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FREE
+50 XP
SEO Experiments & A/B Testing
๐งช
Alex and the team argue
"Adding a keyword to the H1 gives +20% traffic!" โ "Where's the data?" โ "I read it in a blog in 2019." Alex closes his laptop. "We test. Take 50 pages, split in half. Change only half of them."
๐ SEO experiment โ a controlled test of one change on a selected group of pages, measuring results against a control group. The only way to prove cause and effect in SEO.
SEO Experiment Structure
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Hypothesis | "If we add an FAQ block โ CTR will increase by X%" |
| 2. Groups | Test group (with change) + control group (without) |
| 3. Isolation | Change only one variable |
| 4. Duration | Minimum 4 weeks (Google doesn't update rankings immediately) |
| 5. Analysis | Compare test and control groups in GSC |
SEO Experiment Tools
- Google Search Console: compare clicks/CTR across page groups
- SearchPilot: professional tool for SEO A/B testing
- Manual comparison: export GSC data, compare in Excel/Sheets
๐งโ๐ป
Alex reviews the test results
"50 pages with FAQ block vs 50 without. After 6 weeks: test group +18% clicks, control +2% (seasonal growth). Hypothesis confirmed. Deploying to the whole site."
โ ๏ธ Trap: correlation โ causation. Traffic grew after the change? Maybe it's seasonality, an algorithm update, or a competitor dropped out of the top. Only a control group rules these factors out.
๐ฎ Test yourself: put the SEO experiment steps in the correct order!
Lesson Task
Test your knowledge and earn +20 XP