Making Sense of Performance Metrics Presented By: Kate Eyler-Werve at Content Jam 2013 in Chicago.

1. Making Sense of
Performance
Metrics
October 17, 2013
a presentation by
Kate Eyler-Werve
@mightybytes
Monday, October 21, 13

2. Mightybytes: A Full Service Creative Firm
We solve problems by:
• UX research and strategy
• Responsive web design and
development
• Content strategy
• Digital marketing and SEO
• Motion graphics
• Product development
• Drupal, Wordpress,
Expression Engine
Monday, October 21, 13

3. Who We Work With
Mightybytes has over a decade of experience helping both for-profit and nonprofit organizations
meet their goals.
Monday, October 21, 13

4. A Day in the Life of Kate
Cats’R’Us
Cats’R’Us, a store that sells everything cats,
publishes fresh content daily. They would like
recommendations on how to double their blog
traffic.
Clean Green, a company that manufactures
eco-friendly cleaners, asked their intern to
establish a company Twitter presence. Now
the intern is gone and they’d like
recommendations on how to grow their 10,000
followers to 30,000.
Monday, October 21, 13
Clean
Green

5. Performance Metrics: The Shocking Truth
Identifying metrics is easy. The hard part is figuring out what
constitutes good performance.
In other words, everyone who told you wasted your time
learning soft skills at your liberal arts college can eat it.
Monday, October 21, 13

6. Today’s Adventure!
Putting performance metrics in context with a content strategy
and metrics model.
• An outline and brief history of the model
• 3 specific problems that the model solves for
• Case study: the model in the wild (with several fascinating
detours)
Monday, October 21, 13

7. Content Strategy and Metrics Model
Name of the Organization
1. Mission Statement
2. Organizational
Objectives
3. Website Goals
4. Content
5. Key Performance
Indicators
6. Targets
7. Segments
Monday, October 21, 13
What the organization does to execute against its mission
What specific strategies you can pursue on your website or campaign to
meet the organization’s mission
What content supports the website’s goals
Measures that help you understand if you are meeting your objectives
Pre-determined indicators of success or failure
A group of people with a set of behaviors, sources or outcomes in
common

8. Adapted from Kaushik’s Digital
Marketing and Measurement Model
Avinash Kaushik was Google’s Digital Marketing Evangelist and went on to
co-found a company called Market Motive. He blogs at www.kaushik.net
and is the Ryan Gosling of Digital Metrics.
=
Hey girl, your happiness is my
key performance indicator.
Monday, October 21, 13

9. What problems
does this model
solve?
a presentation by
Monday, October 21, 13

10. Problem 1: Getting Buy In
Build a shared understanding
across the team on:
• Defining “good performance”
• Choosing Key Performance
Indicators
• Process for analyzing metrics
to produce actionable insights
Monday, October 21, 13

11. Problem 2: Tying Content to Strategy
Make the links between strategy,
content and metrics explicit to:
• Provide a guide for writers,
designers and other content
creators
• Make it easy for executives
and managers to provide
useful feedback
4
Monday, October 21, 13

12. Problem 3: Identifying Actionable Insights
Set the stage for effective analysis
by choosing KPIs, targets and
segments that help you decide:
• What content/campaigns
should we allocate more time
and budget to?
• What content/campaigns
should we cut?
4
6
Monday, October 21, 13

13. Case Study:
RoadShare
Chicago
a presentation by
Monday, October 21, 13

14. Step 1: State Your Organizational Mission
Key Question: Why does your organization exist?
Who should answer: Executives (mission statement).
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses
through bike lanes
Monday, October 21, 13

15. Step 2: Define Organizational Objectives
Key Question: What does your organization actually DO?
Who should answer: Executives (mission statement).
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses
through bike lanes
Conduct and promote
Drive community
Organizational
research on the benefits campaigns supporting
Objectives
of bike lanes
bike lane legislation
5
Monday, October 21, 13
Raise money from
grant-making bodies
and individuals

16. Step 3: Identify Website Goals
Key Question: How can you advance your organizational
objectives on your website?
Who should answer: Executives and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Website Goals
Conduct and promote
Drive community campaigns
Raise money from grant-
research on the benefits of
bike lanes
supporting bike lane
legislation
making bodies and
individuals
Promote research
Host online petitions
5
6
Monday, October 21, 13
Host secure online
donations

