1 week of user testing
You'll be shocked at the results
Hi there đ,
Your conversion rate isnât what it should be, but you donât know what else to do.
Youâve looked at competitors and followed all the âbest practicesâ, but it just isnât enough. Youâre stuck.
What else could you change?
One of the most powerful tools in growth is quick user testing.
It isnât rocket science, and it isnât anything new, but for some reason, we resist taking the time to user test.
Each time Iâve run tests, Iâve gotten a huge list of potential optimisations which have consistently increased conversion rate.
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 theyâre âworking from homeââŚ
Examples of recruitment methods:
Ask non-purchasers from your email list if you can only target users who havenât been on the website yet.
Ask friends for recommendations of people they know who match the target audience but havenât 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 in about 10 user tests of 30 minutes. Keep in mind that youâll always have some no-shows, so aim for a bakerâs dozen!
If Iâm doing the user testing online, Iâll use Calendly to setup slots to get them scheduled in for Day 3 - 4.
I also take some time on Day 1 (or Day 2) to prepare 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
Day 3-4 is all about talking and testing. The key is not to tell them what to do / explain but rather ask questions.
âWhile you are running these sessions, itâs 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 âwhyâ behind their actions, clicks or things they shareâ
-Â Georgia Sugarman,Principal Experience Designer of Kooth
Day 5: Analyse results
The final day is dedicated to analysing and understanding. Usually, Iâll 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 on 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!
Recommendation
In every edition of Growth Waves, I also share a related resource to check out related to the week's topic.
One of the foundational resources that taught me about user testing was Rocket Surgery Made Easy by Steve Krug.
Whilst the testing setup is a bit outdated, his approach to understanding and ensuring you setup fair user tests is great.
Iâd still recommend giving it a read!
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.
Iâve had times when Iâve smugly assumed Iâve 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.
Itâs always a humble reminder of the power of user tests and hopefully, youâll see from this it doesnât have to be time-consuming or an endless process.
1 week, thatâs all Iâm asking of you.
If you need help with optimising your landing page / website as a wellness or eco-friendly D2C brand, feel free to plan a call in.
I promise to virtually hold your hand through the user testing!
Daphne