Better Website Performance With Split Testing
Jason Pearson
Most companies design a website, get it up and running on the internet and hope for the best. Even if they put a lot of effort into specifying which marketing tactics they will use, they don't optimize their pages by testing whether or not their efforts are effective. Split testing is one way to narrow down which parts of your website are working for you and which are turning customers off or just taking up space.
Split testing is very simply posting two incarnations of the same information on the web. You then measure which of the two pages receives more traffic or has a higher conversion rate. You can vary any part of the website you want between the two pages.
You can keep your variations simple. For instance, some people want to know which color scheme is more appealing to customers. You can also include several other differences between the two pages.
Knowing what you would like your end result to be helps as well. If you know you want to improve your conversion rate by a certain amount, you can keep altering your page until you reach those numbers. With a second version of the page, you can still have the original page available so nothing is lost if the new one isn't working
Depending on the goals you have for improving your landing page, you may decide to slowly test one variable at a time. This requires less complicated analysis of data. You may also need some quick answers and are willing to change several variables at once.
To actually accomplish split testing you can do the work yourself if you have the time and knowledge. You will need to have experience designing web pages and looking at server statistics. Additionally, you will need to know how to interpret those statistics to tell you which variables are producing better results.
For most busy professionals it is safer and faster to outsource this work. People in this field can produce reports about how each variable performed. They can also suggest the optimum combination of graphics, layout, colors, and copy for success.
Picking a method for split testing will be simpler with the help of a professional. Choosing the right specialist will depend on your resources and timeline. Keep in mind that effectively communicating the goals you have for you website to this person is key.
About the Author:
Jason Pearson is an online marketing expert who wants to share his secrets with the world. To find out more...
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