Multivariate testing
Time to revisit econsultancy’s list of multivariate testing tools written by Ashley Friedlein in 2007.
Checking over Ashley’s list to see who’s still in business with a relevant offering (and who’s been snapped up by a competitor):
Specific multivariate / multivariable / split testing tools and services:
Adlucent – a variety of testing tools including landing page optimisation
Google Website Optimizer – Google has kindly released a 26 page Techie Guide to Google Website Optimizer which everyone has no excuse not to take a look at to get you started
Memetrics – is now part of Accenture’s Digital Optimization Marketing Sciences
Offermatica – is now Omniture’s Test & Target
Optimost – is now Interwoven Optimost offering a wide range of testing services
SiteSpect – a variety of testing tools
SplitAnalyzer – $129, online demo available, immediate download
TaguchiNow – free webinar available
Vertster – free demo available
Site conversion optimisation solutions (typically continuous learning approach):
[x+1] – with its Predictive Optimization Engine
Kefta – recently purchased by Acxiom
Maxymiser – selection of products
Touch Clarity (Omniture)
Wunderloop – international offering
And from the article’s comments:
Amadesa – range of tools including form and cart optimisation
Clickdensity – more of a usability toolkit including heatmaps (see my data visualisation round up)
Sokel Choicepoints (site itself looks like it needs ‘optimising’)
Mixpanel – a range of tools
Plenty there to choose from. Obviously anyone new to this who wants to get their hands dirty should start off with Google’s Optimiser tool.
Audience Development
Notes from a recent presentation (the link to the presentation is at the foot of the post):
Audience development – pivotal to success
Audience Development is split between retaining satisfied customers and growing the customer base.
customer acquisition
one
manage SEO of all pages taking into consideration current best practice
by order of importance
on page:
- <title> tag
- Keyword frequency and density
- Keyword in headings
- Keyword in document name
- Meta name description
- Meta name keywords
off page:
- Link anchor text contains keyword
- More backlinks (higher PageRank)
- Link Popularity within the Site’s Internal Link Structure
- Page assessed as a hub
- Page assessed as an authority
- Link velocity (rate at which changes)
and remember
- Balance paid & organic listings
- Blended/universal results
- Search term research & targeting
- Ensure site design is search friendly
- Avoid duplicate content & multiple site issues
- Get authoritative mentions online by going beyond Linkbait
(thanks Dave Chaffey)
and then work on the 77 tips found here
two
network with SEO and audience development professionals to keep abreast of current best practice and innovations within the sector
make sure you are on Linkedin and join the
audience development group
Digital Publishing Network
LinkedSEO Group
make sure you are on
Twitter and follow the right people
three
run inhouse guerilla SEO best practice workshops in collaboration with marketing departments for content teams and front-end development
for content teams look no further than presenting the
BASIC principles of online journalism
for development teams look no further than running through point one
four
develop content sharing partnerships with third parties
research your sector and communicate with competitors direct and indirect and any other sites with similar content
start non-commercial content sharing by linking to each other’s content
remember – the link is king
five
Linkbuilding
ensure that you link from your content
remember – it’s a conversation
the web conversation should have no walls
build up links
tools and people that can help
Publish2.0
Onlinejournalism
Newsless
Buzzmachine
Silobreaker
Daylife
Yahoo Buzz
delicious
digg
and Twitter Tools
six
manage Social Media reputation:
embrace trends such as microblogging tool Twitter as access to new audiences and method of communicating with existing audience
“Dell believe $1m worth of business from Twitter”
Twitter Tools
Twitterfall
Monitter
Twitseeker
PleaseRT.me and Retweetist – retweeting tools
Filttr – filtering Twitter
beamagpie - advertising
Twist – trends
Twitbot
retweetradar
twilert – email alerts
Pingvine and Twitterfeed- RSS aggregator
seven
For content/news sites: every morning email a list of keywords to be used in titles and intros for the day’s content Google Trends and Google Keyword Search
customer retention
one
strengthen culture where customer retention is as important and vital to the business as customer acquisition
customer feedback should be viewed as some of the most important data available
involve all employees in positive and negative feedback
from it all employees will learn
what is important
what is relevant
what can be done to make positive change
two
customer retention is an ongoing conversation and that conversation requires managing and developing day to day
get to know your customers
beta groups
customer feedback roundtables
user testing
outbound calling
involve all departments including marketing, product and contact centre to develop a better understanding of customer’s needs and requirements
three
action customer feedback and develop further customer loyalty
and
feedback to customer the positive changes you have made
four
increase online dialogue with customers with a willingness and courage to publish and share concerns, questions, grievances
five
continually test important areas of the site using no/low-cost tools and action feedback into site enhancements/tweaks/BAU improvements
Website Grader
Web accessibility tools
Userfly and Feedbackarmy – User testing
Yahoo Site Explorer
Silverback – Guerilla user testing
SEODigger
Chalkmark, Treejack, OptimalSort at Optimal Workshop
six
create ‘User Experience team’ with existing members of staff to place the user voice into decisions
even if the team is only of ‘one’ a lot can be done
reference
Leah Buley’s How to be a UX Team of One
seven
reputation management: monitor the web for discussion (positive/negative) and proactively re-act
set yourself up with the monitoring tools for Twitter
and
Google Alerts
Trackur (+ free guide)
Reputation
make that content work (and help me with editorial)
whilst working on a content and editorial strategy document for where i’m working i thought it best to also publish here too. most things are self-evident but it’s nice to bring them all into the same place as there are still tons of content driven sites that are failing to implement most of the basic things mentioned.
next up i’ll get one published about presentation & layout
Make that content work (and help me with editorial)
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