Download pdf - Google Website Optimizer in Obama Landing Pages

How We Used Data to Win the Presidential Election

Dan Siroker

[email protected]

Barack Obama

David Plouffe

Communications Finance

Operations

New Media Paid Media

PolicyFieldCorrespondence...

AnalyticsEmail Blog VideoDesign OrganizingMarketing

Results

Other (1%)1,865,617

McCain (46%)59,934,814

Obama (53%)69,456,897

Popular Vote

Source: Federal Election Commission

McCain173

Obama365

Electoral Vote

Source: Facebook, YouTube, and Google Trends

0

20

40

60

80

100

YouTube Video Views

McCain Obama

0

0.6

1.2

1.8

2.4

3

Facebook Friends0

30

60

90

120

150

Unique Website Visitors

Mill

ions

Source: Google Trends

Unique Website Visitors

Source: Stephen Geer

Money Raised

CLINTON

OBAMA

McCAINJANUARY

‘07JANUARY

‘08JANUARY

‘09ELECTION DAY

ANNOUNCEMENT

PRIMARY GENERAL

Source: Federal Election Commission

McCain$201 million

Obama$656 million

Money Raised

Note: Does not include federal funds

Source: Washington Post and Federal Election Commission

McCain$201 million

Obama (Online)$500 million

Obama (Offline)$156 million

Money Raised

Note: Does not include federal funds

Lessons Learned

Lesson #1:

Define success.

Chuck Kennedy-Pool/Getty Images

Lesson #1:

Define success.

Lesson #1:

Define success .

Lesson #1:

Define quantifiable success metrics.

Email signupWebsite Raise money


cost per click

sign up rate

$ per recipient


cost per click

sign up rate

$ per recipient

Lesson #1:


Lesson #2:

Question assumptions.

Media

Button

Button:

1. Sign Up

2. Learn More

3. Join Us Now

4. Sign Up Now

Media:

1. Get Involved Image

2. Family Image

3. Change Image

4. Barack’s Video

5. Springfield Video

6. Sam’s Video

Splash page experiment

Variations:

Button: “Sign Up”

Button: “Learn More”

Button: “Join Us Now”

Button: “Sign Up Now”

Button:

1. Sign Up

2. Learn More

3. Join Us Now

4. Sign Up Now

Media:


2. Family Image

3. Change Image

4. Barack’s Video


6. Sam’s Video


Variations:

Media: “Get Involved”

Media: “Family”

Media: “Change”

Media: “Barack’s Video”

Media: “Springfield Video”

Media: “Sam’s Video”

Button:

1. Sign Up

2. Learn More

3. Join Us Now

4. Sign Up Now

Media:


2. Family Image

3. Change Image

4. Barack’s Video


6. Sam’s Video


Variations:

Splash page experiment results

Splash page experiment results

Lesson #2:


Lesson #3:

Divide and conquer.

Donation button experiment results

VariationsNever

Signed UpSigned Up,

Never DonatedPreviously Donated

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

+2.3% +27.8% +16.3%

-27.8% N/A N/A

+15.2% -24.6% +11.9%

+8.5% +2.9% +18.4%

Lesson #3:

Divide and conquer.

Lesson #4:

Don’t re-invent the wheel.

DbVisualizer

TextMate

OpenReports

Lesson #4:


Lesson #5:

Take advantage of circumstances.

Courtesy: Bradley Portnoy Taken: August 27th, 2008 9:42PM

Lesson #5:


1. Define quantifiable success metrics.

2. Question assumptions.

3. Divide and conquer.

4. Don’t re-invent the wheel.

5. Take advantage of circumstances.

Lessons Learned

Case Study

Lesson #1:


Case Study

Playing userWebsite Paying user



cost per click

cost per playing user

revenue per playing user


cost per click

cost per playing user

revenue per playing user

$1.15 $0.119/16:

9/22:

9/28:

$0.41 $0.10

$0.43 $0.19

$19 pay-to-play

$4 pay-to-play

freemium subscription

$0.33

$0.17

$0.17

Lesson #1:


Case Study

Lesson #2:


Case Study

Lesson #2:


Case Study

Lesson #3:

Divide and conquer.

Case Study

Lesson #3:

Divide and conquer.

Case Study

Lesson #4:


Case Study

Lesson #4:


Case Study

Lesson #5:


Case Study

Lesson #5:


Case Study

1. Define quantifiable success metrics.

2. Question assumptions.

3. Divide and conquer.

4. Don’t re-invent the wheel.

5. Take advantage of circumstances.

Lessons Learned

Dan Siroker

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

1. Huge data challenges.

2. More effective user segmentation.

3. Democratization of tools & strategies.

The Future