SEO Testing Framework: Set Up Your SEO Test for Success

Transcript

1. SEO Testing Framework: Set Up Your SEO Test for Success Celeste Gonzalez RicketyRoo Speakerdeck.com/celestelili @celestelili @CelestexLili
2. What is SEO Testing? An SEO test is the process of optimizing parts of a site and measuring the impact of these changes, usually using metrics such as clicks, impressions, CTR, etc.
3. Anyone Can Start Testing
4. 2 Types of SEO Testing 1 Time-based 2 A/B
5. Time-based tests Tests that compare datasets before and after a change.
6. Pros of Time-Based Tests Versatile No data minimum Flexibility
7. Cons of Time-Based Tests Accuracy Accounting for external factors
8. A/B or Split tests Having a test group and a control group of URLs that you compare against each other and measure the data before and after the change was implemented.
9. Pros of A/B Tests Accuracy Ability to account for outside variables
10. Cons of A/B Tests Lots of data needed Lots of similar pages needed Reaching statistical significance
11. Coming Up With Test Ideas
12. Test Ideas Meta Data Content Refresh Technical Changes Internal Linking Featured Snippets Page Layout Changes
13. Getting Client Buy-in
14. Effort and Impact Matrix
15. Know Your Client Pick and choose your battles Propose something they will likely say yes to Get your first yes and prove yourself
16. Let's Set Up Some Tests
17. Time-based Test Set Up Identify the target URL(s) Write hypothesis Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
18. Time-based Test Set Up Identify the target URL(s) Write hypothesis Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
19. Time-based Test Set Up Identify the target URL(s) Write hypothesis Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
20. Time-based Test Set Up Identify the target URL(s) Write hypothesis Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
21. Time-based Test Set Up Identify the target URL(s) Write hypothesis Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
22. Example Time-based Test Hypothesis: We believe that adding the location to a title tag will help improve rankings and traffic. Data Collection: Compare Google Search Console data (specifically CTR) before and after the change. Time period: 2-4 weeks before and after the change.
23. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
24. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
25. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
26. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
27. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
28. A/B or Split Test Set Up Identify the target URLs Write hypothesis Set up A and B groups Define KPIs and time period Analyze the collecte d data Document findings + next steps
29. Example A/B Test Hypothesis: We believe that adding “Free Shipping” to title tags will help improve CTR. Set Up A and B Test Groups: Split up product pages into a test and control group. Data Collection: Compare Google Search Console data (specifically CTR) before and after the change. Time period: 2-4 weeks before and after the change.
30. Documentation Spreadsheet
31. Analyze Test Results
32. Results Did the test have positive, negative, or inconclusive results? Are there further optimizations to be done?
33. Key Takeaways
34. SEO Testing: Your Competitive Advantage
35. Find out what works and what doesn't before it turns into a costly mistake
36. Your test ideas don't have to be groundbreaking
37. Time-based testing is still useful, even though it's not "perfect"
38. Thank you! @CelestexLili @celestelili Speakerdeck.com/celestelili