6 SEO Tests to Boost Traffic, Engagement, and Conversions
Great SEO doesn’t start with keywords—it starts with testing.
While most marketers know the classic acronym ABC – Always Be Closing, in SEO, a more powerful mantra is:
👉 ABT – Always Be Testing.
Every test you run, whether successful or not, brings data, clarity, and smarter strategy. Even so-called "failures" can help you avoid costly mistakes and uncover unexpected opportunities.
Let me show you why testing matters—and how to build an SEO testing process that works.
💡 Why a Failed Test Became One of Our Biggest Wins
Our team once launched a new CTA button based on user testing and keyword research. We were sure it would boost conversions. But after a full test cycle, the results were surprising:
The original button copy (the control) won—by a landslide.
The new version underperformed by 40%.
Had we skipped testing, we could have lost 40% of our conversions across key pages. Instead, the test taught us this critical lesson:
🔑 CTA copy can have a bigger impact than color, design, or even placement.
This experience reinforced why testing matters—not just when you’re trying something new, but especially when you're sure you're right.
🚧 How to Build an SEO Testing Process
Before running any SEO test, set up a solid framework to ensure your results are measurable and meaningful:
Form a Hypothesis: What change are you making, and what do you expect to happen?
Define Metrics: Choose measurable KPIs like traffic, bounce rate, conversions, or time on page.
Select Pages: Pick pages with enough traffic to show significant results.
Set Time Frames: Give the test enough time to reach statistical significance.
Plan Outcomes: Know what you’ll do if the test works—or if it doesn’t.
Example: If you suspect two pages are competing for the same keyword (a.k.a. cannibalization), merge them and track traffic, rankings, and conversions after redirecting one to the other.
✅ 6 SEO Tests to Try Today
1. Learn From What’s Already Working
Your best test ideas may come from your top-performing content.
Identify high-traffic or high-converting pages using Google Analytics or Search Console.
Compare them to similar but lower-performing pages.
Ask: What’s different? Layout? Headline? CTA?
Test elements like:
Page structure
Headings and subheadings
Visuals and media
Internal links
CTA language and placement
Try This: If one landing page has a 30% higher conversion rate, try replicating its CTA structure on another page with similar intent.
2. Borrow (and Improve on) Competitor Strategies
Audit top-performing competitor pages and look for:
Gaps in content quality or depth
Weak UX or mobile optimization
Missing schema markup
Lack of interactive or visual elements
Test ideas:
Could you offer a better calculator, video, or comparison tool?
Can you speak to a niche audience they’re ignoring?
💡 Pro Tip: If competitors use video in their content, test demand by adding a clickable image of a fake video. If users click it, a real video might be worth producing.
3. Add Interactive Features
Interactive elements often lead to more time on page and better engagement. Plus, they create more data points to track.
Try testing features like:
Quizzes
Calculators
Polls
Sliders
Infographics
Maps
Make sure to:
Track every click or interaction (heatmaps or Google Tag Manager)
Optimize for speed and mobile (don’t let features hurt Core Web Vitals)
Quick Test: Want to gauge interest in a video? Insert a thumbnail with a play button and track clicks before investing in production.
4. Run Ongoing CTA Tests
Your CTAs are where SEO meets conversion. Small tweaks can mean big results.
Test across 5 dimensions:
Who: Tailor CTAs to your page audience
What: Button, link, banner, form—what’s the best format?
Where: Top, bottom, in content—where do people engage most?
When: Primary CTA after answering user intent; secondary CTAs later
Why: Make sure the value of the action is clear
Avoid generic CTAs like “Click here.” Instead, use benefit-driven prompts like “Compare Free Quotes” or “Start My 30-Day Trial.”
5. Prioritize High-Impact Pages First
Focus your tests where they'll drive the biggest results:
Pages with high traffic or engagement
Content that appears above the fold
Low-performing pages with high potential
Avoid risky tests on your top revenue-generating pages until you’ve validated ideas elsewhere.
Use heatmaps to find out:
Where users drop off
What they click
What content gets ignored
Pro Tip: Most users don’t scroll past the top third of a page. That’s where your tests should start.
6. Align Content With User Intent
Matching your page structure to user intent can improve rankings and conversions.
Test optimizing for:
Order: Are the most important questions answered first?
Format: Could you replace paragraphs with lists, tables, or graphics?
Readability: Are you using plain language and short sentences?
Authority: Are you establishing trust with your tone, data, and sources?
Example: A page targeting “best RPGs on Switch” might need a list with ratings.
A page for “best RPGs on Switch for 12-year-olds” may need age filters, pricing info, and ESRB ratings first.
🧪 Try This Testing Exercise
Here’s a great way to start building your own ABT habit:
Choose a page with high bounce rate.
Write the target keyword and draft an ideal outline.
Compare it to the current structure.
Give the current outline to a team member and ask them to rank its sections by expected order.
📈 Start Your ABT Journey
The key to great SEO isn’t just optimization—it’s experimentation.
Start with a clear process
Focus on high-impact content
Test one element at a time
Document your wins, failures, and surprises
Because every test—win or lose—makes your SEO strategy smarter.
And teams that Always Be Testing stay ahead of the curve.