You've probably heard that split testing elements of your website can improve your conversion rates. And that's true. But there are many kinds of split testing out there. And there are many ways to set up split tests on your website.
There are many differences among the split testing software options on the market today. Let me give you a brief taxonomy of the subject matter.
First, there's a difference between multivariate and single variable testing.
Simple split testing is easy. You're just "trying stuff" one thing at a time. You want to try a different headline? Split test it. When that test finishes, you want to "try" something else? Split test that. You can test one alternative version or many. As long as it's a single element of your page you're testing, that's simple split testing. All you need is a tool that rotates the different versions of the headline (or whatever) on your page, and keeps track of which one produces the most sales.
Google offers a single variable split testing tool, but you have to have an Adwords account to use it.
But simple split testing can be discouraging. When you test a new idea against your control version, sometimes the control version wins. In fact, it often wins. You can get a string of disappointing tests all in a row. What would it be like if you could test 10 things at once? Well, you'd be bound to find at least one or two ideas that led to improvement. And what if you could test all those ideas simultaneously with the same amount of traffic it takes to test one idea with simple split testing? Well, it sounds like magic, but that's exactly what multivariate testing can do for you.
There are further distinctions among multivariate split testing tools. There are hosted solutions, and solutions you install on your server. Typically a split testing program can run a little more quickly if it's on the same server as your webpage. Installed programs tend to be less expensive, too. You also will have complete control of your data. On the other hand, with a hosted solution, you don't have to do an installation.
Google Website Optimizer is a hosted plan. But it requires you to have an Adwords account and an analytics account. There is also a reporting delay. Other hosted plans include SiteSpect, and Offermatica. The Split Test Accelerator an MuVar are installed solutions.
Taguchi testing is only one kind of multivariate testing. There are also "full factorial" tools, and random independent rotators. When you run a Taguchi test, you run only a small fraction of the possible combinations of your factor levels. You might, for instance, run only 18 pages to test 4374 combinations. This is made possible by orthongonal arrays. This allows you to find the best combination with out running through all of them. You do have to be careful about your factors interacting negatively with each other, but if you take care as you design your test, you can avoid the bulk of the problem with these. The Split Test Accelerator, Vertster, and Kaizentrack are Taguchi testing tools.
If you want to get around interaction effects you can with a full factorial tool. It will take more traffic to avoid the interactions -- a lot more -- but with a FFT, like Google's Website Optimizer, you can just see how every combination plays out, and live with the interactions.
The Taguchi and full factorial tools both use arrays to maintain a relationship between the options being served for one factor, and the options being served for another. Some split testers don't do this, though. They simply treat each factor as independent from the other factors. This leads to more flexible test designs, but also to longer and less accurate tests.
That sums up some of the main difference among split testing tools. There are many other features to compare, but this should give you the big picture.
There are many differences among the split testing software options on the market today. Let me give you a brief taxonomy of the subject matter.
First, there's a difference between multivariate and single variable testing.
Simple split testing is easy. You're just "trying stuff" one thing at a time. You want to try a different headline? Split test it. When that test finishes, you want to "try" something else? Split test that. You can test one alternative version or many. As long as it's a single element of your page you're testing, that's simple split testing. All you need is a tool that rotates the different versions of the headline (or whatever) on your page, and keeps track of which one produces the most sales.
Google offers a single variable split testing tool, but you have to have an Adwords account to use it.
But simple split testing can be discouraging. When you test a new idea against your control version, sometimes the control version wins. In fact, it often wins. You can get a string of disappointing tests all in a row. What would it be like if you could test 10 things at once? Well, you'd be bound to find at least one or two ideas that led to improvement. And what if you could test all those ideas simultaneously with the same amount of traffic it takes to test one idea with simple split testing? Well, it sounds like magic, but that's exactly what multivariate testing can do for you.
There are further distinctions among multivariate split testing tools. There are hosted solutions, and solutions you install on your server. Typically a split testing program can run a little more quickly if it's on the same server as your webpage. Installed programs tend to be less expensive, too. You also will have complete control of your data. On the other hand, with a hosted solution, you don't have to do an installation.
Google Website Optimizer is a hosted plan. But it requires you to have an Adwords account and an analytics account. There is also a reporting delay. Other hosted plans include SiteSpect, and Offermatica. The Split Test Accelerator an MuVar are installed solutions.
Taguchi testing is only one kind of multivariate testing. There are also "full factorial" tools, and random independent rotators. When you run a Taguchi test, you run only a small fraction of the possible combinations of your factor levels. You might, for instance, run only 18 pages to test 4374 combinations. This is made possible by orthongonal arrays. This allows you to find the best combination with out running through all of them. You do have to be careful about your factors interacting negatively with each other, but if you take care as you design your test, you can avoid the bulk of the problem with these. The Split Test Accelerator, Vertster, and Kaizentrack are Taguchi testing tools.
If you want to get around interaction effects you can with a full factorial tool. It will take more traffic to avoid the interactions -- a lot more -- but with a FFT, like Google's Website Optimizer, you can just see how every combination plays out, and live with the interactions.
The Taguchi and full factorial tools both use arrays to maintain a relationship between the options being served for one factor, and the options being served for another. Some split testers don't do this, though. They simply treat each factor as independent from the other factors. This leads to more flexible test designs, but also to longer and less accurate tests.
That sums up some of the main difference among split testing tools. There are many other features to compare, but this should give you the big picture.
About the Author:
Dominic DeLong has used taguchi testing software for years to improve landing pages.
0 comments:
Post a Comment