Data Analysis for Copywriters

About

• Connor PhillipsCurrent:– Marketing Analyst at ShopKeepPast:– Analytics Strategist at Resolute Digital

• Contact InformationEmail: connor@connordphillips.comTwitter: @connordphillipsSnapchat: @connordphillips

Outline

• Why Does Data Matter?– Importance

• Content– Data to Observe

• Acquisition Data• Pageview Data

– Dimensions/Metrics of Interest• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

– Data to Observe• Keyword Rankings• Backlink Data

– Dimensions/Metrics of Interest• SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

– Data to Observe• Acquisition Data• Quality Score Ranking

– Dimensions/Metrics of Interest• Key Takeaways

Why Does Data Matter?Importance

• Improves Decision Making Accuracy– The power of data analysis is that it improves the probability of

making successful decisions by examining historical evidence. This evidence comes in the form of quantitative and qualitative data.• Quantitative – Measurable values. (i.e. Numbers)• Qualitative – Traits (i.e. Labels)

• Removes Subjectivity from Decisions– The statement, “I think my content is AWESOME, therefore my

audience thinks it is AWESEOME!” can only be objectively measured by observing the behavioral data of the readers engaging with the content.• Data analysis removes subjectivity by only considering data on users of

varying demographics, interests, location, etc. when coming to a conclusion that demonstrates how these users interacted with the content.

ContentData to Observe• Acquisition Data

– Acquisition data provides information on how users arrive at a website, which is useful when trying to understand the differences in user behavioral patterns• Questions answered from this data: Where are users coming from, how do subsets of users interact differently and

how expensive was it to acquire that user?– A copywriter should look at this information and look for trends in the differences in content engagement based on where they come

from to get to the content on a website.

“Facebook users engage X more than users from other acquisitions channels, so we can confirm that our target audience are big Facebook users and as a result we should focus our efforts on optimizing and sharing content on Facebook to reach this audience.”

• Pageview Data– Pageview data looks at how users engage with content and is most helpful to look at when

determining how an audience values content and when developing future content strategies • Questions answered from this data: how long are users staying on a page, how many leave the website after

viewing one page and how many are reading the article to completion?– A copywriter should look at pageview data and understand if users find their content topic interesting and if it is providing a lift to a

specific key performance (KPI) indicator.

“Our “dog lovers” themed landing page has X amount of form submissions more than our other landing pages and the time spent on the pages is Y seconds longer than the rest of our website combined. We should figure out a way to drive more users to this page and make similar content as a result.”

ContentDimensions/Metrics of Interest

• Acquisition Data– Source/Medium – The origin and category of the traffic. E.x. google /

organic = users who used the Google search engine and clicked on a (non-advertised) link that went to the website

– Bounce Rate - % of users who navigate to a website and then leave after viewing only one page

• Pageview Data– Pageviews – The amount of times a page is loaded– Unique Pageviews – The number of individual users who have viewed

a page– Avg. Time on Page – The average amount of time spent on a page– Exit Rate - % of users who leave from a specific page after viewing

more than one page

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)Data to Observe

• Keywords Rankings– Analyzing keyword ranking data helps to see what your audience is searching for and

determines if your content is seen as having search engine relevancy for a specific topic.• Questions answered from this data: Do search engines find my content relevant and what keywords

should I target based on the organic traffic being generated?– A copywriter should examine these rankings to see if their content is relevant to the topic-related keywords users are

searching for. The higher the keyword ranking, the higher the click through rate and website traffic.

“We are currently ranking in the 4th keyword position for “dog toys”. If we optimize our content for keywords related to “dog toys” and move to the 2nd position, then we can potentially see X more traffic to our website.”

• Backlink Data– Understanding where your content is being shared, i.e. backlinking, can indicate to Google’s

crawlers that your content has relevant subject matter to specific keywords and will boost keyword ranking positions. • Questions answered from this data: Who is sharing my content and how is their website relevant to my

audience?– A copywriter should understand what websites are sharing their content. This information allows the copywriter to

reach out to the right people when trying to share future content.

“Ever since we had our holiday presents pages linked on X.com and Y.com, we have seen X increase in traffic and rankings for keywords, “doggie treats” and “dog bones.”

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)Dimensions/Metrics of Interest

• Keyword Rankings– Query – The action of searching for a word or phrase on a

search engine– Clicks – Clicks on a (non-advertised) link – Impressions – The amount of times a link appears for a

specific query– Click through rate (CTR) – The % of clicks from impressions– Position – The average position of the link for a specific query

• Backlink Data– Total Links – Amount of links to your domain from 3rd party

websites

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)Data to Observe• Acquisition Data

– Running an SEM account requires daily optimization and testing in order to keep up with competition and improve return on investment (ROI). One of the areas where testing is crucial is at the ad text/headline level. This part of SEM optimization is the most relevant to copywriters and conducting analysis on this type of data will determine which call to actions and headlines are most effective in driving traffic. Understanding this information will not only improve click through rates on ads, but will also help with crafting on page content and headlines.• Questions answered from this data: What headlines and call to actions are most effective in driving users?

– A copywriter should understand how to A/B test headlines and copy to figure out what information resonates with users searching for specific keywords.

“After a two week A/B test, we found that our “Woof Woof Dog Treats” headline drove X % higher CTR for “dog treat” keyword variations than the headline, “Mediocre Dog Treats.”

• Quality Score Ranking– Quality Score is a ranking system that prominent advertising platforms use to determine the price a user must bid for a

higher ad position. This ranking process is based on landing page and ad text relevance to the keyword that is bid on, as well as the amount that a marketer is willing to pay for a click. You should examine the Quality Score for specific keywords as a large influence in that score is how the landing content and keywords relate to the keywords being targeted within an SEM account.• Question answered from this data: Do advertising platforms find my content and ad text relevant to the keywords we are bidding to

appear on?– A copywriter should understand the Quality Score ranking system and what changes or type of landing page content helps to drive a quality score

ranking between 8-10, which will help to drive down the amount a marketer has to bid for a particular keyword.

“By creating a content-rich landing page for our “pup cakes” keyword, we were able to improve our quality score ranking for that keyword from 3 to 8, driving down our cost per click from $4.25 to $3.00.”

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)Dimensions/Metrics of Interest

• Acquisition Data– Click through rate (CTR) – The % of clicks from

impressions– % Served – How often one ad was served compared

to other ads within a specific ad grouping• Quality Score Ranking– Quality Score – A measurement on a scale from 1-

10 of how relevant your ads, landing page and ad text are to a person searching for a keyword

Key Takeaways

• Data– Data removes subjectivity and improves decision making accuracy

• Content– Understanding where your users are coming from and how they

engage with content will help to create a successful content strategy• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

– Figuring out why your content ranks for certain keywords and who is sharing your content is the key to exponentially grow your organic traffic

• SEM (Search Engine Marketing)– Constantly testing ad text performance will give you an understanding

of the best headlines and call to actions to use with other content and help improve your Quality Score

Thank You!

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