Landing Page Testing to Attract Super Affiliates Tim Ash, President, SiteTuners.com

Overview The mind of the super affiliate Landing page testing basics Case studies Picking a testing method Pitfalls to avoid Q&A

The mind of the super affiliate

Landing page testing basics

Case studies

Picking a testing method

Pitfalls to avoid

Q&A

The Mind of the Super Affiliate

Super Affiliates are … Mercenary Work for themselves, always looking for best opportunity Busy Always testing new programs, will quickly cut their losses Greedy Bombarded with offers, picky about testing new programs, expect better than “rack rate” deals Lazy Want to minimize up-front and ongoing work, do not want changes or surprises

Mercenary

Work for themselves, always looking for best opportunity

Busy

Always testing new programs, will quickly cut their losses

Greedy

Bombarded with offers, picky about testing new programs, expect better than “rack rate” deals

Lazy

Want to minimize up-front and ongoing work, do not want changes or surprises

Top-10 Ways to Attract Super Affiliates #10 – Join an affiliate network #9 – Offer better payouts #8 – Pay up #7 – Allow bidding on your brand #6 – Don’t be “high maintenance” #5 – Don’t change the rules of the game #4 – Share sensitive information #3 – Listen to suggestions #2 – Go the extra mile #1 – Fix your conversion rate

#10 – Join an affiliate network

#9 – Offer better payouts

#8 – Pay up

#7 – Allow bidding on your brand

#6 – Don’t be “high maintenance”

#5 – Don’t change the rules of the game

#4 – Share sensitive information

#3 – Listen to suggestions

#2 – Go the extra mile

#1 – Fix your conversion rate

Impact of Improved Conversion Rate BEFORE Payout - $1.25 Cost - $1.00 Profit - $0.25 A 20% increase in conversion rate… AFTER Payout - $1.50 ($1.25 x 120%) Cost - $1.00 Profit - $0.50 … will DOUBLE the super affiliate’s profits!

BEFORE

Payout - $1.25 Cost - $1.00 Profit - $0.25

A 20% increase in conversion rate…

AFTER

Payout - $1.50 ($1.25 x 120%) Cost - $1.00

Profit - $0.50

… will DOUBLE the super affiliate’s profits!

Landing Page Testing Basics

What is Landing Page Testing? Online Marketing Activities Acquisition – Get people to your site Conversion – Persuade them to take desired action Retention – Increase lifetime value of relationship Conversion Rate Percentage of visitors who take desired action Landing Page Testing Improving conversion rate by testing website changes

Online Marketing Activities

Acquisition – Get people to your site

Conversion – Persuade them to take desired action

Retention – Increase lifetime value of relationship

Conversion Rate

Percentage of visitors who take desired action

Landing Page Testing

Improving conversion rate by testing website changes

Why should you care? You have neglected your landing pages Your conversion rate is too low This is driving away super affiliates

You have neglected your landing pages

Your conversion rate is too low

This is driving away super affiliates

Question: What is a Camel ? Answer: A Horse Designed by Committee

Who should design your site? I.T. Marketing Ad Agency Your Boss Webmaster

None of the above… Your website serves too many masters. It should be focused only on conversion. I.T. Marketing Ad Agency Your Boss Webmaster YOUR WEBSITE VISITORS

Case Studies

Case Study - RealAge.com Conversion action: Completion of free RealAge Test registration Test Size: 552,960 unique “recipes”

Conversion action: Completion of free RealAge Test registration

Test Size: 552,960 unique “recipes”

Before After

Results - RealAge 40% lift in conversion rate $3,285,000 annual profit improvement

40% lift in conversion rate

$3,285,000 annual profit improvement

Case Study – Uniblue Registry Booster Conversion Action: Free software download Extensive previous page testing by client Test Size: 3,110,400 unique “recipes”

Conversion Action: Free software download

Extensive previous page testing by client

Test Size: 3,110,400 unique “recipes”

Before After

Results - Uniblue Registry Booster 24% increase in conversion CR improved from 30.3% to 37.7% $182,000 annual profit improvement

