Testing is a critical component of successful online marketing. And Web analytics tools make it easy to track the performance results of your online campaigns. So if you’re not testing them, you should be aware that your competitors probably are, and as a result they may be eating your lunch.

Why? Testing brings huge benefits, particularly in regards to online marketing. Not only can you track the performance of your online tests, but the results can reveal what works and what doesn’t. It’s important to realize that what works best online does not have to be a matter of intuition. That is why you need to test.

To explain, ironically, let’s talk buzzwords – ‘optimization.’ Everyone’s selling it. In general, optimization means: to improve something by following a process. That process is: test and refine. In other words, try different things, see what works better, and do more of it.

More specifically, in paid search you should test all the key elements in the conversion funnel:

• keyword/phrase
• bid amount
• ad content
• landing page (content & design)
• conversion process (i.e. web form items, difficulty of completion, etc)

Where should you start? First, improve the percentage of quality ad viewers who click-through, as well as the percentage of landing page visitors who initiate the conversion process. More compelling and relevant ads will increase traffic volume and reduce traffic cost. More compelling and relevant landing pages will increase your return on marketing investment (ROMI). So, if you haven’t optimized your conversion process lately, there's no time like the present.

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