eCommerce offers a chance for new entrepreneurs to rapidly build a successful online business.
While there is a learning curve to any enterprise, there are enough tools and training guides to help anyone begin building an online store. The process is certainly manageable, but there are various steps that help the best entrepreneurs to stand out.
Split testing is one of these steps, with the vast majority of business owners only following their gut instinct.
These seven split tests are simple to set up, provide valuable data, and help to build a greater profit margin for your store.
Call to Action Buttons
Call to action buttons might not seem overly significant, but they can often have a major impact on conversions. The size, color, and text of the button will influence a buying decision, even if it is not a conscious one.
The button is important due to its visibility, but also due to usability factors for mobile device users.
Color plays a part in an overall website user experience, so it is no different when it comes to the button.
Text is also key, with positive and decisive words often improving conversion rate.
Social Buttons
Social sharing can play a role in a promotional effort, but social buttons won't always have a positive impact on conversions. Many websites, particularly blogs, benefit greatly from social buttons, with a high number of shares acting as social proof. However, on an eCommerce site you may find the buttons are a distraction.
Depending on the niche, visitors are also often reluctant to share product pages as it can have negative associations with marketing and promotion.
Testing social buttons, including their placement and prominence, will help decide if they are necessary.
Images
The use of images is important when testing on eCommerce sites. Typically, professional images provide better results, but there are alternative options for online stores.
Showing the product individually is one option, but you can test this against a person actually using it.
Professional images might look better, but homemade pictures could work in some niches. While you can offer a gallery, the main image will have the most impact on conversions.
Video
It is getting harder to ignore video, with a growing number of people who will always prefer to watch video than read text. The addition of a video is one thing to test, but you can also look at the type of video you offer.
A sales video might work well, though a product demonstration could help influence the buying decision. However you use it, video should result in a change in conversion rate.
Font
Readability plays a major part in the user experience, particularly when it comes to mobile devices. The font and text size might seem unimportant, but will lose valuable visitors if they are not addressed.
Split testing your font, particularly with important factors like headlines, will often throw up some surprises.
Navigation
Navigation is key to many stores, particularly if they carry a large inventory. A visitor needs to be able to find the appropriate items easily, with problems leading to a loss in sales.
There are various navigation options available, so it is worth split testing them. A navigation menu can be positioned in different points on the page, they can be multiple levels deep, and they can include images or be more simplistic in design.
Short or Long Copy
As mentioned, video can be important for selling a product, but sales copy is still a vital factor.
Good sales copy will always help with conversions, so a list of technical specifications alone will not be enough. While there are numerous copy tests you could run, offering a short and long copy option is one way to start.
Short, simple, and direct copy can work well, but sometimes it takes a lot more information to sell a product.
Each of these tests will impact your conversion rate, but it is important to only test one thing at a time. Running too many tests will distort your results, leaving you unsure what is truly working. Overall, split testing is an area that too few site owners focus on, but it allows you to maximize revenue with the same amount of traffic. Start a simple split test today, track the results, and then make testing a consistent part of your routine.
