This case demonstrates a combined approach of 
It highlights the importance of:
- Aligning user insights with marketing performance
- Creating accessible tools that empower teams
- Bridging
and
to improve decision-making
This project was developed during a consulting collaboration with SmartAgency, a Freemium-based SaaS platform offering website creation tools. The company had a steady inflow of new users, with over 500 people registering for the free version each month — yet only about 1% converted to a paid plan.
The core objectives were:
- To identify factors affecting the low Free → Paid conversion rate (CR2)
- To assess channel performance across paid and organic campaigns
- To build a scalable, reusable analysis toolkit that the team could use independently
The SmartAgency team lacked a consolidated view of:
- Where users were dropping off in the Freemium funnel
- Which marketing channels were most effective
- How their performance compared to competitors
There were no unified KPIs, no live dashboard, and no defined structure for tracking campaign ROI or user behavior across touchpoints.
Before diving into the analysis, I reached out to the client to clarify several foundational questions. I wanted to understand:
- Who their users are (demographics, motivations, technical background)
- What business goals and market scope shape their product strategy
- What past research had already been done (e.g., surveys, interviews)
- Whether users on the free plan faced limitations (e.g., domain connection)
This initial conversation helped identify key information gaps and ensured that the audit would be relevant and focused. It also shaped the research hypotheses and prevented duplication of efforts.
Based on this foundation, the project was divided into two key phases:
- I conducted a structured review of the user journey from signup through Freemium usage
- I identified friction points, navigation barriers, unclear upgrade value, and trust gaps (e.g., missing social proof)
- I mapped findings to potential impacts on CR2 and designed research questions, hypotheses, variables and measurement metrics for testing
- I benchmarked SmartAgency’s performance against competitors (e.g., Webador, Onepage.io) using SEO/PPC data
- I modeled relevant KPIs: CPV, CTR, CAC, LTV, ROI/ROAS
- I built a plug-and-play Excel dashboard with automated calculations and filters
- The toolkit was designed to be used without technical skills, enabling continuous internal analysis
| Area | Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet BI | Excel | Dashboard, KPI modeling, pivot analysis |
| SEO Benchmarking | Semrush, SimilarWeb | Competitor traffic & cost insights |
| Review Audit | Trustpilot | Reputation & trust signal analysis |
| BI Prototype | Power BI (optional) | Vision for scaling the dashboard system |
- ✅ A hypothesis framework explaining potential drivers of low CR2
- ✅ Competitor benchmarking based on search traffic, keyword strategy, and ad spend
- ✅ Fully modeled marketing KPIs with adaptable calculations
- ✅ Interactive Excel dashboard with filters and auto-updating logic
- ✅ Documentation and instructions for non-technical teams
- Onboarding friction and unclear upgrade value likely reduced user engagement
- Lack of visible reviews and trust signals impacted purchase decisions
- High CPV and low ROI suggested inefficient ad budget allocation
- There was no systematic way to compare performance across channels or optimize over time
The project provided SmartAgency with:
- A structured way to track CR2 and funnel drop-offs
- A benchmarked view of their positioning vs competitors
- The ability to analyze campaign performance without needing additional tooling
- A foundation for future experimentation and optimization
The Excel toolkit was built to be:
- 📊 Modular – works with new data inputs instantly
- 🔁 Reusable – applicable to future campaigns and other teams
- 💡 Accessible – no BI tools or coding skills required
The toolkit structure can be easily migrated into:
- Power BI for dynamic dashboards with real-time data feeds
- Looker Studio with GA4, CRM, and Ads integrations
- Streamlit app for lightweight team access
- SQL-based pipelines for deeper cohort and retention tracking
Pull requests are welcome. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss your ideas.
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.