Google’s Split Testing
If you ever needed to be convinced of the importance of split testing just watch Google search.
Split testing is the intelligent way to gather data on what’s working, what’s not and what is working optimally. All good search engine marketers do it and so does Google. Yep that’s right you and I are guinea pigs for Google. Every day they run tests to see what works best for search, and by best I mean what will get us to take the desired action.
This is why you will sometimes see the local search results with their Google map to the left in the middle of the page though most often you see it at the top. They are attempting to find out what the optimal location is to get us to click on these results and probably especially on their map which they are wanting to get more action on as it is currently second fiddle to Yahoo!
You’ll notice the same with their product search. They move it around from top to middle to bottom.
When you think about it, it makes complete sense. Google is by far the largest online marketer. The other day a friend pointed out that while Google may have started out a search company they are actually an advertising company. I had never thought of it this way before, but it made a lot of sense and when put in that perspective it can really shine a light on what Google is doing.