WhichTestWon publisher Anne Holland’s quiz-show-style presentation at February’s Newport Interactive Marketers focused on how to use simple tests to improve website sales, signups, and conversion rates.
Holland provided copious examples of how small – often nontechnical – tweaks can result in huge improvements. Here are the highlights of the presentation.
Why Synchronous Testing?
Create two versions simultaneously
Traffic engine splits it into two different versions to see which does better
Super cheap and easy to do
You can go to Google Experimental Engine or Visual Website Optimizer
Knowing the product or the client too well can actually be a drawback. You’re not the visitors, so you don’t look at the product the way they do. For this reason, you’ve got to test. Amazon tests, LinkedIn test, Dell tests, and you should, too!
Where to Start Testing
Do not start testing on pages with high abandon or bounce rate because you won’t see a much change.
Pages to Test & Track
Thank you & receipt pages
Follow up
Emails
Digital Marketing Campaigns
Landing Pages
Search Results
Category Pages
Product offer description pages
Abandons
How to Decide What to Test
Use the same size screen that your traffic will be viewing: a 15” monitor, 1-24x 786 resolution (Hint: 980 pixels across, 520 down)
Quickly glance at page to see what you notice that needs to be changed
Remove clutter
Vary headlines
Big images, change images
Buttons: sizes, colors, wording
Make One Change at a Time
If you test two changes on the same page, your results won’t be useful
Don’t change the headline and the image because you won’t know which worked better
Example: If you change the size of the button, don’t change the wording on the button
Or Test a Radical Redesign
Radical redesign means you make the dramatic changes.
Then you compare your old page to the redesigned pages and see which does better
Then tweak the winning page to see which elements made the difference
What You Want to Achieve by Testing
You don’t want just more clicks. If extra clicks don’t increase sales, no one cares.
Instead of simply more clicks you want
More sales
More qualified leads
Lower cost per lead
Higher revenues per cart
How Long Should You Test?
Typically you should run a test for 21 days
Testing Examples:
1) Dell Mega Image Test
Mega Image Won (Mega Image is an image that fills the majority of the homepage screen)
Increased leads generated by 36%
Lowered the page bounce rate by 27%
2) Dell Search Box Test
Test between a button that says search or a magnifying-glass icon
Search button won
Resulted in a 6.3% Lift in RPV (revenue) avg.
A winning test is usually results in a 3% lift
3) Local or Toll Free Number Test
Toll free number or local phone number
Which would generate more sales?
The local number increased sales (checkout page visits) by 18.3%
4) Email Test
Should it say: “Click here for more info” or “Find out more”?
“Click here” won
97% lift in unique clicks
16% increase in page views
5) Overlay Test
Overlays are like pop-ups on your website
They are much more responsive than saying: Please join our email list
Often come free with email service provider or free WordPress plugin
https://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2018-05-30-at-3.46.18-PM-e1559697701433.png171185Suzanne McDonaldhttps://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nim-square.svgSuzanne McDonald2014-03-06 22:13:072018-09-25 15:24:29Simple Tests to Improve Your Website
Newport Interactive Marketers partnered with the URI Business Engagement Center (BEC) to explain the valuable resources available for businesses at URI.
Think of Katharine Hazard Flynn as your concierge if you have a question about how to work with interns, sponsors research that could become product, or host an event at URI.
Leading the new Business Engagement Center, Katharine Hazard Flynn, serves as the University of Rhode Island’s connector to the private/nonprofit sectors, helping brands leverage URI’s resources for the betterment of the state. A Brown alum, she also has significant finance experience in senior positions at Prudential Bache, Alex Brown & Sons, Toronto Dominion Securities, and Societe General.
Think of Katharine Hazard Flynn as your concierge if you have a question about how to work with interns, sponsors research that could become product, or host an event at URI. Flynn discussed how the BEC was created to give businesses a place to come and connect with URI. This center was modeled after successful programs such as University of Michigan’s BEC.
In addition to the BEC, URI also has another new initiative, the Small Business Development Center. The center is primarily for small businesses to get counseling and financial support in variety of different counseling mechanisms.
The BEC acts a one-stop destination for business owners to connect with the university. Through the BEC businesses can be connected with URI’s students, faculty, equipment and facilities. Here are some of the resources the center offers.
