Split testing, also known as A/B split testing, is used to compare the performance of a squeeze page, webpage, banner ad, or anything else you may think of to do, with another version of itself. The varying versions can have a multitude of changes ranging from the way you convey your message to the font you decide to use.

There are numerous sites that offer split testing services, some offer them for free. Do your own research to decide if the process is too complicated for you to set up on your own. Just remember, as with most things, you get what you pay for. Don’t expect to rely on your vendor’s expertise if you are using one of the free services.

Also, if you choose to pay for consulting, which is pretty inexpensive, make sure that you have it explained to you exactly why they do what they do and what results are typically expected from the changes they provided. By doing this, you’re not only getting the service you are getting the knowledge required to implement the strategies and techniques already known for various marketing techniques.

You can change how easily your page is viewed simply by changing the positioning of a photograph or changing the layout of the text. These seemingly minor alterations can drastically affect the performance of the squeeze page, webpage, banner ad, or whichever type of marketing method you are testing. You can then see what layout, color scheme, or information appeals most to your readers.

First, you want to have the message you want. You will probably want to split test your messages in order to determine which versions are going to achieve the best results. Modifications to your tone, context, or even length can all affect your overall response rate. Once you have this crucial information determined, you then can micro-tune you page.

Once you have your message in place, you can micro-tune your response rate by changing your colors, layout or fonts. Starting with your colors, you will want something highly visible and easy on the eyes. Currently, conventional wisdom favors a blue or red font color, with red performing better of the two.

A bad idea would be to use black background with dark brown font. It would be hard to see and strain the eyes trying to read it. Also, you wouldn’t want to use bright yellow background with red font, as this would be hard on the eyes as well. This is one main reason why black type with white background is so widely utilized. The key concept here is the contrast. Red contrasts extremely well and draws attention to it.

The next thing you can experiment with is the layout. Once you’ve identified key points that impact response rate you can then decide the length of your message; whether you write it in a long sales letter or short sales letter format can yield different results.

Changing the position you place images in can also change your split testing results. Whether you ultimately decide to use a shorter webpage with a landscape styled image as opposed to a vertically laid out image is another variation you may wish to experiment with. Another great variation to test out is the number of images and how they are oriented on the page.

Lastly, you can micro-tune your fonts. Changing your font can also be another large factor in the comparisons of your webpage. You will want something easily read as a hard read will be discouraging to your readers.

I know it seems hard to believe but something as simple as changing the color of a headline can improve response rates by fifteen percent or more. A complete overhaul can double, or even triple, the response rate.

So, as you can see, split testing can be extremely beneficial to your webpage. Don’t hesitate to check it out for yourself. Keep in mind, that when you pay a consultant to change your webpage, ask for the reasoning behind it. This ensures that you pay once to have your webpage formatted for you, but the knowledge you learn can be applied and utilized for future marketing strategies.

As I’ve said many times before, internet marketing is a numbers game. Now that you understand how to get people to your page, this tip will help you maximize the results you achieve from every visitor.

Your list should be building up quite nicely now, which is why next time, I’m going to be focusing on how to nourish, or nurture your list. This is how you convert subscribers into buyers, so definitely get your split testing done – I’m going to show you what to do with your list to get some serious results!

E. Alan Cowgill