Maximizing Subscribers: Updated Best Practices for Increasing Sign-up Rates

1. Maximizing Subscribers: Updated Best Practices for Increasing Sign-up Rates Presented By: Scott Burns, co-Founder and CEO – GovDelivery Phone: 651-726-7303 or 866-276-5583 ext. 303 scott.burns@govdelivery.com Proactive Public Communication Roundtable June 19, 2008

2. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? -Unknown Philosopher

3. Agenda (60 Minutes) The “Shopping Cart” of the Public Sector Which usage metrics matter? CDC Example Critical Recommendations (Updated) Subscriptions 2.0 will Multiply Your Reach 5 Opportunities Q&A and Discussion

4. Ecommerce Websites: A Clear Objective

5. Make “Subscribing” Your Agency’s “Add to Cart” • Validates content Your site visitors have taken action to indicate a continuing interest • Creates a “Customer Base” • Reach immediately • Offer new services • Announce upgrades • Provides instant, compelling, metrics about value of content

6. Email Communication ROI Metrics

7. CDC Example

8. CDC.gov Email Topic Sign-Up 1 Click on Get email updates link on Influenza Page 3 Signed up to info. of interest 2 Enter email address (password optional) 4 Shown other options within CDC

9. Cross-Promotion of Subscription Options Within the CDC

10. Growth in Subscriber Base Since Launching CDC-wide System Total Subscribers (5/5/08): 105,979 Signed up through GovDelivery Since November 2006 74,663 Uploaded from Existing CDC Listservs 31,316

11. More Subscriptions per Subscriber 48.5 1632% Increase 2.8

12. HHS, FDA, FEMA, and Fire Administration Promote CDC Content EXAMPLE FROM FEMA WEBSITE

13. CDC Growing Subscription Base through Collaboration Average New Subscribers per Weekday for CDC 122% Growth in Daily Subscription Rate From Collaboration After GovDelivery Launch After Collaboration with FEMA and Fire Admin. After Collaboration with FDA Source: GovDelivery subscription growth comparing weekdays before and after setup of GovDelivery collaboration network.

14. CDC.gov Metrics Launch Date: November 15, 2006

15. Critical Recommendations(Updated)

16. What I Want From: A Few General Topics to Choose From

17. What I Want To: Specific Options Across All Categories

18. 2008: Your Audience Wants Choice • Typical federal agency has 50-500+ different types of important content • Large inventory of content “products” is a major asset • Citizens increasingly want more choice and convenient access Vs.

19. When I Want It From: Updates Available, but Hidden

20. When I Want It To: Update Options Presented in Context

21. 2008: Better Results with Direct Signup • Use on homepage • Use for “1-click” topic-specific signups (shown here)

22. Subscriptions 2.0

23. Leveraging Web 2.0 Collaboration Network • Connect with related agencies to reach a broader audience • Takes advantage of proven ecommerce “upsell” concept • Exceptional results at DOJ, DHS, HHS, USA.gov, ODNI, and elsewhere • Setup in 1 minute • Voluntary participation • Future: Items/topics tagged or categorized to make them easy to find Every month between 400,000 and 1 million citizens signup through agency websites using the GovDelivery Platform

24. Web 2.0 Let’s You Collaborate and Multiply Your Reach Subscribers from your site Visitors to Your Site Visitors to Partner A Subscribers to your content from Partner Agencies Visitors to Partner B Visitors to Partner C Daily Website Visitors Daily Subscribers

25. Example: ODNI Promotes DHS.gov Content and FBI Content EXAMPLE FROM ODNI WEBSITE

26. How Big is the Network for Potential Collaboration? • Over 100 State and Local Governments • Enterprise-wide Federal Participation • Department of Homeland Security • Treasury • Department of Justice • Department of Labor • Department of Transportation • Health & Human Services • HHS.gov / Pandemicflu.gov / SurgeonGeneral.gov / etc. • Centers for Disease Control • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services • Food and Drug Administration • Bureau of Economic Analysis, International Trade Administration (Commerce) • DOD.mil, Pentagon Channel (Defense) • Cross-Governmental PortalsUSA.gov, FCIC, GovBenefits.gov, DisabilityInfo.gov, Export.gov • State.gov, Careers.state.gov, State Dept. Retirement Website (State Dept.) • EPA.gov, EPA Office of Radiation, EPA Office of R&D • Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA) • Other agencies • Federal Reserve Board of Governors • Federal Reserve Banks, New York & St. Louis • Social Security Administration • Library of Congress • Federal Election Commission • International Trade Commission • Commodities and Futures Trading Commission • USAID Global Health Initiative • Thrift Savings Plan

27. 5 Opportunities

28. Opportunity 1: More Choice = More Subscribers Challenges toOffering Choices “It’s too much work to manage!” “We only update this content every few months” “People know when this gets updated; they’ll come back to the website” • Opportunity • Move in phases • Seek GovDelivery support to identify content • Explore automation options to limit extra work • Expect rationale behavior from busy citizens/ stakeholders

29. Opportunity 2: Best Practice Placement and Labeling From: Updates by Page To: Topic-Based Link Following Best Practice

30. Lesson Learned from Private Sector:“Add to cart buttons you choose can make or break a store” Source: eCommerce Optimization http://www.ecommerceoptimization.com/articles/ecommerce-shopping-cart-usability-21-best-practices/

31. Opportunity 3: Use Your Homepage To: Promote it with Direct Signup Option From: Lower Left hand corner

32. Additional Opportunities

33. Lesson Learned from Private Sector:Cross Sell Must Be Integrated in Process Source: eCommerce Optimization http://www.ecommerceoptimization.com/articles/ecommerce-shopping-cart-usability-21-best-practices/

34. Thank You! For more information email: info@govdelivery.com or Scott Burns – scott.burns@govdelivery.com (866) 276-5583 ext. 303