Find Talent
The BEC’s main goal is to increase industry engagement. URI wants to connect their students with jobs, internships, and faculty research. Some 60 percent of the university’s students are from Rhode Island. According to Flynn, this means that students want to stay here, work here, and thrive here.
The BEC is able to connect businesses with students from all disciplines including business, engineering, healthcare, arts and sciences, technology, and many other fields.
Sponsor Research
Whether you have a manufacturing issue, new product concept, or business challenge you’d like to do research on, URI can help. URI student and faculty researchers have experience working with businesses and can help you solve these issues. Use the BEC to aid you in accessing URI’s research expertise.
Develop Your Workforce
The BEC provides customized workforce training and skills development to help you achieve your business goals. It offers opportunities to help your staff polish their skills as well as specialized training programs. Here is the full list of training programs the Business Engagement Center offers.
Facilities & Equipment
URI has facilities perfect for accommodating small and large groups. Its meetings rooms range from small meeting rooms to auditoriums accommodating up to several hundred people, and everything in between.
URI also has equipment that can be a valuable asset for businesses. From the 3-D Imaging capability, to equipment in URI’s Sensor and Surface Technology Lab in chemical engineering, its equipment can fit the needs of many different businesses.
Although new, the BEC has already partnered with many local business. One example is their partnership with the Pizza Gourmet. Co-Owner Jack Parente approached the center to help him create a better, and safer, grill for his pizza crusts. Hazard connected him with with professors at the engineering school and five seniors. They are now working on a capstone project to help improve Parente’s grill. The owner has been thrilled by the students’ discoveries and suggestions.
Another example of the BEC’s success is its YMCA partnership. When the center was approached by the YMCA looking for students to provide physical therapy, the Y was not disappointed, connecting with the URI physical therapy department for and interns.
Lastly, the BEC has helped to connect GTech with writers from URI. Not only does GTech utilize members of URI’s writing and rhetoric majors as interns, but the global giant also often hires these students after graduation.
URI’s BEC has helped a wide range of businesses find what they are looking for.
https://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nim-square.svg00Suzanne McDonaldhttps://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nim-square.svgSuzanne McDonald2014-02-10 07:32:062018-09-25 15:35:41How Can URI’s Business Concierge Help Your Brand?
Let’s take a look at our websites and social media from a proven sales perspective.
Does your website put customers off? You think your website describes your company and products or services. You think you’re not “in the way” when they come to your site to learn about you — or via social media Read More
1/26/2012 Make Your Website Mobile Friendly
Annette Tonti, CEO of MoFuse, shared mobile web best practices for publishers and advertisers. NIM attendees learned the difference between a mobile app and a mobile site and how to build effective web content.
Newport Interactive Marketers joined the University of Rhode Island for the URI Social Media Social. The NIM speakers provided insights to students and Newport Interactive Marketers about what an intern can do and how social media can boost a business.
Jamie Palmer, the Senior Practitioner at University Business Consultants LLC, taught NIM attendees how to tactfully articulate the brand. Jamie stressed the importance of telling the story and not selling the story. NIM attendees learned how to engage their audience with messages that would resonate.
Panelists Matt Medeiros of Slocum Studios and Michelle Quillin of New England Multimedia shared their insights on Google+ just as it launched. A general consensus was Google+ was not appropriate for all brands at that time. But for those who are concerned about SEO, it’s worth considering.
Chuck Dennis, Vice President and Senior Consultant for Knowledgence Associates, taught NIM how to infuse social media with customer service to boost engagement and ROI. NIM attendees learned how to interact with customers’ concerns and complaints through social media. Tips for detecting and redirecting what could become a PR debacle were also included.
Boston University’s Center for Digital Imaging Arts instructor Jay Murphy showed Newport Interactive Marketers how to maximize Google Analytics to drive ROI. NIM attendees learned how to attract people that will actually buy and how to bring in more buyers and prospects.
NIM was thrilled to have Eric Covino of internationally regarded SEO community SeoBook.com and CreativeSignals.com answer questions on Search Engine Optimization and Google rankings. NIM attendees learned tactics to get search engines to rank their sites number one. Eric gave tips on how marketers can boost their websites in just one week! He also explained how SEO differs for service businesses and local retailers.
Tom Schuyler, Pandemic Labs’ Director of Accounts, shared Facebook best practices and ROI measurement types. NIM attendees gained tools and insights to measure the value of marketing on Facebook. Tom explained how to utilize Facebook analytics to assess weaknesses and opportunities to make brand presence more valuable. Attendees learned the core metrics you can use to determine how much Facebook is doing for your brand/business.
