Business Experimentation

Over the past few weeks, we have been learning more and more in class about AdWords and Google Analytics.  We've studied the ins and outs of how Analytics works, what it can track, as well as how we can access it ourselves.  We're also planning on finishing up our pre-campaign proposals for the next week so we can begin to prepare for our challenge with Google.  It is a very exciting time for our class as we prepare to participate in GOMC 2015.

Two readings we have had to complete recently were on the aspects of experimentation and how businesses are able to do this manageably and efficiently.  Prototypes were discussed as well as test groups, both of which are used for electronics and other industries alike.  I found it interesting that there were so many ideas, strategies, and methods for going about how to test different products and services.  Mainly, I thought it was interesting that all three methods--simulation, prototypes, and test groups--could be used across many business sectors and industries.

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I found prototypes to be the most common due to the nature of many electronics companies.  Simulation would be the most common when it came to services or products like video games, but I don't think it would work quite well for a new desk chair idea that was being drawn up.  Test groups were also very unique in the fact that it resembled a psychology setting, because they would be able to manipulate and test the factors that went into the new idea.  All three of these were interesting because it showed how different ideas and methods that have been seen in other areas of my experience could be applied to business.

I do have a few questions regarding what sorts of examples companies like our clients' companies could provide as far as models of experimentation.  It would be interesting to try and create prototypes of what GiftBug would like to see for their website and it would also be interesting to simulate what one of Rock More Sales seminars would be like.  That mainly is my only question, how it could be applied to what we are doing and working towards currently.

As far as our client's AdWords program, I think it would be interesting to experiment first with primary keywords, the ones we assume would get more clicks for our client's webpage. But then we could also alternate a second ad with secondary keywords, ones that we don't think will generate clicks as much due to their lack of commonality with the webpage or for other reasons.  Seeing how our client's webpage ads would fare with specialized versus general ads would be an interesting experiment to see how general or how specialized we need to make these ads to get clicks.