'Net Features : testing tools

Master List of Testing Tools

Allison Howen — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:34:00 GMT

Regardless of how talented your digital design team may be, it is always important to leverage testing tools to guarantee that your website is running at peak performance.

Luckily, there is a plethora of testing tools available, which can help Web workers examine everything from site speed and capabilities to conversion funnels and customer emotions.

However, before committing to a testing platform, it will serve you well to research the available options, as a tool that works for one business, may not for another. To get started, check out this diverse list of testing tools:

Quick Testing Tools

FiveSecondTest – This testing tool’s name is pretty self-explanatory, because FiveSecondTest enables users to quickly build and launch tests and review results. For example, once a user uploads a screenshot or mock-up, they simply need to set up questions and then launch the test. Then, test takers have five seconds to view the mock-up and answer the questions. FiveSecondTest collects responses and extracts the most frequent keywords so that test administrators can easily review results.

UserTesting.com – This on-demand usability testing tool enables Web workers to create tests and then either select participants from the company’s user panel or run tests with the user’s live site visitors. Typically, users receive test feedback within an hour, which includes videos of participants taking the test and written answers from a personalized questionnaire. Additionally, test administrators can interact with test takers by asking follow-up questions after the test has been completed.

Pingdom – This quick and easy-to-use tool enables Web workers to test the speed of their websites. It identifies and rates aspects of a website that are fast, slow and too big. Users can then analyze this information to optimize site speed and performance.

Load Impact – Website owners can find out how much traffic their site can handle with the Load Impact tool. This testing tool is based in the cloud, and provides users with large scale load tests with up to 50,000 simulated users, the ability to emulate multiple user type scenarios and real-time testing. The platform also generates reports that include multiple charts and measurement metrics.

Usabilla – The Usabilla platform provides Web workers with live feedback so that websites can be optimized based on the feedback of real-time customers. Unlike other solutions, Usabilla actually measures customer emotions through an interactive tab. When site visitors click on this tab they can rate any part of a website by selecting one of five different emotions. Furthermore, site visitors can also add tags or comments to provide more details about their experience.

Traditional Website Testing Tools

Maxymiser – Maxymiser’s MaxTEST solution provides website owners with A/B and Multivariate testing tools, which can help optimize the customer experience. The feedback is derived from live online traffic, which provides users with metrics that can be leveraged to enhance the brand experience in order to increase conversion rates and the number of repeat customers.

Monetate – The TestLab solution from Monetate enables users to create advanced A/B and multivariate tests. Users simply need to fill in the solution’s sentence-based test builder by answering Who, What, When and Why. Furthermore, TestLab offers multi-page testing campaign functionality, which allows users to build tests around various page types or conversion funnels in order to analyze customer experiences that span multiple website pages.

Sitecore – This testing solution is the best of both worlds because it is robust, yet easy to use. The solution helps users create A/B and multivariate tests to analyze page components or entire site items. Moreover, users don’t need a team of programmers to create tests because Sitecore offers easy-to-use building tools, including check boxes, sliders and wizards.

SiteSpect – SiteSpect offers testing tools for both A/B testing and multivariate testing. The company’s wizard-driven interface enables users to build and run tests quickly, as well as evaluate metrics both during and after each campaign. Additionally, users can conduct serial testing to optimize site performance even further.

Vertster – This multivariate testing software enables users to test features, such as logos, copy, conversion funnels, forms, messages price points and customer service messages. The platform is built around a point-and-click WYSIWYG test editor, which enables users to quickly create and launch tests. Vertster offers five different versions of its platform, which can be used to help anyone from entrepreneurs to enterprises.

LiveBall – Web workers can leverage the LiveBall platform to create and conduct both A/B and multivariate tests. It is important to note that this platform enables users to build tests without codes or developers. Tests can be created to analyze website items such as content, forms, messaging and offers.

Google Analytics Content Experiments – Website owners can test elements of their site with this testing tool that is integrated into Google Analytics. With Content Experiments, users can set goals inside of their Google Analytics account and then tweak site elements, such as page design, layout and content, to meet those goals.

Multi-Channel Testing Tools

Autonomy – This company’s multivariate testing solution enables users to test specific site elements, full-page structures, email, keywords and online advertisements. The platform also integrates with most Web content management systems and offers users customizable dashboards and robust reports so that they can make data-based decisions for better performance across channels.

Webtrends – The Webtrends online testing platform helps users optimize key performance indicators, such as conversion rates, form completions, lead captures and time spent on site. The platform’s team of testing experts help businesses plan, deploy and analyze testing results within months so that Web workers can improve engagement across all channels.