NIM hosted Patrick Hughes and Scott Quillin to share their expert opinions on online video posts. NIM attendees learned why videos are so important to the success of their businesses. The experts explained how to use YouTube and how to start your own brand channel.
Tamara Gruber, the founder of Red Giant Consulting, guided NIM attendees into the mobile marketing world. She explored the difference between mobile apps and mobile sites and how they could optimize their businesses.
Newport Interactive Marketers hosted a panel of social media experts to teach attendees how to optimize social media. Experts shared the best way to connect with customers through social media and discussed the most effective platforms to use.
Newport Interactive Marketers hosted Doug Wilson SEO specialist at Netsense, a Pawtucket-based market leader in outsourced IT, website, and web marketing solutions. NIM attendees received a how-to seminar on search engine optimization insights. Attendees also learned how to boost their Google rankings.
Social Media Answers With Newport Interactive Marketers
NIM hosted nationally known expert Partick O’Malley. Patrick is the former VP of Operations for Northern Light, Google’s former top competitor, and has spoken across the country and nationally. He is an expert on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Google. Attendees gained insights to use social media to effectively boost their businesses.
Matthew Mamet of EditMe presented how small businesses and individuals can use a Wiki platform to share information and foster communities. NIM attendees learned how to up their online presence quickly and easily.
As a tourism Mecca, easily reached from Boston and New York metropolitan areas, Newport businesses need to be in the know about mobile. Nearly half of all local searches on a mobile phone result in in-store visits, according to a March 2011 study.
Newport attracts thousands of visitors. What do at least 40% those visitors have in common?
1. Disposable income
2. A smartphone … iPhone, Android, Blackberry
They’re looking for places to eat and things to do and buy. Where are they getting that information? There’s a repository of locations, phone numbers, hours — right in their pockets.
BUT only if your website can be found, this is particularly true for hours. (Yelp, Google Places, etc seem to be not as up-to-date.)
It’s imperative to be there when people want YOU.
Thus, the first Newport Interactive Marketers of 2012 gave attendees an in-depth look at
• What’s happening
• What to do about it with limited time and resources
• How to maximize ROI as a result
Rhode Island-based MoFuse powers mobile websites for a wide variety of customers such as the US State Department, Pandora,Ghiradelli chocolate and numerous local businesses. Similar to WordPress, MoFuse offers a platform for businesses large and small to ensure they’re websites work via mobile phones.
Annette shared her insights with the 40+ Newport Interactive Marketers attendees who gathered at 41 North.
What does MoFuse do?
• Optimizes for thousands of mobile browsers and handsets
• Customers have the option to either use the platform or let MoFuse develop the mobile site
• Can be used to ensure that world languages and character sets will work
• Ensures your site will work on 5,200 mobile devices, iPhone and Android being the major ones.
Mobile Sites Vs. Apps
• Mobile sites are more cost- efficient
• Apps take a lot of upkeep & require different versions for each device type
• Mobile sites are easier to maintain
• Apps are device-specific & harder to find in iTunes or Android Marketplace for example
Lessons Learned
• Context is everything: When searching with your phone, you want it now.
• Mobile is primarily used to create content: Uploading photos, posting to Facebook
• Mobile sites can be SEO optimized: Ensure you’re found in search engines like Google
• Can be a low-cost way for businesses to launch websites or campaign-specific landing pages.
Newport Interactive Marketers members will join the University of Rhode Island’s student-led Public Relations Society for URI’s first Social Media Social on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. on the Kingston campus. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/NIMatURI11.
As a Social Media Strategist and professor of Social Media Strategies at URI, Newport Interactive Marketers founder Suzanne McDonald will discuss how social media interns can benefit businesses and organizations as well as what interns should know to be prepared for the workplace.
McDonald will also discuss social media in the context of:
https://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nim-square.svg00Suzanne McDonaldhttps://newportinteractivemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nim-square.svgSuzanne McDonald2011-11-21 20:23:582018-09-26 15:16:01Newport Interactive Marketers team up with University of Rhode Island for inaugural Social Media Social
WhichTestWon publisher Anne Holland’s quiz-show-style presentation at February’s Newport Interactive Marketers focused on how to use simple tests to improve website sales, signups, and conversion rates.
