SplitTestMasterGuide » Split Test Basics

How to Go About Split Testing Landing Pages

Justin Harrison — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:38:54 +0000

Since starting your online marketing career, you’ve probably heard a huge amount about how you’re supposed to be split testing everything you do. There is good cause for it and you’ll thank yourself in the end for being thorough enough to know if your sales tactics are actually working. However, one of the most complicated tasks when it comes to split testing is taking apart and analyzing your landing page piece by piece. It also happens to be the single most important thing you can do though. If your landing page is as effective as possible, you can boost conversions much more than with any other single tool at your disposal.

So, what exactly should you be doing when split testing those landing pages? It starts with knowing exactly how much you can change on the page at any given time. Landing pages are tricky because if you make too small of changes your results might not give you anything to work with. However, if your changes are too great, you might end up negating any changes you make or worse yet, making your site perform poorer than it was before.

So, what exactly should you be working on when you start making landing page changes? First off, you should try to create an atmosphere on your landing page that is conducive to changes. Whether or not it is visible or not doesn’t particularly matter. What does matter is whether or not you are able to easily go in and edit things as you create them.

Things that you can use for split testing include your headlines first and foremost. You should always split test headlines and subheaders. Not only are they vital for catching attention, they have a profound effect on SEO – making them a great starting place (you want to have them set as early as possible so that you can ensure they are not changed). Additionally, you can change the formatting of the page, such as the colors used for text or the background. Some people adjust the text formatting size or font, while others will tweak with actual content, rewriting how the text is presented (another good reason to have it segmented up).

One of the top ways to do all this is to create two or three landing pages at once and then set them up on the same domain in rotating cycles. Use AdWords to draw traffic to each page in equal numbers and then check and see how conversions alternate between sites.

Ultimately, if you can effectively split test your landing page, you can assure that whoever visits the site is as likely as possible to actually sit down and buy your product or service. Not testing and finding out what does and does not work makes it so you never really know if your strategies are working and that’s not something that anyone wants to get stuck with. Split test, use your data, and increase your sales.

Different Types of Split Tests

Justin Harrison — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:39:32 +0000

There are essentially 3 different types of split tests, and whist all 3 essentially perform the same function (conversion testing) their application is subtly but significantly different.

The 3 types of split tests are:

A debate continues to rage on about which split testing method is superior, and despite common perception that Multivariate Split Testing is superior, experts know that all 3 testing methods have an application.

What is Taguchi Split Testing?

Justin Harrison — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:20:06 +0000

Taguchi Split Testing is basically Multivariate Split Testing however the name “Taguchi” originates from a Japanese scientist and engineer named Genichi Taguchi.

His principals and methods of improving manufacturing, which was later refined and adapted to other applications, later became known as the “Taguchi Method” of Testing.

What is Multivariate Split Testing?

Justin Harrison — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:15:06 +0000

Multivariate Split Testing, which is also referred to as multivariable split testing, is an advanced method of split testing that enables you to split test more than one page element at a time.

Multivariate Split Testing uses mathematical formulas to rotate, test and measure the performance of multiple variables within a single page, and then concludes which group of variables performs best.

Multivariate split testing is an effective way to rapidly split test the relationship between page elements.

What is Multilevel Split Testing?

Justin Harrison — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:05:43 +0000

Multilevel Split Testing or A/B/C+ split testing is almost exactly the same thing as traditional A/B split testing, except that there are multiple (more than 2) pages being tested at the same time.

As in the case with traditional A/B split testing, it is always best to test single elements (i.e. the headline, price etc) between all versions.

Additionally Multilevel Split Testing should only be used on pages with a high traffic volume, as this will enable an adequate sample size within a short period of time in order to establish a credible result.

What is AB Split Testing

Justin Harrison — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:01:04 +0000

A/B Split Testing is one of the simplest forms of split testing, and this technique enables you to compare two page variations against each other.

In an A/B split test environment visitors are divided between two variations of a page, with real time calculation of the performance results provided to give instant feedback on which page version is performing best.

A/B Split Testing is also called “one factor at a time”, on account of the fact that A/B split testing works best when you make single element changes between split testing versions.

Useful Terminology:

Justin Harrison — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:00:14 +0000

Split Testing like any other industry sector, has its own terminology, below are some of the most common terms that you will need to know:

The Protocol - this refers to the plan for your test
The Control - this refers to the original page or element
The Signal – refers to your baseline conversion rate
Sample Size – refers to the number of hits each page will be exposed to
Action – refers to any step or process that you require visitors to make
Conversion Rate – refers to the ratio visits to the number of actions
Noise - refers variables outside of the protocol that will influence results
Lift – refers to the percentage increase
Latency – refers to a delay
Latent Actions – refers to actions that happen after the first contact

How to split test

Justin Harrison — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:50:39 +0000

The basic method of split testing is to create two page variations and then rotate these pages equally between your visitors in order to determine which page generates the best result.

However split testing is one of those subjects that on the surface seems more simplistic than it really is, especially since successful split testing and conversion optimisation relies heavily on interpretation.

The great thing about Split Testing allows you to stop guessing about what works or doesn’t work on your site, and enables you to make informed decisions about which creative recipe works best.

If you are one of the many online business owners that have started to realise the potential and value of split testing, then you will absolutely find value in this webiste and more specifically the Split Test Master Guide.

Unfortunately the forums and newsgroups are currently full of “back shop” advice from “so called experts” and much of the information that you will come across on how to split test is actually totally inaccurate.

Learning how to split test is actually really simple if you follow the correct advice, that’s why I hand wrote one of the most detailed and powerful guides ever written on the subject of aggressive split testing.

The Split Test Master Guide is by far the most compressive guide on the subject of split testing, and is suitable for both new and experienced online marketers.

If you have a webiste and you want to know how to split test, then the Split Test Master Guide is for you.

Click Here to get your copy of the Split Test Master Guide

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