Shop.org Blog

A client recently asked me if there were any SEO concerns or repurcussions when using multi-variate testing systems such as Touch Clarity, Optimost, Vertster or Offermatica. That was such a good question I figure I should blog my answer.

First off, I should mention that I’m a fan of multivariate testing. It is a wonderful tool to help optimize conversion rates.

With that said, it is not a tool to optimize search rankings. In fact, quite the opposite could happen. If you look at conversion rate in isolation, the system may recommend a version that actually causes the search rankings for that page to tank! For example, if important keywords are removed because they didn’t convert well in the test.

I also like to think like a Google engineer whenever I implement something. I ask myself “What would Matt Cutts think of this?”. According to the engineers on Google’s Webspam team who I’ve spoken to, they want Googlebot to be part of the test set. In other words, they don’t want Googlebot to be excluded from ever seeing the content that real human users in the test set see — which makes sense. But given how multivariate testing is typically implemented, this is not the case. That’s because Javascript/AJAX/DHTML is used to modify the page content. Spiders don’t execute that, so that content is, in effect, hidden. The concern from Google lies in the fact that scuch an approach *could* be used for gaming and spamming.

So, I’m not wanting to discourage you from conducting tests, or from using multivariate testing vendors. Just bear in mind these things when you apply these tests beyond your PPC landing pages and onto your public website. It’s best to have all the information!

One day I heard someone suggest they could change how people buy and what is purchased on the web site with some navigation changes. What bothered me is how they said it: “It’s a lever that we control”.

No doubt you can effect and influence online customer behavior by changing copy, layout, navigation, colors, graphics, etc. I’ve done this for years. However, when I hear a statement like “it’s a lever that we control” it makes me worry that they over-assume. It’s easy to over assume behind 4 walls of a building and 3 walls of a cube. People quickly forget the customer perspective.

However, the more you try to change behavior, the less you profit from the intended behavior. Too much up selling = lower conversion, for example.

So, there’s a balance. A successful web site is entirely dependent upon the competence one has to balance and execute between business needs (what levers we want to move) and customer tasks (what they want to do) with strategies that impact both successfully. Magic happens when you can do things that work for both. That’s when you’re going with the flow…as it were.

I suggest looking for the organic behavior on your site (web logs, financials). Customers have a way of finding what they want. Find these things and elevate them. One time we found an disproportionate amount of traffic to a small link below the fold. We moved it up.

Once you have that ‘river’ of purchase traffic moving at full speed (low leakage, cleaner click path, etc.), you can start to add streams and tide pools off that river. You can test upsell, crossell, or other message. You’ll have much better success if you go with the flow of the customer…and remember they’re paddling the boat.