If you’re interested in improving your online marketing efforts in a shorter amount of time than it would take to A/B or “split” test, multivariate testing is the answer. Multivariate testing is like running multiple A/B split tests at the same time with potentially fantastic results. The data you find is then applied to your marketing strategies, making them more powerful than ever.

What is Multivariate Testing Exactly?

Multivariate testing allows you to isolate a few key areas of a page and create variations for those areas specifically. Want to create a variation for your headline and featured image? These variations are combined to generate unique versions of the page. Traffic is then split amongst these versions. These variations of the page are then generated: Headline1 with Image1, Headline1 with Image2, Headline2 with Image1, and Headline2 with Image2.

With even the simplest multivariate tests, it is possible for websites to achieve higher conversions rates for anything from newsletter signups and feed subscriptions to downloads and sales. Additionally, it enhances the visitors experience with your site, which in effect can lower bounce rate.

What Can be Tested?

All aspects of a website can be tested through multivariate testing. Many of these elements can
include:

- Site's layout
- Placement of the different web page elements
- Usage of white space
- Images
- Font style and size
- Color schemes and other splash colors
- Text content
- Headlines
- Audio features
- Video components.

Identifying Goals First

Before you jump headfirst into multivariate testing, you’ll have to identify why you’re doing it. By identifying the overarching goals of your site, only them can you begin to target the issues that can be resolved.

Maybe you run an e-commerce shop and want to increase sales by 10% while reducing bounce rates. Perhaps you want to double sign-up rates. Work on one challenge at a time in improving your online marketing efforts.

After you identify your goals, assess the barriers that may be preventing these goals from being achieved. Consult with family and friends as they may have insight into elements you may have overlooked.

Maybe your call to action isn’t readily noticeable, or your headline isn’t inspiring the user to stay on the site and take action. Whatever the scenario may be, run multivariate tests to determine how people are  responding to your variations. You may be surprised when the data leads to conclusions not previously pondered.

Multivariate Testing Tools

Now that you know the basics behind this tool, it’s time to create your multivariate test. Remember that the higher the traffic rate, the more likely the test will produce reliable results. Don’t underestimate the ability small changes have on improvement in terms of conversions.

Google Website Optimizer

In order to easily see the effects of page element changes, try starting out with Google’s Website Optimizer. It is a multivariate testing tool that is fairly straightforward and easier to start out on. This tool may be the easiest way to grow your site’s profitability. In the very least, it will give you a good feel of how multivariate testing works and how element changes can affect conversion rates.

Tips for Multivariate Testing

- Keep records of your tests. Track the reports on spreadsheets to ensure you’re testing the right
elements each month.
- Make sure your testing the same elements on your site as competing sites in your niche.
- Determine how long the test should run based on the amount of traffic your website is
receiving. Results take time so implement the tests on high-traffic pages of your site and then set
a window of time you want the test to run for.


Conclusion

Multivariate testing can be used to continually fine-tune a website for maximum performance while providing customers with the information they’ve come for. By running multivariate tests, you’ve significantly increased the chance of receiving higher conversions and opened the door to previously unexplored options for your website and your visitors.

Note: Photo courtesy of 30lines via FlickR Creative Commons.