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How to Guerilla Test Your Website
// A THREAD //
// A THREAD //
If you don't test, you guess.
Simple.
And you don't want to guess when comes to important things and more importantly when you don't have to guess.
But maybe you don't have
- Money
- Experience
- Don't know how to do it
Np, I will show you.
Simple.
And you don't want to guess when comes to important things and more importantly when you don't have to guess.
But maybe you don't have
- Money
- Experience
- Don't know how to do it
Np, I will show you.
"Testing" may sound really scientific, complicated, and expensive.
The opposite is true.
Ask yourself: What’s the purpose of the test?
The purpose of the test of your website is to see how REAL PEOPLE interact with your website
- whether it works as expected.
That’s it.
The opposite is true.
Ask yourself: What’s the purpose of the test?
The purpose of the test of your website is to see how REAL PEOPLE interact with your website
- whether it works as expected.
That’s it.
To test your website you need three things:
1. Have an idea about the main GOALS of your site and HOW will people reach them.
2. Real people (preferable your target audience) who are willing to test it with you.
3. Time.
1. Have an idea about the main GOALS of your site and HOW will people reach them.
2. Real people (preferable your target audience) who are willing to test it with you.
3. Time.
Really, don't start testing if you don't know:
- Who's the target customer for the website
- What's the main goal of the website (get an email? / purchase? / sending out some form?)
- Has a rough (and even a bad) idea about how the customer "journey" should look like
- Who's the target customer for the website
- What's the main goal of the website (get an email? / purchase? / sending out some form?)
- Has a rough (and even a bad) idea about how the customer "journey" should look like
If you have money at this point just jump to http://www.usertesting.com and learn how to use the platform effectively.
If you don't/or you want to try sth different keep reading.
If you don't/or you want to try sth different keep reading.
So, how to GUERRILLA TEST your website?
1. Just go to the local coffee (or university campus/ library/ park).
2. Sit there and order.
3. Check the people who look like your website's target audience and doesn't look super busy.
1. Just go to the local coffee (or university campus/ library/ park).
2. Sit there and order.
3. Check the people who look like your website's target audience and doesn't look super busy.
4. Approach them, introduce yourself as a starting out web designer and offer them a coffee if they will spend with you 10 minutes testing your website.
That's it, that's the magic.
Note. Be prepared that the refuse rate may be rather high.
That's it, that's the magic.
Note. Be prepared that the refuse rate may be rather high.
You will get better with repetition in it.
And if you aren't successful (even then) focus on the subtle details:
NOT “testing” BUT “giving an opinion”
NOT “web designer” BUT “local web designer living nearby”
NOT "10 mins" BUT “15 mins or 10 if you’re in hurry” etc...
And if you aren't successful (even then) focus on the subtle details:
NOT “testing” BUT “giving an opinion”
NOT “web designer” BUT “local web designer living nearby”
NOT "10 mins" BUT “15 mins or 10 if you’re in hurry” etc...
How to perform the actual test?
Give a person your laptop/tablet/mobile and tell them to perform a single task there.
- See the gallery with previous designs
- Try to sign up for the newsletter
- Try to "pre-order" sth
Ask the person to comment loudly on the process.
Give a person your laptop/tablet/mobile and tell them to perform a single task there.
- See the gallery with previous designs
- Try to sign up for the newsletter
- Try to "pre-order" sth
Ask the person to comment loudly on the process.
Once the test start don't just listen to the person but mos importantly watch her
- How does he/she use the navigation bar?
- Is there confusion?
- How long does it take?
- If there are problems with performing the action, the why?
Look very closely.
- How does he/she use the navigation bar?
- Is there confusion?
- How long does it take?
- If there are problems with performing the action, the why?
Look very closely.
With a bigger project, you will probably have a list of tasks you will want your "tester" to perform.
Then at the end don't be afraid to add a couple of questions about things you're not sure about/need to know.
Ask open questions and make sure they aren't suggestive.
Then at the end don't be afraid to add a couple of questions about things you're not sure about/need to know.
Ask open questions and make sure they aren't suggestive.
Important note: opinions are good but you want to see the real behavior and action the people take.
That's why you're testing it in the first place.
So value the types of information accordingly.
A person:
Clicking around for 10 min trying to find sth > Hating the visual
That's why you're testing it in the first place.
So value the types of information accordingly.
A person:
Clicking around for 10 min trying to find sth > Hating the visual
To sum it up:
- Define the goals/try to predict the behavior
- Confront that with reality (Go outside)
- Ask questions (open, non-suggestive)
Make a testing system and improve it based on a test iterations.
PS. Mind different devices
- Define the goals/try to predict the behavior
- Confront that with reality (Go outside)
- Ask questions (open, non-suggestive)
Make a testing system and improve it based on a test iterations.
PS. Mind different devices
Thanks for reading!
If you liked the thread consider RT the 1st tweet.
If you're interested in website making you can check my new course on creating landing pages
at http://www.wealthylanding.com
PS. There's also a growing Discord community.
Do you smh test your website?
If you liked the thread consider RT the 1st tweet.
If you're interested in website making you can check my new course on creating landing pages
at http://www.wealthylanding.com
PS. There's also a growing Discord community.
Do you smh test your website?
