Do people read site notices?
Yes. Absolutely. Our users respond to different messages… and we continue to test what messages resonate and drive donations.  Reflect back to my previous post and you’ll see that site notices with the thermometer had much higher click through rates than those without.
We decided that we wanted to test the impact of the meters over a few days (generating several million page views) to see how different notices performed with and without thermometers. Phase 1a, below, we went down to 3 notices in random cycling. One had a meter, the other two did not.
–
| Phase 1a | 11/28/08 to 12/01/08 |
Display | Click | Number | Percent who |
Total | Average | |
| % | Throughs | Donations | Donated | Given | Gift | |||
| There Meter | Wikipedia is there when you need it — now it needs you. | 33.3% | 20301 | 1480 | 7.29% | $41,029.20 | $27.72 | |
| Rely No Meter | Wikipedia relies on your donations: please give today. | 33.3% | 10123 | 556 | 5.49% | $16,978.68 | $30.54 | |
| Easier No Meter |
Wikipedia: Making Life Easier. | 33.3% | 8263 | 383 | 4.64% | $11,768.39 | $30.73 | |
| No meter 1 – collapsed | n/a | 655 | 18 | 2.75% | $508.43 | $28.25 |
–
In Phase 1b, we completely reversed the placements of the thermometer from our initial run. As expected, those with meters had significantly higher clicks and donations.
–
| Phase 1b | 12/01/08 to 12/02/08 |
Display | Click | Number | Percent who |
Total | Average | |
| % | Throughs | Donations | Donated | Given | Gift | |||
| Needs You Meter | Wikipedia is there when you need it — now it needs you. | 25% | 6719 | 372 | 5.54% | $10,176.03 | $27.35 | |
| Non Profit Meter | Wikimedia is a non-profit project: please donate today. | 25% | 6992 | 256 | 3.66% | $6,748.05 | $26.36 | |
| Rely NoMeter |
Wikipedia relies on your donations: please give today. |
25% | 3440 | 135 | 3.92% | $4176.61 | $30.94 | |
| Easier NoMeter |
Wikipedia: Making Life Easier. | 25% | 2883 | 107 | 3.71% | $3008.19 | $28.11 | |
| No meter 1 – collapsed | n/a | 223 | 7 | 3.14% | $203.31 | $29.04 |
–
Now, over the last few days, we’ve gone with all meters on all notices. Not only has there been a nice spike in donations, but it seems that people are reading the messages. In particular, the educational notice, “Wikipedia is a non-profit project” has done significantly better from our initial run.
–
| Phase 1c | 12/02/08 to 12/03/08 |
Display | Click | Number | Percent who |
Total | Average | |
| % | Throughs | Donations | Donated | Given | Gift | |||
| Needs You Meter | Wikipedia is there when you need it — now it needs you. | 25% | 6013 |
325 |
5.4% | $8,025.55 | $24.69 | |
| Non Profit Meter | Wikimedia is a non-profit project: please donate today. | 25% | 7139 |
200 |
2.8% | $5,135.90 | $25.68 | |
| Rely Meter | Wikipedia relies on your donations: please give today. |
25% | 5278 |
199 | 3.77% | $5,918.42 | $29.74 | |
| Easier Meter |
Wikipedia: Making Life Easier. | 25% | 4865 | 175 | 3.6% | $4,967.72 | $28.39 | |
| No meter 1 – collapsed | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
–
We’re now going to focus on improving our conversion rate: fewer and fewer people are donating after a click-through. It’s expected as the fundraiser goes on, but we need to find a better way to get people to donate once they’ve shown interest.
Our next steps include testing a new “Learn More” link on all the notices (maybe people need more information before they give) and other Phase 2 notices.  We’re also going to test some different looks and images in an attempt to draw in new and different donors.
Rand Montoya, Head of Community Giving
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