Forum Moderators: phranque
Some of this can be determined bu examining referers in my access logs. But there is still a lot I don't know, and I want, probably need, to know in order to keep the site going well.
So I'm considering three options to find more about my visitors reason for using my site.
1: a survey form on the site that would ask a given set of questions, and perhaps include a general section where they could enter any info not covered in the questions.
2: Installing a site search so I could see what folks were searching for. The problem with this is that unless I include some "how to use the search tips" I suspect the captured data would closely resemble what I already see in my logs. On top of that, the site is pretty darn easy to get around now, so a search system would almost seem needless, an unnatuarl option on the site.
3: An Exit Pop-Up asking if they found what they came for, with an option to "Tell us what we can add to make the site better" or Tell us what you were looking for" I know we hear a lot of negative comments about pop-ups, but we also hear comments about how well they work?
4: A fourth option would be to put a static box on main pages asking for suggestions or asking folks to tell us what they were looking for if they ddin't find it on the site.
Anybody have an idea which would be more productive?
1. A short survey tacked onto the end of your buying process for customers who make a purchase. Ask a few short, to-the-point questions such as, "What were you looking for when you came here?" And, "Did you find it?" You can also ask, "What is the one most important thing we could do to improve our site?"
2. An exit pop-up survey with the same questions.
Try to make most of your questions "closed-ended" (in other words, give them a question and some answer choices) - this will increase the likelihood that people will answer them. If you're dying to ask an open-ended question, only ask one and ask it last. :)
You'll likely get different answers from the two populations ... which is what you need. You need to understand how you're doing with your paying customers (keep them happiest!) and then you need to figure out why you're not filling the needs of other folks.
You'll get some jerky answers if you ask an open-ended question ... but ignore them.
I've done both of these things quite successfully in the past and gotten some great information.
Be sure to remove the survey(s) as soon as you have enough data ... no need to burden people in the buying process more than you have to ... and no need to pop-up on people once you've got the answers you're looking for.
I don't particulary want to tick off my visitors, but I do want to know how I can make the visit better.
Two edged sword.
I do have a few affiliate book links on the site, but that's it as far as merchandising goes. And that hasn't gone very well, but that's another issue.
Part of the problem is how visitors are finding my site now. Usually that's thru one of many, many, many two word search possiblities.
I already have a pretty good idea what some of my visitors are looking for because of the page they leave my site from. But that's a small number of my total uniques.
Another, somewhat larger group uses a single third word in their searches that clearly indicates what they are after.
Add those to type-in/bookmarks/links-from-other-sites, and in the end I'm left wondering what 50 - 60% of my visitors are looking for. If stats and logs can be believed, and if I'm interpreting them right.
The twp pronged idea sounds good, other than no one is buying anything directly from me, so their's no purchase experience to tag things on the end of.
So maybe if I used the survey and the pop-up it would be the equivelent in this case.
I wonder if the pop up could be programmed not to appear if a person had already filled out the survey?
Site search without a doubt. You don't have to ask your users to fill anything in or answer any questions. They see something that says 'search' and they zero in on it. Turns out that many folks are so used to surfing database-generated sites and the like that it's the only way they think to find information.
unless I include some "how to use the search tips" I suspect the captured data would closely resemble what I already see in my logs
1) They won't read the how to search or how to use this site tips anyway.
2) They might have found your site for one subject and then try to find something related.
a search system would almost seem needless, an unnatuarl option on the site
Duh, just what I thought. My sections are clearly defined in menus on the top and bottom of each page -- doesn't stop people from searching for something that isn't there.
I use my search logs to help clarify what topics and sections I'm going to develop next (things I know I have to do but want to know where and how to budget my time first), and to catch trends that I might not be aware of (it's a city guide type thing and there's just too much stuff happening to get a handle on while sitting in front of a computer), and at least try to pop up a page or so to cover the topic, if even in a cursory fashion for the time being.
<oops>Hit submit instead of preview</oops>
There are a number of halfway good site search scripts that are simple enough to set up and customize and give you search reports to see what your visitors are looking for. I don't check them each day, but a once a week whirl through the logs is plenty enlightening -- especially when visitors are searching for something that is already covered: Why aren't they finding it? Helps me go back and take another look at how I have things organized.
'Nuff for now,
Jim
I'll look into the site seach scripts. There must be a ton of threads here about those. I'll see if I can sort out some idea of which are easiest to use.