Adobe – Web workers can use the Adobe Test&Target tool to execute A/B or multivariate tests across all channels. The tests can be set up to target specific audience segments so that marketers are able to measure content’s effectiveness and relevance. Furthermore, the platform's automated campaign management allows users to use self-optimizing campaigns to ensure that the most effective targeting scenarios are shown more often.

Have we left your favorite testing tool off this list? If so, please add it in the comment section below.

Master List of Multivariate Testing Tools

Allison Howen — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.

Although this inspirational motto can be applied to many aspects of life, merchants should definitely apply it when optimizing their e-commerce sites. However, keep in mind that “trying and trying again” is simply guesswork unless there is data backing up the testing – this is where multivariate tools come into play.

By using testing tools, merchants can analyze elements of an e-commerce site, such as page layout, call-to-action buttons, product pages and more. And unlike A/B testing, multivariate testing allows many different elements to be combined and tested at the same time – so that websites can be optimized to best fit consumer needs and increase conversions.

Therefore, it is time to find a method to your madness – check out these ten top multivariate testing tools:

Adobe Test&Target

Part of the Adobe Digital Marketing Suite and powered by Omniture, this tool allows merchants to continually make their online content and offers more relevant to their customers – which increases conversions. In fact, Reader's Digest had a 47-percent increase in conversions after conducting and evaluating testing using this solution. Furthermore, the Test&Target interface allows merchants to design and execute tests, create audience segments and target content.

Amadesa

This solution allows merchants to test several elements on a page and identify the winning combination within each element. Amadesa features “Pick the Winner” technology, which ensures that underperforming combinations are quickly eliminated. Amadesa also identifies the contribution that each element makes to the overall success of a particular combination, as well as helps determine which creative elements should be used across product or article pages.

Globalmaxer

The multivariate testing tool from GlobalMaxer allows merchants to test multiple variations of page elements in a live environment so that successful page combinations can be found. Testing helps merchants find combinations that provide greater uplift in conversions, better access to certain areas of a site, as well as better dwell time. Commonly tested elements include fonts, colors, logos, body copy, images and navigation. This solution also provides cultural multivariate testing, which isolates factors that have the biggest cultural impact on Web conversions.

Google Website Optimizer

With this free website testing and optimization tool, merchants can increase the value of existing Web traffic, which leads to the question – what doesn’t Google do? The Site Optimizer helps merchants test site content and design, while monitoring which combinations lead to the highest conversion rates. By taking advantage of this tool, merchants can increase ROI, visitor satisfaction and eliminate guesswork.

Maxymiser

Merchants can optimize customer experiences through A/B and multivariate testing from Maxymiser’s MaxTEST. Instead of "gut feelings" and guessing games, website optimization is based on data that is derived from online traffic feedback. With this customer feedback, merchants can increase their revenue and ROI through higher conversion rates, provide an enhanced site experience and decrease risks associated with design changes.

Monetate

Monetate automatically creates a control group for every campaign so that merchants can view the impact that a campaign has on key metrics such as conversion, average order value, cart abandonment and more. Merchants can gather data and run advanced tests through A/B and multivariate testing. Furthermore, the platform offers targeting options for making better connections with customers, which equals better conversion rates, more returning customers and higher average order values.

OfferMaxima

With OfferMaxima, merchants can test and optimize different website designs, email or direct marketing campaigns and printed ads. OfferMaxima’s technology can be used to target specific marketing offers, products and content to different segments of visitors. Benefits include reduced likelihood of false positives, validation results by audience and decisions that can be based on reliable samples.

Sitecore

Sitecore’s solution allows merchants to create A/B and multivariate tests from the in-line editing interface. Testing can include page components or entire site items. By optimizing everything from content on the homepage to call-to-action button appearance, merchants can increase conversion quantity and quality. Furthermore, Sitecore provides continuous feedback on site performance and customer engagement through Web-based reports.

SiteSpect

Test many changes simultaneously and evaluate the impact of combinations on conversion goals with multivariate testing from SiteSpect. This solution allows merchants to set up and test within minutes, as well as quickly determine the impact from each variation. Additionally, merchants can evaluate results during and after each test campaign.

Vertster

This solution provides merchants with fast results from Vertster’s multivariate testing algorithm. Merchants can stop guessing about site design because Vertster allows them to measure the effectiveness of thousands of page design possibilities simultaneously. Furthermore, the site testing is SEO safe and enables merchants to conduct anything from simple A/B testing to powerful Taguchi testing.

Webtrends

Webtrends Optimize combines testing and targeting platforms with optimization expertise. The solution’s recommended approach starts with general testing against all traffic, which is followed by testing optimal content against key segments (returning vs. new visitor, time of day, geo-targeting etc). After determining the optimals by segment, content can be used to target, which allows merchants to personalize content based on insights.