6 Examples of Data-Informed Site Changes that Increased Conversions

You're not one of those designers still resisting the use of data to inform site changes, are you?

If you are, I'll let you in on a little secret: I was too just a few short years ago. I would make prolific statements, like: "Who needs data? I'm a designer, dammit! I craft websites based on my intuition, design aesthetic and vast experience." Sound familiar?

In hindsight, I was not taking the time to understand site visitor behaviors, friction points they encountered or frustrations they harbored. I was far from being an advocate for the user. As a matter of fact, I didn't have a solid understanding of what was working and what wasn't, and certainly not 'why'. This resulted in a lopsided balance between user needs and business goals. The business almost always won.

Embracing Data
Fast forward to today: I'm growing my agency's client relationships and winning new business by evangelizing data-informed design. Of course, we don't let user data drive all of our design decisions. That could translate into emotionless, marketing-driven garble. But there is a happy place where a quantitative and qualitative approaches live harmoniously together! I've been there and have seen how it can result in delighted clients, satisfied users and an invigorated design team.

Success Stories
Let me share some quick examples of how we got to that happy place. Below are 6 challenges I faced with a few select clients. For each, I've listed the evidence we found within the analytics + survey data and the design changes that helped achieve dramatic increases in conversion:

Client Question #1: Are our visitors sufficiently motivated to start the checkout process?
Evidence: 10% of visitors abandoned before proceeding to checkout, although self-qualifying themselves as "ready to buy."
Result: Set expectations around checkout process length, as well as improving the visibility of shipping and return policy.

Client Question #2: Why is there a high abandonment rate so late in the checkout process?
Evidence: Nearly 20% of visitors never clicked "Checkout," but did click "Update Cart," possibly mistaking this button as a means of continuing.
Result: Designed clearer visual distinctions between calls-to-action.

Client Question #3: Within checkout, are visitors confused by our process?
Evidence: Multiple page views of billing and shipping pages, with a high rate of visitors clicking "Help" within them, then abandoning shortly thereafter.
Result: Improved error messaging and contextual instructional copy.

Client Question #4: Are we appropriately allocating page real estate to our features, such as gift card redemption?
Evidence: 90% of visitors never attempted to redeem a gift card during their session.
Result: Removed gift card feature and re-allocated page real estate to revenue-generating features.

Client Question #5: Why are our visitors making only single-item purchases?
Evidence: Only 30% of visitors scrolled down far enough on product pages to see cross-sell functionality. For those that did scroll to see the cross-sell functionality, less than 50% of them interacted with it.
Result: Moved the cross-selling functionality along the right rail and added explanation of why the products are "recommended."

Client Question #6: What are the optimal number of pages for our application process?
 Is our current long 1-page design optimal?
Evidence: A/B test showed that over 70% of visitors to the 1-page control application scrolled and then abandoned, without any other type of page interaction. The 2-page design showed higher interactivity and 10% higher conversions.
Result: Put 2-page application process in market and conducted further multivariate tests to lift conversions another 8%.

Summary
Of course I have to write the disclaimer: "your results may vary." We apply best practices to every site we build. But more often than not, we identify a multitude of distinct user behaviors that are specific to each of our clients. Hence the embracing of an iterative and data-informed design process.

(Note: this post was originally intended to run on Carsonified's Think Vitamin blog in the late summer. But since they procrastinated, I decided to post it here on my own blog.)

8 Reasons Why Your New Site Isn't Performing

Tell me if this has happened to you. Client says: "I don't get it. We just spent tons of money redesigning our site. It looks so much better. How could online sales be down?"

And you say: "It's the economy, stupid."

Now hold your horses there, Junior. Let's not jump to conclusions. The economy can be blamed for plenty (see: Housing Collapse and Demise of Auto Industry). eMarketer forecasts that retail e-commerce sales (excluding travel) will likely be flat in 2009.

There could be many reasons why your shiny and new transaction-based site isn't performing so well. Sure, some will be healed over time. But the good news is that most can be overcome with better planning.

Here are 8 traffic and site-side client challenges that I've recently observed:

• 1. New site architecture can take weeks or months for your visitors to adjust
• 2. New SEO tactics could take weeks or months for organic traffic to pick up again
• 3. Login module was moved to new position on page and visitors can't find it
• 4. Primary call-to-action was moved to a new position
• 5. RSS feed was changed and now it's broken for past subscribers
• 6. New site is so different, that visitors immediately abandon because they think they're in the wrong place
• 7. Familiar past site functionality was removed (for better or for worse)
• 8. New site has either too hard or too soft of a selling approach in comparison to prior design

Flickr Image: kevindooley

Temperamental iPod Touch(s)

Dumb and Dumber. That's what my wife and I are calling our two 16GB iPod Touch devices.

This weekend, we stopped by the Apple store to replace our 30GB Video iPods (stolen from us on our recent cruise). Although we entered the store with the intent of purchasing 80 GB iPod Classics, we were completely enthralled by the fun factor of the Touch model.

Unfortunately our excitement and fascination with our new (*and expensive) gadgets quickly dwindled from the moment they were connected to our computers. Jen's iPod screen lost it's magical touch capability, completely freezing up with no online forum or tutorial offering a remedy.

Simultaneously, my troubles began when I attempted to connect my iPod. The device decided it didn' t like my USB2.0 PCI slot drive on my Powerbook, and only wanted to cooperate with my USB 1.0 input (with less-than-stellar data transfer rates). Next, iTunes refused to recognize that I actually connected a compatible device and insisted I try to restart, disconnect and reconnect an array of a dozen or so configurations before finally loading it.

Lastly, my patience wore thin when a pop-up window notified me that the music and videos I was attempting to sync were TWICE AS LARGE as the device's capacity. Then began the tedious process of weeding out podcasts, playlists and albums I guess I could live without. After a few more dances with configurations so that iTunes recognized my iPod again (it just disappeared from my devices), I called it a night and shut everything down.

My usability issues aside (well not really... I hate that i have to toggle through to get to my volume, lock my device and shut it off), this may not be the device for me. Simplicity and storage capacity reign supreme for me. It's what made me such a loyal fan of my Gen 2 and 4 iPod devices.

While my wife would like to exchange her iPod Touch for one that actually functions, I think I'll eat the $39 open box fee and send this bad boy back to the store. Anyone interested in giving me a good deal on a 30GB Video iPod?

FreshDirect: Dinner at our Doorstep

I can't say enough good things about FreshDirect! Prepared dinners are exquisitely arranged, produce is remarkably fresh and they offer a healthy selection of organic foods. All of this wholesome goodness brought right to our door by a friendly delivery guy!

My one major gripe is their website — more than just a moot point, since it's the way you place an order. FreshDirect's product categorization leaves a bit to be desired as well as the navigation being quite clumsy and non-intuitive. Photos and descriptions are decent, however there must be more enticing ways to feature product.

Competitive prices with our local supermarket and a generous choice of delivery times have made this a service we can't live without. After a consultation with our usability team, there just may be hope for their site.