Multivariate testing can drive big results from small changes. In a recent Google Blog post, examples of Google’s search experiments are shown and some are surprisingly small. For example, take a look at the two pages below:
Can you tell the difference between the two? I couldn’t. Turns out, the difference lies in the amount of white space in the first search result, making the first result in the Picture 2 a bit more visible. This test is designed to determine if these types of changes help you search faster and if it makes results more prominent.
Here’s another example of a recent Google experiment:
If you can spot the difference in these two pictures, you’re visually astute. The difference is the the thickness of the plus box next to the stock quote. It’s difficult to determine if one is “better”, because results of the tests have both positive and negative effects. Searchers might click on the the thicker box, causing them to possible ignore other helpful results.
So, what? Subtle differences can make a big impact on results. Multivariate testing helps marketers to test even the most minute details to determine which has the greater impact. Without the use of multivariate testing, the findings could take lots of time, man hours or just never be determined.
At WebsiteBiz, we use Omniture Test & Target as well as Google Optimizer. We have expertise using these tools and are leveraging technology in our partnerships.
Social Search can be used to drive traffic, conversions, and increase ROI by monitoring conversations happening in cyberspace, often in real time. By using buzz-monitoring tools such as Buzzlogic, search professionals can be very effective in finding influencers within online conversations and reaching out to them. As one example of a few that will be presented, learn how Military.com leverages social media and buzz-monitoring tools, together with a solid understanding of business goals, to increase profitability.
Moderator:
Speakers:
Two top level ideas on how to measure Social Media.
- Look at your referrer logs and breakout Conversational Media
- Look into data or let Google do it via site trends
Idea: Have CMO’s work closely with Web Analyst
- One of the challenges is what do we do with the data once we have it. Rob indicates that 5 of the top 10 sites online today are Social Media sites. The question is, what are the people talking about and where are the talking about it?
- He is outlining “How to Design a Social Media Strategy”
- Step 1 is to Listen - What is the external tone
- Mining the Universe - First Know What You Want To Know
- What is the Volume of Conversation?
- Who are the Influentials? - You should only be contributing 10% of the time overall
- Report on Voices
- Report on Relationship Topics
- Report on Competitors/Features
- Report by Cloud Tags
- How to use the data?
- An Extension of Customer Service ( Rob sites a BusinessWeek article) & Reputation Mgmt.
- Search Results - Engagment Strategy
- Listen, Plan, Engage (Graco Case Study is being sited)
- Where does this all go?
- Trending - We have ___% of positive sentiment and are mapping this conversation trend over time
- Social Media Monitoring and Analysis will Flatten
- Have a Grand Unified Vision - Sales, Brand Tracking, Conversion Analytics, Traffic & Conversation Monitoring.
Notes from Todd & Breanna who have prepared a case study on Military.com:
- Site Focus: Connecting Military Population with appropriate communities
- Goals: Increase awareness and drive traffic
- Fact: Social Media visitors do convert higher than baseline visitors
- DoD Buzz
- Strategy: Isolate the influencers and reach passionate readers of military defense news and information
- Goal: Increase product awareness to the (new) influencers and their audiences
- Engaged BuzzLogic
- Uncover Conversations utilizing keyword data and break into categories - then cross reference to social media outlets
- There was a set of blogs that were very rigorus on topical point
- Rank the influencal site based on content
- Identify the influencer networks of ad placement - influencer to influencer connection
- Campaign Overview
- Create compelling, informative and clear call to action
- Ran on a cross section of 250 blogs including influencers
- Results:
- 86% Higher CTR than historical average
- Social Media Users Took Action - 5.3% lift in conversion rate overall (RSS feeds and Email Subscriptions)
- 60% higher new visitors than the site average
- the SM ads performed an avg. of 6.25% better than the site historical average.
- Key Observations/Learnings
- Active conversations about specific topics attract passionate audiences.
- Social search is different than web search it’s gets you closer to keyword search intent
- Influencer’s and their network increase ad performance
- Conversation’s offer a new window on consumer psychology
- Social Media ia about selecting trust sources and trusting in what they say.