17. Step 4: Connect Content to Web Goals
Key Question: What content can you create that will help you meet
your website goals?
Who should answer: You.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Website Goals
Content
Conduct and promote
research on the benefits of
bike lanes
Drive community campaigns
supporting bike lane
legislation
Promote research
Host online petitions
White papers
Testimonials from
community members/
businesses
5
6
8
Monday, October 21, 13
Raise money from grantmaking bodies and
individuals
Host secure online
donations
Case studies on RoadShare
Chicago’s impact

18. Key Performance Indicators Detour
1. Help you understand if you are meeting your objectives, and
2. Help you decide what to do next.
Flat Metrics
Actionable KPIs
# of Twitter followers
Page views
Page views per new and
returning customers
# of email newsletter
subscribers
# and % of email newsletter
opens and click-throughs
# of registered users
Monday, October 21, 13
# of shares by Tweet content
# and % of active users

19. KPIs vs Goals in Google Analytics
There are four types of goals in Google Analytics:
1. Destination: A specific location loads
2. Duration: A visitor stays on site for a specific amount of time
3. Pages per visit: A visitor views a specific number of pages
4. Event: An action you’ve defined as an event is triggered
Monday, October 21, 13

20. Everyone’s Favorite KPI: Sales
Google Analytics tracks page views. Funnels show the pages visitors view on
their path to purchase. Hence confirmation screens.
Monday, October 21, 13

21. Step 5: Identify Your KPIs
Key Question: What metric best tells you if you’re meeting your
website goal?
Who should answer: You.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objective
Conduct and promote research on the benefits of bike lanes
Website Goals
Promote research
Content
White papers
Key Performance
Indicators
# of links to each white paper
5
6
8
9
Monday, October 21, 13
# of downloads of each white paper

22. Step 5: Identifying KPIs
Key Question: What metric best tells you if you’re meeting
your website goal?
Who should answer: You.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objective
Drive community campaigns supporting bike lane legislation
Website Goals
Host online petitions
Content
Testimonials from community members/businesses
Key Performance
Indicators
Monday, October 21, 13
# of people who sign each petition
% of visitors who sign each petition

23. Step 5: Identifying KPIs
Key Question: What metric best tells you if you’re meeting
your website goal?
Who should answer: You.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objective
Website Goals
Raise money from grant-making bodies and individuals
Host secure online donation
Content
Case studies on RoadShare Chicago’s impact
Key Performance
Indicators
Average donation value
Monday, October 21, 13

24. Step 6: Choose Targets
Key Question: What are you aiming for?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Conduct and promote research on the benefits of bike lanes
Website Goals
Promote research
Content
White papers
Key Performance
Indicators
# of downloads of each white paper
# of links to each white paper
Targets
100 links within a month of publication;
500 within a year of publication
45
10
5
6
8
9
Monday, October 21, 13

25. Step 6: Choose Targets
Key Question: What are you aiming for?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Drive community campaigns supporting bike lane legislation
Website Goals
Host online petitions
Content
Testimonials from community members/businesses
Key Performance
Indicators
# of people who sign each petition
Targets
25,000
Monday, October 21, 13
% of visitors who sign each petition
45%

26. Step 6: Choose Targets
Key Question: What are you aiming for?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Website Goals
Raise money from grant-making bodies and individuals
Host secure online donation
Content
Case studies on RoadShare Chicago’s impact
Key Performance
Indicators
Average donation value
Target
$35
Monday, October 21, 13

27. Segments: Your Secret Weapon
Segmenting your data lets you isolate the traffic sources, visitor
behaviors and outcomes you are most interested in so you can
start figuring out the effect your strategy is having in the field.
Acquisition: How do visitors get to your site? Includes paid ads,
organic search, direct, social media, email marketing, etc.
Behaviors: What are people doing on your site? Includes visiting
pages and using any tools you provide.
Outcomes: Who are the people who are converting goals?
Ranges from signing up for a newsletter to purchasing a
product.
Monday, October 21, 13

28. Google Analytics Segments
Choose the default segments that make sense for you and then
start experimenting with custom segments.
Monday, October 21, 13

29. Step 7: Segments
Key Questions: What keywords are driving visits? What traffic sources is
marketing focusing on? Who are the visitors that are donating the most?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Conduct and promote research on the benefits of bike lanes
Website Goals
Promote research
Content
White papers
Key Performance
Indicators
# of downloads of each white paper
# of links to each white paper
Targets
100 links within a month of publication;
500 within a year of publication
45
Segments
Monday, October 21, 13
Traffic sources: Direct, ads, search, social, email

