System and method for optimizing website visitor actions

• US 20060271671A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiteSpect, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SiteSpect, Inc.
• Inventors: Hansen, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata

Abstract

The invention includes a method and system for optimizing web visitor conversion—the science of measuring, testing, and improving the rate at which website visitors respond to website content. The system helps website operators create content variations, and then scientifically test and measure the impact of those variations on conversion rates. The invention includes a method of using a reverse proxy server to introduce page variations on existing website content without needing to modify the existing target server. The invention makes it possible to test any number of variations—in any combination—on a target server'"'"'s visitors. Website operators learn how content variations impact visitor behavior and conversion rates.

Claims

1. A method of testing a target server'"'"'s website visitor actions, the method comprising:

a reverse proxy server receiving a request from an electronic device operated by a visitor;

said reverse proxy server requesting and retrieving content from a target server;

modifying said content for testing;

said reverse proxy server sending modified content to said electronic device; and

tracking actions of said visitor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning said visitor to a test group;

tracking actions of said visitor in comparison to said test group; and

tracking visitor session data using said proxy server.

3. A method of testing variations of website content, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from an electronic device at a reverse proxy server for web content from a target server, wherein said electronic device is operated by a website visitor;

retrieving unmodified web content from said target server;

modifying said web content, wherein modifying web content includes performing a search and replace operation using regular expressions;

delivering modified web content to said requesting electronic device;

tracking actions of said visitor;

collecting data for each response point selected to be measured; and

generating reports on the impact of variations on visitor actions.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a visual editor for target server operators to vary said web content.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising testing using multivariate testing.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising tracking individual actions and sequences of actions.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising testing functional variations in said web content target server by altering web content based on a visitor'"'"'s test group status.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising caching static content for web acceleration.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein modifying said web content includes introducing multiple variations onto a single page in a specific sequence.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising using compression or deflation to compensate for any delay with http requests and responses between said reverse proxy server, said target server, and said electronic device

11. The method of claim 3, wherein modifications are tested on a subset of visitors.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising varying static content or dynamic content.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising tracking visitor behavior without cookies.

14. A conversion marketing testing system comprising:

a reverse proxy server operable to;

receive a request from an electronic device for web content from a target server, wherein said electronic device is operated by a website visitor;

retrieve unmodified web content from said target server;

modify said web content, wherein modifying web content includes performing a search and replace operation using regular expressions;

deliver modified web content to said requesting electronic device;

track actions of said visitor;

collect data for each response point selected to be measured; and

reporting on test progress and statistics.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable for multivariate testing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to test functional variations in said target server by altering content based on a visitor'"'"'s test group status.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to cache static content for web acceleration.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to run test campaigns individually and concurrently.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to maintain historical information about visitors in a database.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to test modifications on a subset of visitors.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to vary static or dynamic content.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said reverse proxy server is further operable to track visitor behavior without cookies.

23. A method of testing variations of website content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface to enable a target website operator to use a reverse proxy server to create a test campaign for a target website including enabling selection of criteria by which to segment target website visitors, enabling selection of response points to be measured, and providing a visual editor for creating variations of said target website;

receiving a request from a web browser at said reverse proxy server for web content from said target website hosed at a target server, wherein said web browser is operated by a website visitor;

said reverse proxy server retrieving unmodified web content from said target server;

said reverse proxy server modifying said web content, wherein modifying web content includes performing a search and replace operation using regular expressions;

said reverse proxy server delivering modified web content to said requesting web browser;

said reverse proxy server tracking actions of said visitor;

collecting data for each response point selected to be measured; and

reporting on how content change affects conversion rates.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising graphically reporting visitor behavior.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising testing using multivariate testing.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing reusable test campaigns elements.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said modifications are tested on a subset of visitors.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising reporting on test progress and statistics in real time.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising varying static content or dynamic content.

30. A method of testing website content variations, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface to enable a website operator to create a test campaign for a website including enabling selection of criteria by which to segment target website visitors, enabling selection of response points to be measured, and providing a visual editor for creating variations of said website;

upon a web server, of said website, receiving a request from an electronic device for web content, modifying said web content according to variations created by said website operator, wherein modifying web content includes performing a search and replace operation using regular expressions;

delivering modified web content to said requesting electronic device;

tracking actions of a visitor operating said electronic device;

collecting data for each of said response point selected to be measured; and

generating test campaign reports based on measured response points, and visitor actions.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein modifying said web content includes changing custom variable values to include test campaign information.