Website Optimizer, What Should I Test?

by Google (1:03:13)

This video is a great introduction to Google Website Optimizer and to testing best practices. How to choose the design of a landing page that converts better? What means to test, to optimize my web pages? How to optimize my content to increase the effectiveness of your web site? What is the relationship between Google Adwords, Google Analytics and Google Website Optimizer? Experimentation ideas that could be used to improve a website (independent variables): copy, testimonials, coupons, color, fonts, sizes, layout, form fields, headline, images, call to action. What are the best practices in web marketing experimentation? What are the main groups of buyers? How they buy? How could I improve my website for these different groups of buyers?
Levels of pyramid optimization (0:35:53):

• functional
• accesible
• usable
• intuitive
• persuasive

Formulas for better results (0:38:18):

• product images tell a story
• test your headlines and copy
• forms and pint of action
• calls to action - get them to click
• don't make them wait

3 ways to test headlines (0:43:23):

• test fractions or percentages to prove your claim
• test asking questions in the headline
• test self-focused (we) versus costumer-focused text (you)

Words really do matter: 12 great ideas to test your text (0:45:14):

• test the offer itself
• test long vs. short and formating (bullets vs. block text)
• text long vs. short sentences and paragraphs
• text punctuation - do dashes work better than comas or ellipses
• test ordering the copy with charts or copy with pix or block copy with bullets. Which comes first?
• test placement of copy on the page

Optimizing forms with point of action (0:47:12).
Add to cart buttons and more: 8 variables, including (0:48:58): wording, shape, size, style, icon, color, location, legibility.
Read more ideas to improve your website effectiveness (64 tips) using Google Website Optimizer.
Related posts: Creative ideas for landing pages with Scott Brinker
Landing page: How to create a customer oriented landing page?