Many Australian SMEs know they need a website, but fewer consistently work to make it *better* at converting visitors into customers. Split testing – sometimes called A/B testing – is the most reliable way to do just that. It’s about making small, measured changes to your website and seeing what genuinely improves results, rather than relying on guesswork.

The core idea is simple: you create two versions of a webpage – Version A (the original) and Version B (with one change). Then, you show each version to a similar group of visitors and measure which performs better based on a specific goal, like form submissions or purchases. This isn’t about what *feels* right; it’s about what the data tells us.

Here’s how we recommend approaching split testing for continuous improvement:

• Start with high-impact areas: Don’t test tiny things first. Focus on elements that significantly influence conversions. Think headlines, calls to action (buttons like “Get a Quote”), images, or form fields.
• One change at a time: This is crucial. If you change multiple things simultaneously, you won’t know *which* change caused the improvement (or decline). Isolate variables for clear results.
• Define your primary metric: What does success look like? Is it more leads, higher sales, increased time on page, or reduced bounce rate? Choose one key metric to focus on for each test.
• Use statistically significant results: Don’t stop a test after a few days just because one version *looks* better. You need enough data to be confident the difference isn’t due to chance. Most testing tools will tell you when you’ve reached statistical significance.

Tools like Google Optimize (integrated with Google Analytics) and Optimizely make split testing relatively straightforward, even without a dedicated developer. While more sophisticated platforms exist, these are excellent starting points for SMEs. Remember, continuous improvement isn’t a one-off project; it’s an ongoing process. By consistently testing and refining your website, you’ll see a steady increase in conversions and a better return on your online investment.

The next step? Identify one high-impact element on your website and formulate a simple hypothesis for how you could improve it. Then, start testing!