24% increase in conversion

CR improved from 30.3% to 37.7%

$182,000 annual profit improvement

Case Study - PowerOptions ® Conversion action: Free 2-week trial sign-up Tuning Method: A-B Split Testing Test Size: 3 unique “recipes”

Conversion action: Free 2-week trial sign-up

Tuning Method: A-B Split Testing

Test Size: 3 unique “recipes”

Before After

Results - PowerOptions ® 75% increase in post-trial sales $200,000 annual profit improvement

75% increase in post-trial sales

$200,000 annual profit improvement

Case Study – EngineReady Industry: SEM Agency’s Debt Negotiation client Conversion Action: Online form or phone lead Large-scale PPC campaign Test Size: 192 unique “recipes”

Industry: SEM Agency’s Debt Negotiation client

Conversion Action: Online form or phone lead

Large-scale PPC campaign

Test Size: 192 unique “recipes”

Before After

Results - EngineReady 51% increase in revenue per visitor $48,000,000 annual revenue increase

51% increase in revenue per visitor

$48,000,000 annual revenue increase

Picking A Tuning Method

How do you tune? Key Considerations: Size of Test (total number of unique “recipes”) Need to consider variable interactions

Key Considerations:

Size of Test (total number of unique “recipes”)

Need to consider variable interactions

Example Size of Test Calculation Page Header x 3 Navigation Bar x 2 Headline x 5 Call to Action x 4 Photo x 4 Sales Copy x 4 Endorsements x 2 Question Labels x 2 Question Delimiter x 3 Question Explanations x 2 Button Text x 3 Button Format x 4 12 Variables , 38 different values 552,960 unique “recipes”

Page Header x 3

Navigation Bar x 2

Headline x 5

Call to Action x 4

Photo x 4

Sales Copy x 4

Endorsements x 2

Question Labels x 2

Question Delimiter x 3

Question Explanations x 2

Button Text x 3

Button Format x 4

12 Variables , 38 different values

552,960 unique “recipes”

“ Ferraris are Really Fast” Positive interaction between headline and picture Interaction Example (1of 4)

“ Ferraris are Really Fast” Negative interaction between headline and picture Interaction Example (2 of 4)

“ Volvos Are Really Safe” No interaction between headline and picture Interaction Example (3 of 4)

“ Volvos Are Really Safe” Positive interaction between headline and picture Interaction Example (4 of 4)

Interactions are Very Important Best setting for variable depends on its context Interactions exist & can be very strong Ignoring interactions will lead to suboptimal results A/B Splits & Parametric Multivariate testing assume that there are no interactions

Best setting for variable depends on its context

Interactions exist & can be very strong

Ignoring interactions will lead to suboptimal results

A/B Splits & Parametric Multivariate testing assume that there are no interactions

A-B Split Testing Test one variable at a time (with 2 or more values) Send equal traffic to all versions Very simple to implement & track Minimum Data Rate: 10 conversions / day Typical Test Size: 1-10 recipes

Test one variable at a time (with 2 or more values)

Send equal traffic to all versions

Very simple to implement & track

Minimum Data Rate:

10 conversions / day

Typical Test Size:

1-10 recipes

Parametric Multivariate Testing A.K.A. “Design of Experiments” & “Taguchi Method” Tests several variables at the same time Ignores variable interactions Minimum Data Rate: 50 conversions / day Typical Test Size: 10-100 recipes

A.K.A. “Design of Experiments” & “Taguchi Method”

Tests several variables at the same time

Ignores variable interactions

Minimum Data Rate:

50 conversions / day

Typical Test Size:

10-100 recipes

Non-parametric Tuning Proprietary math for Internet marketing Designed for large-scale tests Takes variable interactions into account Minimum Data Rate: 100 conversions / day Typical Test Size: 1,000,000+ recipes

Proprietary math for Internet marketing

Designed for large-scale tests

Takes variable interactions into account

Minimum Data Rate:

100 conversions / day

Typical Test Size:

1,000,000+ recipes

Avoiding The Pitfalls

Awareness Squandered… 146 clickable links!

