How Many Columns Should I Use? How using the best page layout led to a 681% relative increase

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Today’s speakers

@jonpowell31

Jon PowellSenior Manager Research and StrategyMECLABS

Marketing research practitioner with 7 years of hands-on experience gained through managing hundreds of A/B and multivariate tests for e-commerce, health care, financial and education Research Partners.

Today’s topic

Given a choice between these particular page templates, which would you choose for your offer pages? Why??

A B C D

What is the highest performing layout (number of columns) for my webpages? How do I know which one to choose?

?

Today’s topic

Background: A large technology company selling software to small businesses.

Goal: To significantly increase the number of software purchases from paid search traffic (branded terms).

Research Question: Which column layout will generate the highest rate of software purchases?

Test Design: A/B multifactor split test

Experiment ID: TP1736aRecord Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: [Protected]

Experiment 1: Background

COLUMN #1 COLUMN #2

Experiment 1: Control2-Column Layout

COLUMN #1

Experiment 1: Treatment1-Column Layout

COLUMN #1 COLUMN #2COLUMN #1

2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Experiment 1: Side-by-side

Design Order Rate Revenue/Visit

Control – 2 Columns 0.20%* $0.50*

Treatment – 1 Column 1.58%* $3.56*

% Relative Change: 680.6% 606.7%

Relative Increase in Orders681%The one-column treatment design increased branded search orders by 680.6% and revenue per visit by 606.7% when tested against the two-column control design.

Experiment 1: Results

*Absolute performance rates and numbers have been anonymized

Why did the single-column page layout have a significant increase in results??

Audience question2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Experiment: Results

“The eye path of the page is confusing to users … ”

“ … by providing a linear eye path, distractions will be removed and will cause an increase in conversion.”

From the Test Protocol:

*Certain sections of content have been anonymized for the Partner

266%In Clicks

Protocol IDs: TP1306Similar findings

2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Example: Main offer page

22%In Completed Orders

Protocol IDs: TP1356, TP1407Similar findings

2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Example: Transaction page

Is there an underlying theory for choosing the highest performing page layout? ?

Background: A large technology company selling software to small businesses.

Goal: To significantly increase the number of software purchases from paid search traffic (non-branded terms).

Research Question: Which column layout will generate the highest rate of software purchases?

Test Design: A/B multifactor split test

Experiment ID: TP1736bRecord Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: [Protected]

Experiment 2: Background

COLUMN #1 COLUMN #2COLUMN #1

2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Experiment 2: Side-by-side

Design Order Rate Revenue/Visit

Control – 2 Columns 5.69%* $19.78*

Treatment – 1 Column 0.86%* $6.53*

% Relative Change: -84.9% -67.0%

Relative Decrease in Orders85%The one-column treatment design decreased non-branded search orders by 84.9% and revenue per visit by 67% when tested against the two-column control design.

Experiment 2: Results

*Absolute performance rates and numbers have been anonymized

Why did the winning page layout suddenly underperform in the same channel??

Experiment 2: Results

To help answer this question, we accessed our library of case studies for a deeper study and isolated tests where page layout was a primary variable.

We then conducted a meta-analysis of those Test Protocols to uncover patterns in performance.

Plus many more Protocols …

TP1457TP1460 TP1621 TP1746

TP1306 TP1356 TP1560 TP1633

TP1267 TP1315 TP1639 TP1268

TP1499 TP1658 TP1636 TP1203

TP1635 TP1498 TP1165 TP1475

TP1192 TP1182 TP1469 TP1091

TP1460 TP1585 TP1214 TP1503

TP1422 TP1500 TP1488 TP1616

TP1511

Initial findings

There appeared to be performance patterns for each page in the conversion path …!

Initial findings

However, the patterns were not clear due to numerous outliers.!

3 Columns 2 Columns

Protocol IDs: TP1268OutlierExample: Transaction page

54%In Revenue per Order

15%In Revenue per Order

Homepage traffic Shopping cart traffic

60%In Conversions

Protocol IDs: TP1457Outlier

2-Column Layout 1-Column Layout

Example: Main offer page

3 Columns 1 Column

7.5%In Searches

Holiday Traffic

5.8%In Searches

Everyday Traffic

Protocol IDs: TP1165, TP1182OutlierExample: Directory page

Is there an underlying theory for choosing the highest performing page layout? ?

