Free Multivariant Testing for Blogs
I started playing with the Google Optimizer multi-variant testing solution almost two months ago…and I’ve come to love it. You have no excuse for not testing and tracking every single page you advertise in your online business. All you need is a Google Adwords account and to set-up the Optimizer.
I’ve been running all my landing pages through it. On one of my “squeeze” pages, I’ve increased the conversion of visitors to subscribers from 21% all the way up to 51%.
I tested with just four main variables to create these results:
- Headlines
- Main Picture
- Page Length
- Position of Subscribe Boxes
What I found most interesting in my test was the biggest variation occurred with the picture I used. It produced the biggest improvement…even more than the headline or the page length. A key principle to the picture testing was the “caption” that runs under the photo (you should almost always have a caption on any photo you use on a sales page). The winning picture gives the feeling of “freedom” in my opinion, and this may be why it was the winner.
Another interesting result from my testing was that the first subscribe box had to be above the fold for the best response. This isn’t a big surprise, but it proved itself true again. I used multiple subscribe boxes on the page, but having that one early before anyone has to scroll was a key issue for the page.
On the site length, the best producing “option” was simply cutting out my first two paragraphs. I tried other options with quite a bit cut from the site to make it shorter, but those did poorly. The only thing I could cut profitably was my first paragraphs of page text…the “warming up” content. My visitors preferred me getting right into the offer.
Again, the biggest change came from the picture…which surprised me a little. It blew the headline and page content out of the water when it came to results.
Why aren’t you testing your sites?
If you’d like to do multivariant testing on your blog, there is also the free Website Optimizer Plug-in for WordPress.
What do you plan to test?
Related Entries:- Beginners Guide to Tracking Your Stats
- You Have NO Excuse Left to Ignore Testing
- What Are You Testing Today?
- 7 Steps for Generating Free Traffic From Stumbleupon
- Interesting Results
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It’s really interesting Terry. Thank you for sharing with us. By the way, I am just starting with Google optimizer.
Thank you for this great resource.
[...] Dean of terrydean.org has been testing and tracking for years, and has sold literally millions of dollars worth of [...]
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Hi Terry!
That’s a great post. It’s always great when one can learn something from first hand, so one knows that’s not guesswork from someone who doesn’t walk his talk.
Thanks very much!
Andy
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.