Google is more than just a search engine company; it also provides some of the most powerful online marketing tools, especially SEO.
Google Analytics is such an indispensable free product. It is more than just a simple statistics program, you can do a lot with it, such as: set up segmentation, split testing, and more. In the meantime, check out my special guide for Google AdWords below:
While Google AdWords is powerful, there’s one more important tool for online marketers and SEOs: Google Analytics. Today, I’m going to show you how to optimize your website by setting up an A/B split test.
What is A/B Split Testing?
I’ve been busy revamping my website for a few months now. Every time I like a design, I find that there are some problems with it after a while. If you have different designs you like, different headers, or just like different colors, but you’re not sure which one will bring better conversion rates for your goals, you can do an A/B test before deciding on which one (or multiple ones) to go with.
A/B split testing is a tool used to compare two (or more) versions of a website , article, headline, subject line, etc. It is one of the most commonly used testing options in email marketing. One of the main advantages of A/B testing is its level of automation.
You have selected the metric that determines the test winners. Depending on the test topic, the winners information will be sent automatically (newsletter) or displayed more frequently (website). This way, you can be sure that you get the most out of your efforts, even during the test.
Why should I do A/B split testing?
Now you know what A/B testing is and what it can do, but why is it so important to A/B test your content before it goes live? Sometimes, your own taste can be very deceiving.
While you may love (I really do) the color pink on your website, most visitors actually hate it. This can cause your bounce rate to increase significantly. When you analyze your statistics, you can see the increase in bounce rate, but it’s hard to guess why. This is where split testing comes in handy.
Ultimately, this tool can help you increase traffic, click-through rates, and conversions and reduce bounce rates.
How to Test with Google Analytics
Now I’m going to show you how to set up an A/B split test using your Google Analytics account. It’s really easy, so join us on this journey.
First, log in to your Analytics account. If you haven’t set up a goal yet, do so now (under Conversions > Goals). Set up a goal based on the test you want to run. If you want to test which site design drives more trial signups, set up your signup URL as a goal. Set up your personal goal, then navigate to Experiments in the Content menu tab.
Click on “Create Experiment” to start your A/B test . In my example, I will compare two headlines for the same article. I want to find out which headline leads to a higher average time on site.
Next, you need to set your goal (a target you set in advance). You can also choose the percentage of new visitors you want to include in your experiment.
You can leave it at 100% because Google will automatically adjust visitor traffic based on each site's performance.
Set your original URL as well as the variation.
When you reach the next step, Google will give you an experiment code that you need to insert directly after the tag on your original site. You can insert the code yourself or send it to your webmaster and have them insert it for you.
Google will then test that your code is inserted correctly and is functioning properly.
If you haven't inserted the Google Analytics tracking code in your website, Google will display an error at this stage. In order to run A/B testing, you need to have already inserted the Google Analytics tracking code .
Once everything has been reviewed and approved, you will see a review of the experiment.
Your A/B split test will last at least 2 weeks and up to 3 months. You can track the results and status updates in your Google Analytics account.
Whether you’re planning on completely redesigning your site or setting up a squeeze page, it’s a good idea to run a split test to see which design converts better. This can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it because the better your page performs, the higher your conversion rate will be.
How many of you have run split tests using Google Analytics to check the effectiveness of your designs and increase conversions? If you found this DIY tutorial, please share it on Facebook and Google+.
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