What is multivariate testing? Multivariate testing (MVT) identifies key areas, content and sections of a web page and then changes those elements, testing multiple versions of the page to determine conversion rates. MVT differs from A/B testing in that it tests more variations and versions.
When it comes to web pages, the mantra of any marketer is testing, testing, testing. Testing determines what content format, style, and delivery method might work (or might not). One such tool used to determine the effectiveness of web page content is known as multivariate testing, or MVT.
As the term suggests, MVT helps marketers compare and contrast multiple variations of many elements on a web page. Marketers who rely on MVTs want to determine the best combination of elements that lead to the highest conversion rates.
How does multivariate testing work?
This analysis method differs from its cousin, A/B testing, because it compares more variables across a higher number of examples.
In other words, while A/B testing might evaluate the effectiveness of one element (such as different headlines) from two different marketing pieces, multivariate tests allow you to test many variations of many web page sections.
This leads to a better understanding of elements that drive conversion rates.
Ambitious marketers end up comparing elements from many web pages, as they assess the following:
- Headlines, headings, and subheads (font, color)
- Text (style, font, size, layout, length)
- Call-to-action buttons (placement, size, color)
- Images (size, color, placement)
While the test can be ideal for gathering plentiful data about page visits and convergence rates, the process does have the following limitations.
- It needs a lot of traffic generation. Visitors must be enticed to those web pages to ensure statistical significance in testing.
- It requires combinations. By its nature, MVT needs many variable combinations for successful testing. Developing, comparing, and analyzing those combinations can be a highly complex endeavor.
Even with some of the challenges connected to MVT, when handled correctly, the process can help you determine which combination of which elements can boost your sales conversion levels.
Talk to a content specialist at ClearVoice today about developing content for multivariate testing, from web copy to CTAs.
