Web Site Measurement Hacks

Run Your Own Split-Path Tests

While there are a number of vendors providing split-path testing tools, relatively simple code will let you run your own tests.

While there are a handful of vendors that provide solutions and services for split-path testing—the practice of randomly showing visitors alternative pages or content to improve conversion—most charge between $25,000 and $100,000 annually for their services. However, if you have a reasonable amount of control over your web application platform, it’s not unreasonable to simply build the ability to distribute and track visitors right into your existing site.

Regardless of how you choose to implement split-path testing, the essence of a good strategy is as follows:

1. Check for test participation.

2. Assign the visitor to a test or control group.

3. Tag the visitor.

4. Redirect test subjects to the appropriate page.

5. Monitor for completion of goals.

Perhaps the most important is step 5: monitoring for the completion of goals. Keep in mind that split-path testing is a lightweight adaptation of the scientific method—you have a control group and one or more tests, and you’re looking for the differences between the two sets. In the case of a web site, the differences should be measured by an increase in leads collected, sales generated, pages viewed, etc., depending on your particular business objectives [Hack #38] .

The Code

The following code is written in VBScript for Microsoft’s Active Server Pages, although it could be quite easily adapted to PHP, ...