30. Step 7: Segments
Key Questions: What keywords are driving visits? What traffic sources is
marketing focusing on? Who are the visitors that are donating the most?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We Create Healthy Communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Drive community campaigns supporting bike lane legislation
Website Goals
Host online petitions
Content
Testimonials from community members/businesses
Key Performance
Indicators
# of people who sign each petition
% of visitors who sign each petition
Targets
25,000
45%
Segments
Monday, October 21, 13
New vs. returning signers
Traffic sources: Direct, ads, search, social, email

31. Step 7: Segments
Key Questions: What keywords are driving visits? What traffic sources is
marketing focusing on? Who are the visitors that are donating the most?
Who should answer: Marketing, analytics and you.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Website Goals
Raise money from grant-making bodies and individuals
Host secure online donation
Content
Case studies on RoadShare Chicago’s impact
Key Performance
Indicators
Average donation value
Target
$35
Segment
Monday, October 21, 13
First time vs. repeat donors
Individual donors who contributed over $100

32. Your Content Strategy and Metrics Model
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike
lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Conduct and promote
research on the benefits of
bike lanes
Website Goals
Promote research.
Content
White Papers
Key
Performance
Indicators
# Links to
each white
paper
# White paper
downloads
Targets
100 links w/
in year of
launch
45
Segments
Traffic (Ads, Direct, Social,
Search)
Drive community campaigns
supporting bike lane
legislation
Raise money from grantmaking bodies and
individuals.
Host online petitions.
Host secure donation
collection platform
Testimonials from community
members/businesses who
benefit from bike lanes
# of people
% of visitors who
who sign
sign each
each
petition
petition
2,500
New vs. repeat signatures
10
11
5
6
8
9
Monday, October 21, 13
45%
Annual Report
Average donation value
$35
New vs. repeat donors
Top donors

33. Now, Sign It In Blood
“The Iron Rule of performance metrics is:
Any stakeholder that doesn’t sign off on your objectives,
goals, KPIs and segments will not accept the results of
your assessment”
Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles,
Where’s the Learning in Service Learning
Monday, October 21, 13

34. Social Media Campaign Model
The Content Strategy Metrics Model can also be applied to any
kind of campaign.
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Drive community campaigns supporting bike lane legislation
Social Media
Campaign Goals
Collect petition signatures
Content
Infographic showing the impact the petition is hoping to prevent
Key Performance
Indicators
# of signatures from visitors who
clicked through the campaign
% of visitors who clicked through
and signed
Targets
5,000
80%
New vs. returning signers
Segments
Traffic sources:Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
Monday, October 21, 13

35. Key Take Away
a presentation by
Monday, October 21, 13

36. There Are No Wrong Answers
The specific information you include in your model is less important
than the act of engaging your team in a structured conversation
about performance metrics.
Content Strategy and
Metrics Model
>
Organizational Mission
Organizational Objectives
Website Goals
Content
Key Performance Indicators
Targets
Segments
Monday, October 21, 13

37. Questions?
a presentation by
Kate Eyler-Werve
kate@mightybytes.com
Monday, October 21, 13

38. Content Strategy and Metrics Model
Name of the Organization
1. Mission Statement
2. Organizational
Objectives
3. Website Goals
4. Content
5. Key Performance
Indicators
6. Targets
7. Segments
Monday, October 21, 13
What the organization does to execute against its mission
What specific strategies you can pursue on your website or campaign to
meet the organization’s mission
What content supports the website’s goals
Measures that help you understand if you are meeting your objectives
Pre-determined indicators of success or failure
A group of people with a set of behaviors, sources or outcomes in
common

39. Content Strategy and Metrics Model
RoadShare Chicago
We create healthy communities, healthy people and healthy businesses through bike
lanes
Organizational
Objectives
Conduct and promote
research on the benefits of
bike lanes
Website Goals
Promote research.
Content
White Papers
Key
Performance
Indicators
# Links to
each white
paper
# White paper
downloads
Targets
100 links w/
in year of
launch
45
Segments
Monday, October 21, 13
Traffic (Ads, Direct, Social,
Search)
Drive community campaigns
supporting bike lane
legislation
Raise money from grantmaking bodies and
individuals.
Host online petitions.
Host secure donation
collection platform
Testimonials from community
members/businesses who
benefit from bike lanes
# of people
% of visitors who
who sign
sign each
each
petition
petition
2,500
45%
New vs. repeat signatures
Annual Report
Average donation value
$35
New vs. repeat donors
Top donors