Online testing or multivariate analysis (M-VAP) is a very much underused technique in the search engine optimisation (SEO) world.
Multivariate analysis or online testing looks to make subtle website design changes that work to funnel visitors to take a desired action.
Traditional SEO can at times get too focused on driving traffic, increasing search engine rankings and increasing web visibility as a whole. These are core, primary and highly important objectives, do not think I am denigrating their value, but at times SEO can stagnate at the point of achieving these goals.
Multivariate analysis (M-VAP) is the logical next step. Having used SEO to
write excellent content,
built excellent inbound links, optimised both on-site and off-site components, your website should now stand a very good chance of gaining traffic and good search engine rankings. White hat SEO is at times a slow but certainly methodical process that never promises overnight miracles but once it succeeds the results are impressive.
What tends to happen next is that clients achieve high traffic but there is little conversion. “Conversion” being a generic SEO world to describe visitors taking a desired action on a website – subscribing to a newsletter, becoming a lead, landing on a certain page, buying a product or any other measurable activity.
How people react to poor conversion rates
Client reactions to high traffic but poor conversion rates are manifested in one of several ways:-
- The client has a momentary loss of faith – “my products and services are not marketable, I’ve increased traffic but nothing has happened!” Here at The WebMarketing Group we do not take on projects unless we believe in the product and services, this serves as a mutual safeguard as objectives are therefore achievable, realistic and deliverable.
- The client is angry. SEO has been a lengthy process and while traffic has increased, conversions have not materialised. Again, here at The WebMarketing Group we work to on our mission of “online marketing delivering measurable results.” At the start of the process we benchmark site statistics and can demonstrate through our expert analytical skills that results have been achieved.
- The client recognises that SEO objectives have been met. The client understands that while traffic and high online visibility is a much desired goal, conversions are what really matters. Now is the point at which multivariate testing and analysis can kick in to improve conversion rates.
- Some clients come to us directly with already high traffic volumes and start their SEO process with multivariate analysis. In a very much ideal world, clients should have a web design team that has knowledge of both SEO and design – beautifully crafted websites can often be a visual feast but have poor SEO. Combine SEO and a web design initially and your website will be fully optimised.
Realisation: Multivariate analysis and testing – making conversions
This is a kind of Eureka moment when the penny finally drops for many online marketers. SEO should be multifaceted, looking at more than just traffic volumes, website footfall and online presence.
As illustrated and documented above, high traffic volumes do not guarantee conversion. Multivariate analysis can now truly kick in to deliver results from your website.
Multivariate testing works along the principle of finding subtle design tweaks to funnel or channel website visitors to a specific target or conversion goal.
This might include changes such as making a call to action – click here, contact us, request a call back, register, order, buy and so forth – more prominent. It may also just be on-site layout components, essentially making the most of your online real estate – making sure that the most popular parts of the page draw attention – typically the upper right and left hand side panels.
Colour variations also work well – using the most captivating colours in important places. Providing enticing text that draws or funnels visitors further within your website. Take for example a product page – provide thumbnails with the option to click on larger images, provide snapshot product details with links to full product description with all pages fully optimised and will key call to action points well positioned – in this scenario driving visitors to complete the transaction.
Multivariate analysis also works exceptionally well to full understand your transaction funnel – the path taken to complete a purchase. Multivariate analysis here can determine whether the process asks for too much information while for example providing limited detail on key decision makers or breakers such as delivery costs and return policy.
The list of potential minor changes is endless but the real beauty of multivariate analysis is that it is not you, your SEO or website designer that makes the ultimate decision.
Multivariate analysis – let your visitors decide
Summarising this article up to this point….SEO has driven traffic to your site or you already have high traffic flow. Conversions however remain low and SEO best practice would now recommend adopting multivariate analysis.
Multivariate analysis makes subtle design changes to your website and then tests against a determined portion of your website to see if the changes make for better conversions.
This is the real benefit of multivariate analysis. By testing against a live audience it is the visitors themselves who determine what functions best for them. Sure SEOs can bring opinion, web designers equally feel they know best and even your own management may have an ingrained belief that x approach or design works best.
Visitors’ opinions and reactions are the best indication and they must be gathered, listened to and reacted to.
Flowing through the illustration you reach the final stage of the process. You acted to the fact that there is a poor conversion rate, you’ve run multivariate analysis and you complete the cycle – high traffic rates – a fully optimised site – high conversion rates.
Here at The WebMarketing Group we are experts at
multivariate analysis, we can help increase traffic, develop online visibility and improve your conversion rates.
Contact us now or call 0845 555 5040 to see how we can help.
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