The Nonprofit Website Insider

Using metrics strategically: creating a non-profit website measurement action plan, setting better metrics, and using data like a pro

Welcome to issue 9! I’m Laura S. Quinn, a consultant with 25+ years of helping nonprofits with websites. I help staff as a Website Coach + Guide, and to define Website Strategies.

Hi website champions!

There’s no end to the amount of data that it’s possible to collect about your website, and it’s easy to find yourself drowning. How can you navigate effectively through this sea of numbers?

One way is to create an action plan. In this month’s article, I outline how to create a website measurement action plan to harness the power of your metrics and help your organization use data to make informed decisions. By thinking through a few key things, like defining which decision-making process could use metrics, designating the frequency of measurement, and the person(s) responsible, you can start to fully use your metrics to their potential.

I'm also including a few more great articles from around the web about how to use metrics strategically. Not sure which metrics to collect? Stay tuned (or subscribe!) for my upcoming issue devoted entirely to choosing the right website metrics for you.

Here’s to making every metric count,

Laura

Creating an effective website measurement action plan  (Laura S. Quinn)
Many organizations identify metrics to track without thinking through how those metrics will actually be used. To get more value from your metrics, you need a plan for measurement, analysis, and accountability. With even a simple process in place, you can use metrics more effectively to drive change.

How to set better nonprofit website metrics in four steps (Constructive)
In the realm of social impact, where connection is key, tailoring your metrics can turn digital interactions into tangible real-world change. A high-level and strategic take with four clear steps on setting better nonprofit website metrics.

How to display data the right way in presentations (Duarte)
Increase the likelihood that your audience will embrace and connect with your overarching message by considering these five important questions. A useful guide for making data presentations from Nancy Duarte, the queen of creating effective slide decks.

Present your data like a pro (Harvard Business Review)
Once you have considered how to display your data, think about how to present it. These seven tips help you use your data for clear and pointed presentations that get across the points you need.

The Drake Equation: useful for measuring probability of extraterrestrial life… and measuring impact of online legal resources (Laura S. Quinn and Institute for the Advancement Of the American Legal System — PDF)
Way back when, I used the Drake Equation, traditionally used to contemplate the probability of extraterrestrial life, to develop a framework for assessing the impact of online legal resources. While specifically tailored to legal aid, the insights drawn from this framework are highly applicable to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how to evaluate the effectiveness and real-world influence of online resources. (TL;DR? Check out page 3 for the summary diagram 😉)

Upcoming Events

I'm excited to be conducting a number of online events -- everyone is invited!

Creating and Applying Engagement Pyramids to Define Digital Strategies (Digital Strategy Summit -- get 20% off with LauraSQuinn20)
I'll thrilled to be part of the Digital Strategy Summit, five fully online days coming up next week, February 26th – March 1st. In my session, I'll be walking through how to build an Engagement Pyramid for your organization and then use it to think through your website strategy -- including a lot of time dedicated to an exercise where we build a pyramid together in Miro, and think through how to translate it to a strategy. 

The whole agenda is fabulous, including Julia Campbell, Salim Shariff, Michael Hoffman, and so many more. Register for the whole summit (20+ sessions) for $199... or get 20% off with discount code LauraSQuinn20

FREE: 10 Tips for a More User-Centric Nonprofit Website (Nonprofit Learning Lab)
Mar 25, 2024 11 ET/ 8 PT
In this fast paced session 30-min session, we'll dive into practical, user-centered design techniques to make your website welcoming to visitors, provide them with real value, and guide them towards the actions that are important to your organization. Read more or register.