| I've got a confession to make. This may come | | | | converted better! (Not just higher visitor |
| as a surprise to you (after all, I'm a | | | | value, but actually higher conversion!) |
| testing fanatic)... But, testing doesn't | | | | |
| improve website conversion every time. | | | | So it really is impossible to know in advance |
| | | | what version or variable is going to win. |
| Nearly all "online marketing gurus" promote | | | | Experience and prior testing data can help |
| the benefits of conducting split tests and | | | | you make an educated guess, but you still |
| multi-variable tests on your website. But, | | | | have to test it and see. |
| few (if any) tell you the WHOLE truth about | | | | |
| how to test, what to test and what results to | | | | I view selecting test variables, kind of like |
| realistically expect from your testing. | | | | picking stocks. You can do all of your |
| | | | homework, use a variable that has boosted |
| The consequences? Many online markers become | | | | response on every other site you tested and |
| confused by and disappointed with their first | | | | still not have a winner. |
| fledgling attempts at conducting testing | | | | |
| campaigns on their websites. | | | | And the opposite can happen. You can test a |
| | | | variable that you are almost positive will be |
| Because their results often don't live up to | | | | a dog, (or even make an error when setting up |
| the "hype", they become discourage and simply | | | | your variables) and it can boost response. |
| assume that "testing doesn't work" or "it's | | | | I've often seen headlines that I hated or |
| not worth the effort". | | | | graphic images that were down right UGLY |
| | | | convert better than the more appealing |
| I hear this from my clients all the time. | | | | versions. |
| They will tell me, "oh... I tried testing on | | | | |
| my site and it didn't help." | | | | So just like picking a stock, past |
| | | | performance doesn't guarantee future results! |
| Well... in an effort to clear up a few of the | | | | Every single variable you test will not be a |
| misconceptions about testing and help folks | | | | winner. In fact when it comes to the stock |
| overcome some of the unrealistic expectations | | | | market, if you can pick a winning trade just |
| that simply set them up for disappointment, | | | | 51% of the time, you'll become rich. |
| I'm about to tell you the "dirty little | | | | |
| secret" that the gurus usually fail to | | | | The same principle applies to test variable |
| mention. | | | | selection. If you're able to consistently |
| | | | pick winning variables 50% or the time or |
| Every variable you test will NOT | | | | more, you're doing an outstanding job! (Or |
| automatically improve sales. In fact MOST of | | | | you're simply not running enough tests...) |
| the variables you test will either reduce | | | | |
| response or make no measurable difference! | | | | Now, am I telling you all of this to |
| | | | discourage you from testing? ABSOLUTELY NOT! |
| In fact, after conducting over 6,000 split | | | | |
| and multivariable tests over the past six | | | | Like I said at the beginning of the article, |
| years I've generated some pretty good data on | | | | I'm a testing fanatic. |
| what you can expect to achieve in a typical | | | | |
| testing campaign. | | | | I've seen small businesses transformed into |
| | | | "big" businesses almost overnight via proper |
| In most multivariable tests only 1/4 to 1/3 | | | | testing. |
| of your variables will boost response. | | | | |
| Another 1/4 to 1/3 of your test variables | | | | I've seen a laid off, single father go from |
| will actually reduce response. And 1/3 to 1/2 | | | | struggling to pay the bills selling an ebook |
| of your variables won't make a measurable | | | | to making a solid six figure income by only |
| difference. | | | | tweaking and testing 4 items on his sales |
| | | | letter. |
| (Well... that's not entirely true. If you run | | | | |
| any test long enough a winner will usually | | | | Done right (and with proper expectations) |
| emerge, but it is not worth the trouble to | | | | testing can indeed change your life and |
| let a campaign run for months on end just for | | | | transform your business. |
| a 1/10th of a percent improvement in | | | | |
| conversion.) | | | | I just want to make sure that you go into the |
| | | | process with the right, long term mindset and |
| Of course, the more experience you gain in | | | | that you don't become discouraged and quit if |
| testing, the better your odds of finding a | | | | your first attempts at testing fail to yield |
| variable that will be a winner... but you | | | | earth shattering improvements in response. |
| still have no guarantees. | | | | |
| | | | The good news for testing is, because you can |
| Often variables that you are sure will boost | | | | flush the variables that don't boost response |
| sales, wind up having no effect or worse, | | | | and only keep the "winners", even if you only |
| decrease response. | | | | pick a winner 10% of the time you'll still |
| | | | make huge gains in conversion and response |
| I've seen tests where a 1 year guarantee was | | | | over the long haul. |
| tested against NO guarantee and the no | | | | |
| guarantee version won. I've conducted price | | | | Happy testing! |
| tests in which we tested $17 vs. $97 and $97 | | | | |