Back to the original question

ChannelMain Offer

Page

Checkout Path

Category Page

Thank You Page

Homepage

Directory Pages

When we took a closer look at TP1737a-b, each winning page is essentially in the same position in the conversion funnel.

Experiment: Analysis

They are NOT, however, in the same position in the customer funnel.

Experiment: Analysis

(Mi)YES

(Ma)YES

Y

Val

ue

Pro

po

siti

on

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

Non-Branded Winner

Branded Winner

A Web search using brand language indicates prior knowledge of the value proposition.

A generic Web search does not, requiring more clarity of value.

(Mi)YES

(Ma)YES

Y

Val

ue

Pro

po

siti

on

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

Meta-analysis results

We recategorized each Test Protocol in the analysis according to its stage in the customer thought sequence (as opposed to the conversion path).

In doing this, we discovered a single pattern that encompassed all Test Protocols analyzed.

(Mi)YES

(Ma)YES

Y

Val

ue

Pro

po

siti

on

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

More

Meta-analysis results

At the beginning of the thought sequence, the highest performing pages often have three or more columns that are evenly weighted.

(ex: 33%/33%/33%)

Even

Less

Number of Columns

Uneven

Column Weight

(Mi)YES

(Ma)YES

Y

Val

ue

Pro

po

siti

on

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

(Mi)YES

As the thought sequence progresses, column counts in high-performing pages drop. If there are two columns, they are unevenly weighted.

(70%/30% or 80%/20%)

More Even

Less Uneven

Column Weight

Meta-analysis resultsNumber of Columns

On the ideal number of columns

FKey Principles

1. First, we must understand there is no single answer to the question, “How many columns should I use?” Sometimes “less” is optimal; and sometimes “more” is optimal.

2. To begin answering this question, we must understand where the customer is in the mental (not physical) conversion funnel. From there, we can apply two underlying principles:

1. The more we know about what the visitor wants, the more we should focus on that desire (less columns; unequally weighted).

2. The less we know about what the visitor wants, the more we should enable the them to self-select (more columns; equally weighted)

Live OptimizationColumns

Live Optimization

Tracky

http://bit.ly/1aJj4sL #WebClinic

Primary Audience: Business and consumersPrimary Objective: Awareness

Live Optimization

Santa Fe Way

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Primary Audience: Health enthusiastsPrimary Objective: Information page

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Primary Audience: B2CPrimary Objective: Lead gen/sales

Windstream

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Primary Audience: Potential donorsPrimary Objective: Raise funds

Environmental Defense Fund

http://bit.ly/1aqws7k #WebClinic

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StudyAbroad.com

http://bit.ly/KGhAG1 #WebClinic

Primary Audience: StudentsPrimary Objective: Info page

Live Optimization

Declaring Bankruptcy

http://bit.ly/1biojwl #WebClinic

Primary Audience: B2C Primary Objective: Lead generation

Live Optimization

Primary Audience: MembersPrimary Objective: Fundraising

Jewish Federation

http://bit.ly/1f6PyhV #WebClinic

Live Optimization

Primary Audience: B2CPrimary Objective: Lead generation

IHG

http://bit.ly/JH3dkj #WebClinic

Live Optimization

Applied Inspirations

http://bit.ly/1dvTJ24 #WebClinic

Primary Audience: B2CPrimary Objective: Sales

Background: A large, well-known audio technology and engineering company offering professional and personal audio products.

Goal: To significantly increase the number clicks from a promotional email.

Research Question: Which email call-to-action copy will produce the greatest clickthrough rate?

Test Design: A/B single factorial split test

Experiment ID: TP2136Record Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: [Protected]

Next Clinic: Background

Next Clinic: Email template

Next Clinic: Email template

Next Clinic: Version A

Next Clinic: Version B

Next Clinic: Side-by-Side

Version A Version B

“Shop Now” “View Details”

Which treatment won?

Live Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. EST

• How can I get the most clickthrough for the least effort?• Which call-to-action copy works best for promotional emails?• How does copywriting change for newsletters and nurture-

based emails?

Join the live 35-minute Web clinic

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To join live, register at the link below:

MarketingExperiments.com/TwoWordsEmail

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