i i d f f h i d li l di C ll
to‐Action or to “Join the Community.”

54. Common Topics
Step 1 – copy and past Step 2 – add color to highlight
sitemaps side by side similar content between sites

55. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

56. 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 sites
–CCome up with new ideas for topics, nomenclature, or
ith id f t i l t
features

57. 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 interest
What is of most interest
– Where they’re coming from
– Time spent on site
– Content they’re interacting
with most:
• Visits/Unique visitors
Visits/Unique visitors
• Path
• Downloads

58. 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 on.
investment. Get insights and data that you can act on
Google Analytics

59. 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
subsets of your traffic
b t f t ffi

60. Conversions
• Enables you to see how your marketing channels are working
together to create sales and conversions.
together to create sales and conversions
Google Analytics Multi‐channel Funnels

61. KPI’s
• What ways can analytics help us?
– Id tifi ti
Identification of Age/Gender/Education/Location
f A /G d /Ed ti /L ti
– Forms
• Successful completion
Successful completion
– Engagement
• Click
• Call
• Email
• Download

62. Web.com – Proprietary program

64. Importance of tagging
• All content should be tagged in existing sites
• Need 2‐6 months to get analytics
d2 6 h l i
• Have a conversation about existing site
– What are Key Performance Indicators?
– Monthly/Semi‐annual/Annual Reports
– Who’s looking at the data?
Who s looking at the data?

65. Interpreting the data
• Data can be accessed as
– CSV Fil th t
CSV Files that can
download the data into
Excel or be printed as a PDF
– Graphs
– Heat maps

66. Keyword Research
• Provides insights into what
users are looking for
users are looking for
• Leverage insights into content
strategy
• When selecting keywords
consider the:
• Integrate keywords in:
I t t k d i – Frequency
Frequency
– Sitemap (structure of the site)
– Directory structure (page name)
– Online competition
– Metadata • Where are they ranking?
Where are they ranking?
– Page titles
– Headings
• Why are they ranking?
– Text (page copy)
– Images (alt tags)
– Videos (alt tags)

67. 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
ingredient to your site
i di t t it
• Short head vs. long tail

68. Short Head vs. Long Tail
Zipf Curve
Common queries
Common queries
More common terms
Lower ranking, more
unique terms/phrases

69. Finding Meaning
• Beware of data overload!
• In order to have meaning
– Look for patterns in the data
that ‘tell a story’
– Group keywords together
k d h

70. Finding Patterns

71. Ambien CR Sitemap

72. Competitive Analysis Using Keywords
www.comscore.com

73. Quantitative Keyword Research
Pet 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
g 1,376 1,900,100
Animal health 1,274 1,880,000
Pet Behavior 1,100 900,900
Pet Fitness • Integrate keywords in:
Integrate keywords in:
– Sitemap (structure of the site)
Pets and kids – Directory structure (page name)
– Metadata
Pet Loss – Page titles
Page titles
– Headings
– Text (page copy)
– Images (alt tags)
– Videos (alt tags)
( g)
– Articles (topics and titles)

74. 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!

75. EXERCISE 4 KEYWORD RESEARCH
EXERCISE 4 – KEYWORD RESEARCH
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 75

76. Keywords, Trends, and Competition
• Here are some FREE sites that can enable you to test out
keywords and see dashboards related to the competiton:
Think With Google
Keyword/Competitive Analysis:
Google Insights for Search
Google Analytics – Comscore.com ‐
Google Adwords
g http://www.comscoredatam
SEOBook Keyword Suggestion Tool ine.com/category/web‐
http://tools.seobook.com/keyword‐ traffic/
list/generator.php – Alexa.com
– SEM RUSH
SEM RUSH
Other popular keyword tools:
Wordtracker
http://tools.seobook.com/keyword‐
p // / y
tools/seobook/
SEOmoz keyword difficulty tool
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 76

77. Analytics ‐ Competitive Research
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/aspca.org#

78. SEMrush’s Keyword Research Dashboard
http://www.semrush.com/search.php?q=aspca.org&db=us

79. See keyword research for pet care
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 79

80. Using Analytics for CS
• Yellow: Overall themes:
– Forums
– Facebook
– Adult communities
(seniors)
• Pink: Localization
– Filters by local region
Filters by local region
• Pet friendly places to live
• Find a pet
• Vets

81. Google Insights
PRODUCTS CONDITIONS PROFESSIONAL PATIENT EDUCATION MY
AND TOPICS LIBRARY AND SUPPORT SERVICES

82. Google Insights
PRODUCTS CONDITIONS RESOURCES PATIENT EDUCATION SERVICES
http://www.google.com/insights/search/

83. EXERCISE 5 LISTEN TO THE BUZZ
EXERCISE 5 – LISTEN TO THE BUZZ
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 83

84. Impact of Social Media
• Trends:
www.Hitwise.com
www Hitwise com
Hitwise 3/15/2012 announcing Facebook
p g
surpassed Google for most visited website.