… Focus on Visitor’s Goals

Pitfall #1 – Squandering Attention Stop screaming at your visitors Eliminate choices Unclutter what remains

Stop screaming at your visitors

Eliminate choices

Unclutter what remains

Frustrating User Experience …

Guide people safely to their goal… Context sensitive search wizard Text Category Brand Size Color “ On Sale” & “New”

Context sensitive search wizard

Text

Category

Brand

Size

Color

“ On Sale” & “New”

Pitfall #2 – Frustrating Users Don’t make people feel stupid Avoid painting them into corners

Don’t make people feel stupid

Avoid painting them into corners

Invisible Risk Reducers …

Prominent Risk Reducers…

Pitfall #3 – Invisible Risk Reducers Make risk reducers prominent Show them on all pages

Make risk reducers prominent

Show them on all pages

Prominent Client List …

Prominent Media Coverage…

Pitfall #4 – Lack of Social Proof Transfer trust from larger brands Endorsements Affiliations Media coverage Transfer trust from your clients Case studies Client logos Testimonials

Transfer trust from larger brands

Endorsements

Affiliations

Media coverage

Transfer trust from your clients

Case studies

Client logos

Testimonials

Transaction Interruption…

Poor Transaction Design (1 of 2)

Poor Transaction Design (2 of 2)

Better Transaction Design * *However – best solution is to remove registration requirement altogether.

Pitfall #5 – Surprising or Confusing Visitors No one likes surprises online Don’t interrupt people unnecessarily Clearly identify important roles Test any interruption tactics to determine impact Consider long-term implications

No one likes surprises online

Don’t interrupt people unnecessarily

Clearly identify important roles

Test any interruption tactics to determine impact

Consider long-term implications

Pop Quiz You test a change that increases CR … Week 1 - CR = 4.63% Week 2 - CR = 5.03% Should you get a promotion?

You test a change that increases CR …

Week 1 - CR = 4.63%

Week 2 - CR = 5.03%

Should you get a promotion?

Answer No. New Baseline Lift Week 1 - 4.63% 3.59% +29% Week 2 - 5.03% 6.18% -19% Things have actually gotten much worse relative to the baseline.

No.

New Baseline Lift

Week 1 - 4.63% 3.59% +29%

Week 2 - 5.03% 6.18% -19%

Things have actually gotten much worse

relative to the baseline.

Pitfall #6 – Ignoring Your Baseline Always devote some bandwidth to your current version (the “baseline”) Measure relative to the baseline, not absolute performance

Always devote some bandwidth to your current version (the “baseline”)

Measure relative to the baseline, not absolute performance

Pop Quiz You are performing an A/B Split Test … Option A - 90 conversions Option B - 100 conversions Is B really 10% better than A?

You are performing an A/B Split Test …

Option A - 90 conversions

Option B - 100 conversions

Is B really 10% better than A?

Answer Don’t know. 1/3 of the time this difference will be due to chance and A is actually better than B.

Don’t know.

1/3 of the time

this difference will be due to chance

and A is actually better than B.

Data Collection Example (1 of 2) 10% difference - 90 vs. 100 conversions Very wide and overlapping error bars

Data Collection Example (2 of 2) 10% difference - 1350 vs. 1500 conversions Error bars have gotten narrow and have “uncrossed”

Pitfall #7 – Not Collecting Enough Data Do not make decisions based on too little data Pick a confidence level (90%, 95%, 99%) Wait to see which version is better

Do not make decisions based on too little data

Pick a confidence level (90%, 95%, 99%)

Wait to see which version is better

Summary The mind of the super affiliate Landing page testing basics Case studies Picking a testing method Pitfalls to avoid Q&A

The mind of the super affiliate

Landing page testing basics

Case studies

Picking a testing method

Pitfalls to avoid

Q&A

Q&A & Additional Resources “ How to Attract Super Affiliates” Whitepaper http:// SiteTuners.com/downloads.html Landing Page Optimization Book http://LandingPageOptimizationBook.com

“ How to Attract Super Affiliates” Whitepaper http:// SiteTuners.com/downloads.html

Landing Page Optimization Book http://LandingPageOptimizationBook.com