David Ogilvy, the advertising executive that Time Magazine once called "The most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry," said "Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving."
While the world has changed dramatically since Ogilvy dominated Madison Avenue, testing still provides the best opportunity to improve.
A June 2015 report from Optimizely, a provider of testing solutions for websites, found that 53 percent of respondents planned to increase their budget for optimization in the next year. The report also revealed that 98 percent of respondents agreed that optimization was valuable to the success of their marketing and product strategy; 94 percent agreed that optimization improves their understanding of their customers; and 91 percent agreed that optimization increases conversion and engagement metrics. While the benefits are clear, it seems enterprises are somewhat hesitant to invest in the practice. The Optimizely study found that slightly over half of respondents, 52 percent, had just one or more workers dedicated to optimization. For most enterprises, however, it's going to take a lot more than a small percentage of their staff spending a few hours a week to maximize Web traffic through testing initiatives.
Testing needs to be an ongoing, iterative process, supported by every corner of the enterprise. The problem seems to be that most just don't know how to get started.
In this month's feature article at Website Magazine, 'Net professionals, aided by powerful technologies and numerous best practices established over time through trial and error, will gain the required confidence to improve the performance of a digital presence through testing initiatives. By understanding the fundamentals of the practice and the solutions being used, greater revenue and a better experience for all can result. In addition to the feature of this month's issue, readers will find insights and guidance on other important trends, techniques and tactics to help accelerate their 'Net success; including mobile analytics, collaboration software, email marketing, social media, digital advertising to name but a few.
There's much more in this issue as well that Website Magazine readers shouldn't miss, including practical tips for preventing negative SEO tactics, and how to handle the inevitable influx of Gen Z into the workforce.
As always, we hope you enjoy this issue and join us on the 'Net, where our editors and industry contributors provide daily, in-depth coverage of today's most important tips, tech and trends.
Best Web Wishes,
Peter Prestipino
Peter@WebsiteMagazine.com