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Split-Testing for Assessing the Performance of a Website Design

Guest post by: Grace Alexa

Article Overview: To assess the performance of a website design, many web designers use the technique of split-testing. Under this technique, different versions of the same site are created and the variations in their performance are measured, in order to take corrective measures. Split-testing brings in numerous benefits including understanding of visitors’ behaviour, getting accurate performance measurement, better conversion rate and competitive edge.

Split-Testing for Assessing the Performance of a Website Design

A website design can make or break the reputation of a business in the online environment. The performance of the site determines the user experience and conversion rate, and the site owner must ensure that he/she keeps a track of it throughout. There are innumerable free and paid tools available that can help in improving the performance of the site. Yet the most widely used technique by web designers to measure and improve the performance of the website design is split testing.

Also known as the A/B testing, split testing is a software application that uses the Website Optimiser tool from Google to create two different versions of the same website. This process helps in assessing the difference between the traffic directed towards the two versions. Whichever version receives better traffic and is able to achieve the primary objective of the website gets preference by the web designer. The effectiveness of the traffic is analysed by measuring the conversion rate, i.e., when a visitor takes a positive action on the site, like making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or submitting a form.

Split-testing can be used to measure every aspect of the website design. The web designer can create multiple versions of the website for various aspects of the site. This type of split-testing helps in achieving faster improvements in a short period of time.

An example of using split-testing for assessing the performance of your website and the conversion rate is by creating two different versions of the call to action button of a web page. The one that gets more clicks from the visitors should be widely used throughout the site. Several split-test results have indicated that the call to action button that is highlighted in red colour brings in more results.

Thus, a web designer can use split-testing to find out the combination of the website design elements to achieve optimum results for the client. To better understand the great benefits split testing renders to a website design, let’s have a look at the below discussed points:

1) It helps in understanding your target audience and allows you to fine tune your marketing strategy in your website design.

2) The results achieved through split-testing are more accurate than the mere assumptions that an amateur web designer might make about users’ preferences regarding a website.

3) By measuring the performance of the website and implementing corrective measures, visitors stay on the site for a longer duration, interact with the site and take a position action such as making a purchase, requesting a quote or signing up for the newsletter.

4) Split testing, when implemented effectively, can bring monetary gains through higher conversion rate and sales leads.

5) You gain a competitive edge over your competitors, because it allows you to assess your current performance and charge up your improvement efforts that make the site better than your comeptitors’.

Therefore, the best way to compel your customers to take a positive action on your site, its effectiveness should be measured and reviewed through split-testing.

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Article Tags: Graphic Design, Search Engine Optimisation, Web Design, Web Designer, Web Developer, Web Development, Website Design



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