This is blog number 1 of 3 in our series on A/B testing and optimization.
Stay tuned!
When I first got into A/B testing, I fell into the trap of thinking “the sky is the limit.” I began to think of testing ideas that centered around everything and anything. In my mind, I was wearing a black turtleneck every day and talking in a lower voice register. After a couple long days of exploring how I was going to change the world of digital analytics, it dawned on me that I was completely wrong in my approach.
I was looking at testing from a bottom-up perspective. The reality is that I did not want to test everything. Everything is a vast black hole with a gravitational pull that will leave you burnt out. As I have grown into A/B testing, I’ve realized that testing programs need to be organized and well-defined.
Tie your testing strategy to your business goals
The biggest mistake I have seen from clients is not having a well-defined optimization strategy. Progress begins when you narrow down what you want to accomplish. Improving your website begins when you apply a testing strategy that aligns with your business goals. It is easy to want to test “what ifs” and impromptu test ideas. Sometimes these tests will be insightful, but often they will also lead to little or no impact in learning about your business and customers.
Creating a great optimization strategy can sound complicated and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Start high level and then break things down. What is my business goal? What are my KPIs? Where on my site should we test? What tactics can we use? An optimization strategy need process. Creating an experimental framework allows for a focused strategy and prioritization.
Set your focus according to impact, not just curiosity
Your optimization strategy should allow you to focus on highly impactful tests. Testing a CTA at the bottom of the page probably will not have the same return as testing a CTA at the top of the page. You are probably thinking “well duh, Taylor.” But while this is an obvious example, it can be hard to distinguish between high- and low-impact tests without clear direction. With the right testing strategy, your program will be focused, organized, and logically-driven.
Additionally, an organized testing strategy allows you to more easily quantify your testing program’s impact and growth. As your program expands in scope and budget, you will also need to justify this increase through business impact. When the testing strategy you’ve implemented is directly tied to bottom-line KPIs, it is much easier to financially justify the existence of such an impactful program.
Creating a focused optimization strategy will take work and planning, but the gains and learnings along the way will be worth the time investment. Now bring back out that black turtleneck and get to work.
If you have any questions or want to talk through your optimization strategy, reach out to info@campfireanalytics.com.