Notes from Edmund:
- What to track
- Analyze page views over time - since many forums are optimized for search, engagement is highly visible…forever: SEO continues to offer new visitors over time
- Track links posted and clicks received by the site (Using match back through Omniture data)
- Calculation of a Social Media CPM is possible
- Categorize and analyze discussion topics
Social Media Optimization Session at SES San Jose
Community-built websites like Facebook, YouTube, Microsoft Tagspace, and Wikipedia, and new sites allowing content to be shared through “tagging” can be a great way to tap into links and search-driven traffic. This session looks at some social media services and strategies to tap into them in an appropriate manner. Hear how-to’s and tips from search marketers who have discovered what works today and what to avoid.
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Kendall opens talking about how we should be looking at Integration vs. Synchronization.
- “Digital” is a trend that means more today than ever. Creativity flows into great ideas.
- Social Media come of Age: Consumers voice is now heard. Smart marketers are planning to tap into this buzz. Consumers are big time influencers and smart marketers are giving them tools to use. Today blogs are showing up in integrated media plans as well.
- Integration and Social Media Case Study from Special K - Various media distribution with a call to action focused on search. Search the Special K Challenge for more details.
- Ning.com is a new creative social network creation tool with tons of customization
- sCRM - a new term integrating Social Media and CRM collaboration; surveys, polls, storytelling and the propagation of brand
- SocialSpark: Blog network - A Social Marketing Network that provides blog marketing, social media marketing, word of mouth marketing, conversational marketing through an online blog advertising service.
- She has a focus on Social Media from a SEO perspective
- Liana says make sure you are talking to the audience in a way that connects you as friends. If you look like a marketer you will be outed.
- Share in a way that is conversational. They will spread the word for you if your conversation is positive.
- Social Media gives the consumer the control and is huge.
- Key understanding include who is in your target market and what are they doing
- Liana tells us to read “Groundswell” by Charlene Li
- The 2 biggest areas in social media are video and photo sharing
- Other areas include social bookmarking, social sharing, etc…
The final day of the Search Engine Strategies Conference begins with a morning keynote by Dan Heath, author of “Made to Stick”. I’m then off to my first session of the day, which is going to be Site Clinic, an interactive session examining volunteers’ websites live to provide help to gain more traffic from search engines.
The second session of the day will be Creating a Cohesive Search Strategy Across Multiple Business Units. David Roth, Director of Search Marketing for Yahoo! will explain how Yahoo defines, measures and manages online marketing success across a variety of business models. Eduardo Llach, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder of SearchRev will present search strategies and campaign optimization techniques that brands use to meet their online marketing objectives.
Session number three is Post-Click Marketing: Converting Search Engine Traffic. This session will cover: keyword research, organization and structure of a site to facilitate click-paths, creating content that pleases each segment of a visitor, testing content to determine what works and what doesn’t, and making sure you’re showing each segment of users the content that is most likely to entice them to convert.
The final session of the conference I will be attending is Search Advertising Tools. This will focus on both free and paid offerings for search advertising tools. A panel of experts including the co-founder of Clickable and and the VP/Director of Search of SMG Search will be there to to teach us about the latest tools.
Finally, I will be heading home on the red-eye back to Charlotte. Keep an eye out for my live blogs from SES as well as some thoughts from when I return. I look forward to hearing your feedback..
Here’s what I am planning on day 3 of the Search Engine Strategies Conference:
First, the Keynote Roundtable: Why Does Search Get the Credit for Everything? This session focuses on gaining a better understanding of how, when and where to attribute revenue gains.
The second session of the day for me will be either SEO Through Blogs and Feeds, which falls under the Organic Track and focuses on advantages blogs offer to SEO efforts or I will attend Social Media Marketing: What is it and What is it Good For? falling under the Social Media Track. This is the first year SES is offering the Social Media Track, which looks like it will be offering some strong sessions.
The next session I’m looking to attend also falls under the Social Media Track : Successful Tactics for Social Media Optimization (SMO). Here, I will learn how to tap into social media services.
Next, I will be attending yet another session in the Social Media Track. This one is entitled Social Media Analysis and Tracking and focuses on how social search can be used to drive traffic, conversions and increases ROI.
The last session of the day will be another Social Media Track offering, Facebook, Feeds and Micro-Blogging. This session is all about how social software and feeds are shaping the world we live in and changing the online user experience.
The day ends with yet another party! The Search Bash is hosted by WebmasterRadio.FM. I’ll try to post pics from this party as well as all of the others…stay tuned for Day 4..
