The Most Overlooked Split Testing Variable

Dear reader, you’re about to see the most overlooked and under-utilized split testing variable.

First, I’ll dispel a few misunderstandings about how to measure your sales page success.

 

When it comes to split testing your landing pages, it’s all about the headlines, right?

Sales page headlines are what your prospects read most, but the purpose is captivation, not conversion.

If you’ve written a headline that’s direct, piques curiosity, and spells out benefits—that won’t equate to landing page sales. Take a look at any metrics software (we recommend Crazy Egg), and look at how long readers linger on your headlines.

Bottom line: your headlines might be A-OK, so leave them as is.

OK, so if it’s not headlines, it’s got to be buy button colors, right?

Sorry, but no.

The color, shape, size, and verbiage that make up your payment buttons—it’s all highly important, but that’s one of the last steps in the split testing process.

Don’t do the Dance 1,000 Sorrows quite yet.

Believe it or not, the most overlooked split testing variable is sales page length. And really, this simple factor is the granddaddy of them all.

Once you write a long sales page that is quite awesome, you may be disappointed that’s it’s just not converting.

Truth: your message is fine; it’s the length.

Our copywriting team knows all too well why many business owners feel reluctant toward testing sales page length. After all, you’ve written something profound about a product or service that provides solutions.

There may be quite a bit to say.

Our advice: don’t get attached to your copy. When you think of your work as a precious document, the process of revision becomes more difficult.

When you let it go, you can slash that sales page into three different lengths. Split test those suckers with Google AdWords traffic, and see which version does best.

At Sūmèr HQ, we refer to it as the Goldilocks Method of split testing. Ready to see which version is “just right” for your target market?

Papa Bear

The Papa Bear version of your sales page is the original, the long one, the queen mother. It’s your manifesto, your War and Peace, your bug-smashing volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

The best part about the Papa Bear variable, is that it provides the best place to start. Weed through that monster sales page, and find repetitive information, or copy that isn’t necessary.

Trim the fat, and you’ll have a lean, mean sales page.

Should you test Papa Bear? Absolutely, but chances are, he’s not going to emerge as the victor.

Mama Bear

In most cases, Mama is the one that’s “just right.” If the Papa Bear version is 15 pages, and the Baby Bear version is 5, Mama Bear clocks in at around 7.

Many business owners see this variable as a compromise, but it’s far from it. Once you whittle down your content, you’ll find an equal balance of powerful copy that explains offerings with zero fluff.

Most of the time, Mama Bear wins…

But that’s not always the case.

Baby Bear

Short sales pages win the split testing contest some of the time. Really, there’s no crystal ball that can reveal what your audience prefers. In fact, we recommend that you try all three versions.

According to the landing page specialists at Unbounce, shorter landing pages function better in matters of lead generation. So if you’ve got a no-cost webinar in your future, Baby Bear might be your best bet.

 

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