How to Start Split-Testing Your Web Pages
How to Start Split-Testing Your Web Pages
Jim was initially concerned that the time and expense of split-testing would never pay off. If these are the same concerns that are holding you back from split-testing your own web marketing, allow me to relieve your fears.
First, it's quite understandable that many marketers think split-testing is both time-consuming and expensive. In fact, Future Now, Inc. has identified over 1,100 pieces that contribute to a successful conversion funnel. And if you take into consideration your various prospect personas and different emotional motivators, factor in your numerous offers and multiple all that by the number of your landing pages... yikes, I'm already overwhelmed just thinking about it!
But if we break the testing process down into actionable steps, it becomes much easier to look at web site split-testing as just another necessary cog in the internet marketing wheel.
The first step in split-testing your web page actually happens before your page is ever created - and believe it or not, this is a step that many marketers miss altogether. The first step is deciding what you want your page to do.
It might sound silly, but in our web site critique process we often run across web pages that do not have a clearly defined goal. Before you can improve conversions, it is necessary to define exactly what a conversion is.
Once you've decided the overall goal of the page, you must determine how it will be measured. Are you looking for an overall number? Percentage of visitors? Action within a specified timeframe?
Next, settle on the platforms that will be used for testing and measuring. Will you be using your standard web logs to measure traffic? Your shopping cart program to measure conversions? How will you feed different versions of the page to your visitors? Will you be using timed tests, replacing your page with a new version after a pre-determined time? Or will you simultaneously display different page versions to unique visitors? Will you be using the free Google Website Optimizer or the robust Offermatica or Optimost platforms? Or your own software and database program?
If you're not sure where you would like to start testing, why not identify your least effective web page. Simply review your traffic logs to determine which page is receiving the lowest conversion rate based on the number of visitors it gets.
And finally, it's time to identify the elements that can influence the conversion process. Will you be testing graphics? Text and copy? Placement of different elements? A combination of the above?
Some of the elements you should consider testing include:
Calls to Action
Security Indicators
Product Narratives
Buy Button Text
While it might seem a little intimidating, the key to testing is to just get started. If you "make a mistake" and land on an element that decreases conversion, it's easy to go back to square one and test something else.
How to Start SplitTesting Your Web Pages - To learn more about this author, visit Karen Scharf's Website.
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In working with a friend recently, it soon became apparent that we each had different ideas on what would work best for his integrated marketing campaign. I suggested he do some split-testing and roll out the "winning" combination in his full-scale program.
Jim was initially concerned that the time and expense of split-testing would never pay off. If these are the same concerns that are holding you back from split-testing your own web marketing, allow me to relieve your fears.
First, it's quite understandable that many marketers think split-testing is both time-consuming and expensive. In fact, Future Now, Inc. has identified over 1,100 pieces that contribute to a successful conversion funnel. And if you take into consideration your various prospect personas and different emotional motivators, factor in your numerous offers and multiple all that by the number of your landing pages... yikes, I'm already overwhelmed just thinking about it!
But if we break the testing process down into actionable steps, it becomes much easier to look at web site split-testing as just another necessary cog in the internet marketing wheel.
The first step in split-testing your web page actually happens before your page is ever created - and believe it or not, this is a step that many marketers miss altogether. The first step is deciding what you want your page to do.
It might sound silly, but in our web site critique process we often run across web pages that do not have a clearly defined goal. Before you can improve conversions, it is necessary to define exactly what a conversion is.
Once you've decided the overall goal of the page, you must determine how it will be measured. Are you looking for an overall number? Percentage of visitors? Action within a specified timeframe?
Next, settle on the platforms that will be used for testing and measuring. Will you be using your standard web logs to measure traffic? Your shopping cart program to measure conversions? How will you feed different versions of the page to your visitors? Will you be using timed tests, replacing your page with a new version after a pre-determined time? Or will you simultaneously display different page versions to unique visitors? Will you be using the free Google Website Optimizer or the robust Offermatica or Optimost platforms? Or your own software and database program?
If you're not sure where you would like to start testing, why not identify your least effective web page. Simply review your traffic logs to determine which page is receiving the lowest conversion rate based on the number of visitors it gets.
And finally, it's time to identify the elements that can influence the conversion process. Will you be testing graphics? Text and copy? Placement of different elements? A combination of the above?
Some of the elements you should consider testing include:
Calls to Action
Security Indicators
Product Narratives
Buy Button Text
While it might seem a little intimidating, the key to testing is to just get started. If you "make a mistake" and land on an element that decreases conversion, it's easy to go back to square one and test something else.
How to Start SplitTesting Your Web Pages - To learn more about this author, visit Karen Scharf's Website.
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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