1 week of user testing
You'll be shocked at the results
Hi there,
Your conversion rate isn’t what it should be, but you don’t know what else to do.
You’ve looked at competitors and followed all the ‘best practices’, but it just isn’t enough. You’re stuck.
What else could you change?
One of the most powerful tools in growth is quick user testing.
It isn’t rocket science, and it isn’t anything new, but for some reason, we resist taking the time to user test.
Each time I’ve run tests, I’ve gotten a huge list of potential optimisations which have consistently increased conversion rate.
The reason you’ll be shocked? You can do it in just one week if you’re determined enough.
1 week of user testing - Your complete schedule
This is what your schedule will look like:
Day 1: Preparation
Day 1 is all about determining your goal: what exactly are you trying to learn from testing?
Knowing your goal will ensure that you can then recruit the right type of users.
You also want to do that immediately, as they will need some warning to hop on the call.
No one appreciates an impromptu call when they’re “working from home”…
Examples of recruitment methods:
Ask non-purchasers from your email list if you can only target users who haven’t been on the website yet.
Ask friends for recommendations of people they know who match the target audience but haven’t tried the product before.
Go out there and ask people. For a pet brand, I once asked a dog owner I met while walking in the park. She then referred me to other pet owners.
Aim to plan about 10 user tests of 30 minutes. Keep in mind that you’ll always have some no-shows, so aim for a baker’s dozen!
If I’m doing the user testing online, I’ll use Calendly to set up slots to get them scheduled for Day 3 - 4.
I also take some time on Day 1 (or Day 2) to prepare for the testing. I consider:
Will I record them?
How will I document the findings?
Which devices will I test?
Day 3 - 4: Let's get talking
Days 3-4 are all about talking and testing. The key is not to tell them what to do/explain, but rather ask questions.
“While you are running these sessions, it’s important for you to remember why you are running the test, and what you are most hoping to learn. That way, you can keep the task on track as well as know when to prod the participant to get down to the “why” behind their actions, clicks or things they share”
- Georgia Sugarman, Head of User Research of Kooth
Day 5: Analyse results
The final day is dedicated to analysing and understanding. Usually, I’ll have ten or more observations that apply to at least 65% of testers.
Curious to learn more? Check out the complete free guide to user testing in just 1 week. Kudos to Georgia Sugarman for collaborating on this with me.
I also cover user testing and provide a load of templates in my Message-Market Fit Programme. You can also check out the example lesson available!
There you have it, it’s possible. With a bit of prioritisation and determination, you can run user tests within a week.
Recommendation
In every edition of Growth Waves, I also share a related resource to check out related to the week's topic.
I know many people recommend The Mom Test, and while it’s a great resource, I’d love to recommend a lesser-known book that discusses this simplified approach to user testing: UX Strategy by Jamie Levy.
It's a bit older, but I recently re-read it and 99% still applies.
When speaking to brands, it always shocks me how few have taken the time to user test their website and landing page.
How can you expect to know what users want without actually asking them?
My most successful campaign and landing page combinations have always involved user testing.
I’ve had times when I’ve smugly assumed I’ve created the best landing page out there, only to leave a session of user testing ready to face-palm myself for the obvious learnings that emerged.
It’s always a humble reminder of the power of user tests, and hopefully, you’ll see from this that it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or an endless process.
1 week, that’s all I’m asking of you.
I promise to virtually hold your hand through the user testing!
Daphne
Great read. What I currently find really hard is getting these users to talk to. For B2C, it seems that even incentives like $50 Amazon gift cards are not enough to motivate them to block some time. I would love to hear your thoughts if you have some recommendations about that. Thank you, as always, for your posts. I highly appreciate it.