Test basic content changes

Current version: 9.1

When you update content on a page, you can create a content test that tests the new and old versions of your website's content to find out which content is most effective with visitors. This topic describes how to set up a test and how to start a test.

Before you begin
  • Set up goals with engagement value points, and assign the goals to pages or actions on your website.

  • Define at least one variant of the component that you want to test.

  • Set up a personalization rule for the component.

  • Ensure that the Approve with Test command is part of item workflow. This command triggers a preview and starts the test dialog. You can copy this command into your workflow from the Sample Workflow. It needs to be available to items in the Awaiting Approval state.

    Approve with Test command in the Sample workflow

Set up a test

To set up a test in the Experience Editor:

  1. Save and submit the item that you want to test.

  2. In the notifications at the top of the page in the Experience Editor:

    • If you are using a workflow, click Approve with Test:

    • If you are not using a workflow and you have enabled test notifications, click Create a test:

  3. Enter a comment and click OK.

    The Preview and start test dialog box opens. On the Preview tab, you can preview the test and predict the outcome:

Adjust test parameters

You can use the default settings for all of the test parameters. To learn about custom test configuration, you can read about content test configuration.

Start a test

There are a few things you need to be aware of before you start a test:

  • A test may fail if it includes a page that has an unpublished variation. To prevent the test from failing, publish the variants involved in the test.

  • If there is a workflow associated with the page, we recommend that you also check the workflow state.

After you start a test, you must not modify it. For example, do not edit the content that you are testing.

To start a test:

  1. In the Preview and start test dialog box, click Start test.

  2. To make the test go live and publish the test to your website, you must publish the page. In the Publish Item dialog, select Smart publish and the Publish related items option.

    Note

    If you use a workflow that includes Auto Publish, you do not need to publish manually.

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