Set Up Testing and Tracking of Your Opt-In Forms
This is the final leg of the preparations we need to make to the opt-in form and opt-in page. After all, we want to make sure we are getting the best results for our list building efforts that we possibly can.
Whenever we set up something new, we need to build in mechanisms to help us to determine what’s working and what needs improving. The same holds true for our opt-in pages and forms. We need to test and track our results in order to figure out which versions perform better.
Why We Need to Test and Track Performance
Just because we set up an opt-in page or form, it doesn’t mean that we can set it and forget it. Here is an example of the benefit of testing and tracking the performance:
Example 1: Looking at your website analytics, you got 500 visitors to your opt-in page last week. Of course the goal is to get them to subscribe to your list. The data shows you have a 3% conversion rate. This means 15 people signed up for your list. You don’t change anything about your opt-in form or page, so you stay roughly in the 3% range for conversions the following week.
Example 2: After looking at your website analytics, you see you received 500 visitors to your opt-in page last week, and had this same conversion rate of 3%, or 15 people. However, you tweaked your page to test out a different version, and that updated page got you a conversion rate of 20% the following week, or 100 new subscribers.
This is a difference of 15 subscribers versus 100 subscribers over the same time period, all based on a reach of 500 visitors to your site. What difference could this make in your list building efforts?
Consider the impact over weeks and months, and you can see the power of testing different formats to see what works best. And testing does not mean re-doing your entire opt-in page or form, it could mean something as simple as playing with headlines, copy, or color schemes. The slightest change can result in a major impact, which is why you want to test for the best results.
Set Up Your Testing and Tracking
Most email marketing service providers have options to test and track the performance of your forms already built in. For example, when you login to your account, you can see how well your forms are performing by going to the forms section. If you cannot find it, visit the help or knowledge base section on the website.
You may also have the option to do what is call A/B split testing. What this means is that you can create 2 versions of the same form to test which performs better. If you choose this option, your provider will give you the code to copy/paste into your website, and half your visitors will see the first opt-in form, and the other half will see the second opt-in form. The visitors will be “split” into 2 groups that see 2 different forms, and your analytics will show which form version performs better.
Remember Example 2 mentioned earlier? Testing can have a major impact on your list building efforts, so the time to set up your tracking will be time well spent.
Things You Should Test
Testing is a continuous process. Now that you know the value of testing, you have to know what to test. The easiest way to start is to test two headlines against each other. You can also test the color of your sign up button, different calls to action, or different images.
As you become more familiar with split testing, you can get more creative with your opt-in pages and split testing. When testing, you can let your test run for a week or two and keep the version that works better. Or you can try something else altogether. The goal is to enjoy the best conversion rates you can.