85. Listening to the buzz
• Radian 6
– Volume of conversation
Volume of conversation
– Share of voice (competitors)
– Trending topics
– Total volume
T t l l
– Volume by media types
– Sentiments
– Top languages
– Influencers
– Age/gender demographics
Age/gender demographics
– Top phrases being used to
discuss your brand

86. Social Media Research
• Using SocialMention.com what trends or insights can
monitoring social media provide?
monitoring social media provide?
– www.socialmention.com
– www pinterest com
www.pinterest.com
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 86

87. SocialMention
Free tool to hear the buzzzz:
http://www.socialmention.com/

88. Facebook
• Enables businesses to get
insights into dozens of
metrics including:
metrics including:
– Application Users/Content
– Plugins
– API Performance
API Performance
– Page Stories and People
talking about this
– Page Impressions/Views
– Page Engagement
P E t
– Page Users (Age/Gender)
– Page Content
– Page Posts
Page Posts
– Page Post: Stories and
People talking about this
– Page Post: Impressions
– Page Post: Engagement
P P E
– Domain Content

89. STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

90. Purpose of Stakeholder Interviews
• Get business requirements
and objectives
and objectives
• Understand the business
model
• Learn about other research
• Get their insights into
Get their insights into
targeted audience

91. 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?

92. Market Research

93. Industry and Nonprofit Groups

94. Site Goals by Persona
Female 15-30 Female 31-49 Female 50-70
Share a picture/video/event
Find a pet
Find a vet/animal hospital
Order pet food
Research pet care problem
Learn about pet behavior
Play a game (entertainment/fun)
Pl ( i /f )
High Usage
Despite varying levels of usage, all users have the shared goals of 1)
p y g g , g )
sharing; 2) learning more about pets; and 3) getting high quality Medium Usage
affordable pet food
94

95. Gap Analysis
• Validate research
• Ask what insights are:
k h i i h
– Different
– Same
– New
• Stay on track?
Stay on track?
• Other Resources
• Other people we can
Other people we can
talk to?

96. Insights from Tools
Tool Insight
Competitive Messaging, features, content and technology used in
Analysis the marketplace, which your target audience will be
th k t l hi h t t di ill b
measuring you against
Analytics
y How, when and where users are when using the site
The mental model of users – what content is most
meaningful as illustrated by visits, action taken, and
path on site.
Keyword What users are searching for in their words!
Research Integrate keywords to lift rankings in organic search
listings. Short head/long tail. Get insights into
g g g
competition with their keywords. Come up with new
ideas for future content strategy based keywords and
themes found.

97. EXERCISE 6 STAKEHOLDER RESEARCH
EXERCISE 6 – STAKEHOLDER RESEARCH
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 97

98. Stakeholder Interviews
• Develop 5‐10 questions to ask stakeholders
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 98

99. Questions for Stakeholders
List your questions:
1. What…
1 Wh t
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 99

100. Questions for Stakeholders
• Access to data/analytics
• Insights into the consumer and/or targeted
audience
• Competitors
• Upcoming focus groups
• Usability studies
• Industry reports
yg p
• Industry groups
• List of stakeholders to interview

101. What next steps might be
• Create a sitemap
• Wireframes
i f
• Comps (Design)
• Copydeck
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 101

102. Prepare a high level sitemap
• Develop a sitemap with the primary and some
secondary navigation using the insights we have
secondary navigation using the insights we have
gotten from:
– Competitive Research
Competitive Research
– Keyword Research
– Social Listening
– Stakeholder Research
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 102

103. Purrfect Pet Community Sitemap
Home Page
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience 103

104. Thank you
– Lisa L. Trager
Email: tragester@gmail.com
Email: tragester@gmail com
Phone: 201‐722‐8941
Other ways to connect:
Oth t t
– Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisatrager
– Twitter: #Lisalt
Twitter: #Lisalt
Gaining Insights to Your Targeted Audience
Lisa Trager (c) 8/4/2012 104
STC‐NY Metro Workshop