How can you use database user research to inform your content strategy?

1 Define your goals and scope

Before you start your database user research, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what aspects of your database you want to focus on. For example, you might want to improve the usability, accessibility, or relevance of your content, or you might want to optimize the performance, security, or scalability of your database. You also need to define the scope of your research, such as the number and type of users you want to involve, the methods and tools you want to use, and the budget and timeline you have.

3 Recruit and segment your users

To get reliable and relevant data from your database user research, you need to recruit and segment your users according to your criteria. You can use different sources to find potential users, such as your existing database users, your website visitors, your social media followers, or your email subscribers. You can also use third-party services or platforms that offer access to specific user groups or demographics. Once you have a pool of users, you need to segment them based on factors such as their goals, behaviors, preferences, or characteristics.

4 Conduct your research and testing

The next step is to conduct your research and testing with your selected users. You need to prepare your materials, such as your survey questions, interview scripts, focus group guides, usability tasks, card sorting categories, or tree testing scenarios. You also need to prepare your environment, such as your database platform, your website, your testing software, or your recording devices. You need to follow ethical and professional standards, such as informing your users about the purpose and duration of the research, obtaining their consent, respecting their privacy, and compensating them fairly.

5 Analyze and interpret your data

After you have collected your data from your database user research, you need to analyze and interpret it to find patterns, trends, insights, and recommendations. You can use different techniques to analyze your data, such as quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, or mixed methods analysis. You can also use different tools to visualize and present your data, such as charts, graphs, tables, or diagrams. You need to look for key findings that answer your research questions, address your goals, and support your content strategy.

6 Apply your findings to your content strategy

The final step is to apply your findings from your database user research to your content strategy. You need to use your data and insights to inform your decisions and actions regarding your database content, such as what content to create, update, delete, or organize, how to structure, format, label, or categorize your content, or how to optimize your content for your users and your database. You also need to evaluate the impact of your changes on your database performance, user satisfaction, and business outcomes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?