Now that I’ve grabbed your attention with my exciting headline, I’ll bore you with my thoughts on Multivariate testing. Sounds boring, doesn’t it?
It’s not.
I knew that no one would click this blog entry with the headline “Multivariate Testing“. But wait… do I really know that? Isn’t there some way we can test it to find out? What if my assumptions are wrong and you’re super-duper interested in “Multivariate Testing”? Well, maybe I am wrong. But, that’s exactly what multivariate testing does – it lets your customers / viewers tell you what works for them.
So what the heck is multivariate testing? In layman’s terms please!
In internet marketing, multivariate testing is a process where more than one version of a particular website component can be tested in a live environment.
So why the heck do I need to test my site?
At the end of the day, multivariate testing can tell you which content or creative variation produces the best results, i.e. which results meet the goals you’ve defined for your website. Your goal might be someone signing up for your newsletter, a purchasing a product, filling out a contact form or simply downloading a ‘learn more PDF.’ It could be anything. But how do you know which content and creative works best if you’re not testing?
- How do you know which page layout converts the most visitors to sales?
- How do you know which text copy entices the most visitors to sign up for your newsletter or fill out a contact form?
- How do you know which images result in the best response rate from customers in terms of purchases or leads?
- How do you know which page style elicits the best response from your visitors?
Okay, I get it. So I can test different versions and then choose the ones that shows the best results?
CORRECT!
So, now you want to get started?
It’s pretty easy. Companies like October17media can set up various ‘tests’ and users essentially vote for the one that works best for them via their ‘clicks.’ Then we observe, analyze, and re-test. Some websites benefit from continual testing while others don’t need as much attention.
So, what’s the bottom line?
Multivariate testing helps website owners ensure they’re getting the most from the visitors arriving at their site. Especially if you are a website owner who is purchasing traffic through pay-per-click or banner ads; in this case it’s essential that you ensure you’re getting value for money.
Kinda cool, eh? Give us a shout
and we can tell you more! 
Tags: AdWords Strategy, Google AdWords, Multivariate Testing, Online Marketing
