Optimizely got me started on A/B testing. Back in 2014, I spun up a free account and ran some really bad experiments on my personal website. Then, I went on to run experiments at CXL, HubSpot, Workato, and several other large clients. I became an absolute nerd for experimentation strategy. In that time, I’ve used … Read more
Why do some funnels convert like crazy, and others fail to move the needle? While there are many factors in the conversion optimization equation, you can boil a lot of it down to this: does your experience convince people to take the desired action? One of the classic books in this field is one you’ve … Read more
I’ve written a lot about how to create an experimentation program, improve data literacy, and promote a culture of experimentation. Let’s talk about the opposite: how to sabotage an A/B testing program. Why Not Focus on How to *Build* an Experimentation Program? Why Focus on the Negative? I love looking at things through a via … Read more
Statistics suggest that 72% of customers are likely to engage with brands and messages customized to their specific concerns. Automatically adapting your customer experience based on past behavior is the way to get new customers and get them to come back time and time again. It’s the golden rule of marketing. Personalized emails, personalized advertisements, … Read more
I believe in the power of experimentation. But most companies have stumbled tremendously in building powerful experimentation programs. See, the value of experimentation doesn’t rest upon the single hyperbolic A/B test win. The value is in building an experimentation program and culture that scales and helps cap risk, enable innovation and creative adaptation, and generate … Read more
A/B testing is, at this point, widespread and common practice. Whether you’re a product manager hoping to quantify the impact of new features (and avoid the risk of negatively impacting growth metrics) or a marketer hoping to optimize a landing page or newsletter subject line, experimentation is the tried-and-true gold standard. It’s not only incredibly … Read more
“Data-driven culture” is a phrase you hear thought leaders speak about at conferences and executives fondly bestow upon their organizations. But like “freedom,” “morality,” and “consciousness,” this elusive phrase seems to evade universal understanding. That’s to say: what the hell does a “data-driven company culture” even mean? What is a “Data-Driven Company Culture,” Anyway? A … Read more
You’ve landed on this article for one of two reasons. The first (most probable) reason is that you heard the term “conversion rate optimization” somewhere and want to know what exactly it means and maybe even want to find out how you can get involved in conversion rate optimization (CRO). The second reason is that … Read more
What we call conversion rate optimization is actually an expansive suite of distinct functions that blend together to form this art-and-science craft of CRO. CRO includes components of digital analytics, experimentation (A/B testing), user psychology, project management, copywriting, design, and UX research. Nowadays, I look at it as “website product management.” We’ve all got our … Read more
A/B testing is an important skill for anyone to learn, whether you’re a marketer, product person, designer, or an analyst. It’s also a great framework for managers, as Elliot Shmukler has noted. Once you learn about A/B testing, you look at decision making, probability, innovation, and risk differently. It’s an attitude shift as much as … Read more