Search Engine Optimization All-In-One For Dummies®

Chapter 3. Mastering SEO Tools and Reports

In This Chapter

• Getting started with A/B testing

• Getting to know page and site analysis tools

• Using link analysis tools

In this chapter, we cover the nuts and bolts of A/B testing. We walk you through it step by step and hopefully demystify the process a little bit. We show you how to fix common conversion and usability problems, and introduce you to some page and site analysis tools. Finally, we discuss how to use link analysis tools.

Getting Started with A/B Testing

Say that you've gathered your data and done the proper analysis, and now you've decided that some things need to be changed on your Web site. Making major overhauls to your site requires A/B testing. A/B testing is testing the original version of the Web site (A) against the one you made the major changes to (B). The A/B test is a tool that tells you which changes have a better effect and to what degree.

We've discussed A/B testing in the previous chapters, but now we're going to go a little more in-depth and tell you how to actually do an A/B test. Before we get started, here are some cardinal rules you need to keep in mind for running an A/B test:

• Change only one variable at a time, especially when A/B testing involves major changes to your site. If you change more than one variable at a time, you can't determine which variable is responsible for the change and to what degree. Systematic testing helps you isolate important variables.

• Divert enough traffic to your test page for a ...