Why you should be site testing

When you’re responsible for the revenue of independent creators, you want to make sure you’re getting it right. It’s why we launched our Titan program in 2023, a way to test out our developed technology on a small scale before rolling it out to the rest of our partner sites. It means our partners are experiencing less bugs and hiccups at launch, and are getting better quality updates overall.

But what site testing can you do as a publisher? And how might it benefit your site performance and user experience?

Finding the right time

As a site owner, we get that you’re busy. From content creation to backend fixes, you might not really have the time to spend on A/B testing. But site testing can be as crucial as running regular diagnostics on your site. It can reveal the reasoning behind a sudden drop in performance, or can highlight holes in your existing build that need attention.

Consider site testing similar to running a physical exam on your website. It’s an opportunity to find strengths you may have overlooked. Unsure what to implement in your testing? Site testing allows you to find out if there’s a feature your users have been asking for, to see if there’s a way for you to streamline your search functions, or to lighten the load your code is supporting.

What to focus on

The tech that we test with the Titan program can encompass all kinds of features or fixes we’re hoping to implement. Be honest about what is lacking on your site. Are your ad placements not getting the visibility you hoped for? Test out new placements or formats before making the switch. You might find that replacing an interstitial format with an interscroller lowers your site’s bounce rate.

Whatever you’re testing, make sure you’re recording what you find so you can look back on solutions you’ve tried in the past. You might find that just as your audience fluctuates throughout the year, with numbers that rise and fall on a measured schedule, new features and elements might perform better or worse at different times of the year.

With this, if you’re expecting a jump in users, say because of a new product launch you’re covering or a new release that falls under your site’s niche, schedule testing new features either before or after the predicted bump. You don’t want to jeopardize new traffic by employing untested code!

Results may vary

Site testing may not always have incredible results, but the results of each test can still be learned from. By continually checking the quality of existing features, site functionality, and compatibility testing on both desktop and mobile, you’ll create a more robust basis to build new features on.

Be vocal with your audience when you’re scheduling testing, by putting a note in your newsletter or even employing a banner on your affected pages. Invite feedback from your users; you may be surprised with what they catch or suggest.

If you’re looking to boost your revenue and strengthen your site, why not become a partner here at Publisher Collective? You can apply here. Want more advice on keeping your site healthy and happy? You can check out our blog.

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