Testing is key to optimising sales
Companies that operate globally without optimising their website for user preferences in specific countries risk cart abandonment. There are a number of best practices in conversion optimisation that can be considered to ensure businesses take advantage of the potential of internationalisation.
By Tom Waterfall, Director of Optimisation Solutions, EMEA at Webtrends
To help companies overcome the challenges associated with selling internationally, I will outline advice for global site optimisation including:
• How sites can be optimised and the methods of testing
• What elements should be optimised
• Challenges of brand consistency
How sites can be optimised and the methods of testing
Websites operating with a single language will often focus testing around a sales goal; however multiple language sites can alternate tests between primary markets or language. Considering tests across multiple markets of the same language can solve issues with volume in certain markets.
For example, France and Belgium could have their own French-language sites but the cumulative traffic across them will achieve a statistically noteworthy result.
Businesses can simultaneously test common elements across multiple sites segmenting by language to achieve multiple winners. To ensure planning and development is minimised while results are maximised, businesses should test non-content related elements such as style or layout.
Using A/B testing to compare different elements of a site is a strategy that can be followed with Multi Variant Testing (MVT) to enhance the version preferred by user including the aesthetics of the website and the wording used. It’s important to be aware that what works for one country’s user may not necessarily work for another.
What to optimise
International sites should be approached the same way as a company’s flagship site – analysing existing data and formulating a theory. A common difference for internationalised businesses can be seen in the messaging of the site, for example, a customer in France, may respond better to “buy now” than “add to basket”.
However, this is viewed as a ‘hard’ call to action and can provoke a sense of commitment often resulting in a loss of potential customers early on. This insight can be used to tailor websites to specific country preferences.
Similarly, differences are seen in trends of site design, for example, in Japan, users prefer a playful and wordy landing page whereas UK consumers veer more towards minimalism with clear call-to-actions .
It can be a turn-off for users if they meet a design they’re unhappy with and this can result in lost revenue. By testing site designs and identifying the most responsive for each country, companies can ensure they’re catering to user preferences.
Finally, companies should consider geo-targeting opportunities, for example, it’s important to know whether visitors are arriving at the right site. Simple errors like this can be easily corrected through optimisation solutions. Additionally, companies are able to segment regions using geo-IP as there are opportunities for region-based offers.
The challenges of consistency
Staying on-brand but delivering a tailored experience to visitors are both important and yet present a challenge in finding the balance between the two. Optimisation offers flexibility of being able to provide multiple versions of a page.
Branding as a sole focus should be set aside to allow testing to determine if visitors in one country respond well to specific styles giving the business a data-driven argument to present those users with something different. Businesses should shift focus from whether changes are in line with branding to making changes aligned with visitor preference.
Each customer has different behavioural tendencies and reactions regardless of geographical location but these differences should not be ignored when optimising websites globally. By performing optimisation tests and discovering popular versions, businesses can determine what customers react positively to and whether certain changes can encourage a conversion to sale.
There are many differences between countries in terms of aesthetics so it’s important for businesses to focus on each country individually.
For more, visit Webtrends.com
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