How do you execute and manage online test and experiments?

1 Define your goals and hypotheses

Before you start any test, have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you'll measure it. For example, do you want to increase conversions, revenue, retention, or engagement? What key performance indicators (KPIs) will reflect your goals? Additionally, consider what assumptions or hypotheses you want to test. Maybe you want to change the color of a button, add a testimonial, or offer a discount to improve your results? Whatever you decide, write down your goals and hypotheses, following the SMART format (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).

3 Prioritize and manage your experiments

You may have many ideas to test, but you can't run them all at once. Prioritize and manage your experiments and tests based on their potential impact, feasibility, and resources. A common framework to use is the PIE framework, which considers three factors: potential, importance, and ease. Score each idea based on these criteria, ranking them accordingly. It's also a good idea to decide how long each experiment or test will run, how often you'll check the results, and what ways you'll communicate and document findings and actions.

4 Analyze and interpret your results

Once you have enough data to draw conclusions, it's time to analyze and interpret the results. Use various statistical methods to compare your variations and determine if there are any significant differences. Be sure to look beyond the numbers to understand the context and the behavior of your visitors. For instance, why did they prefer one variation over another, what were their motivations and pain points, and how did they interact with your website? You can also use qualitative tools, like surveys, interviews, or heatmaps, to complement your quantitative data, gaining deeper insights.

5 Learn and iterate

After testing and experimenting, evaluate if your goals and hypotheses were met, and if not, why. Additionally, identify what worked and what didn't, including areas of improvement or change for your next test. Utilize the build-measure-learn (BML) cycle to continuously learn from your experiments, applying your learnings to your e-commerce marketing strategy, website or product. Remember, online experiments and tests are not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process of optimization and innovation.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?