We’re back with another A/B test results post! I have to tell you – this was my absolute favorite test of all that we have run so far – mostly because the page that we tested was already getting killer click-through rates (CTR’s) with their Amazon affiliate links! Not only was the page already converting well – but it is also a very different type of page as compared to the other tests that we have run. And to take it one step further – we ran this test for quite a bit longer than our previous tests! We’re talking 100 days with well over 10,000 page views. Keep reading for more details…
The only way to truly tell if one strategy works better than another is to test and compare data. Throughout the last several months, we have asked select website owners if they would be willing to allow us to run some A/B tests on their sites. Specifically – we wanted to see how some of our AmaLinks Pro® elements performed versus plain text and image links. For this particular test – our AmaLinks Pro® elements went up against Amazon’s Text+Image links available in SiteStripe.
There are many variables that could affect click-through rates. So, we ran similar tests on several different websites. The first three tests that we reported on resulted in 256%, 386%, and 263% increases in CTR to Amazon, respectively. Here is a link to view all of our case study test results posts. We understand that different niches and different types of posts might have very different results.
Today, we’re reporting on results from a website in the survival/prepper niche. The page that we tested did NOT promote a particular product or even a group of products. It is NOT a product review post at all! Instead, the post explained how to build a particular item and included Amazon links to purchase the various components and tools needed. We will not be revealing the exact site or who the owner is. But, we’re going to show you the exact results and do our best to explain the before-and-after scenarios.
Thoughts from the Actual Website Owner!
Before we show you the results – we thought we’d share with you some thoughts from the actual owner of this website. Here they are (in his own words)…
When I originally created the post that was used in this A / B test, I was struggling with how to organize the large quantity of Amazon product links in a fashion that was easy to read and did not clutter up the page. I had looked at a few affiliate link plugins, but at the time was not able to find one I felt would work with the type of post I was trying to create.
When Mathew from AmaLinks Pro® offered to do an A / B test on my post, I was excited to see how he would lay out the large number of product links and structure the page, as well as to see if any improvements could be made on CTR. I was pleasantly surprised with his solution for the layout, as well as the results! I feel the just usability and appearance improvements to the page are well worth it for using his plugin. The additional CTR gains are the icing on the cake!
84.1% Increase in Clicks to Amazon!
This test ran for exactly 100 days and the post had 13,867 total page views. Here is the breakdown for how it performed…
- Control Version (the original, unedited) – 6,920 page views with 468 clicks to Amazon – 6.76% CTR
- Variant Version (AmaLinks Pro®, edited) – 6,947 page views with 865 clicks to Amazon – 12.45% CTR
Here is a screenshot from the dashboard of the A/B testing plugin that we are using (with the website screenshots blurred for confidentiality)…
As you can see – we were able to achieve an amazing 84.1% increase in clicks to Amazon on this one page. Only 84.1% may not sound that impressive, as compared to some of our previous tests. But – this page was already getting amazing CTR’s… and we almost doubled the CTR rate!
How Did This Test Compare to Previous Tests?
You could easily browse through our full case study results posts and see the differences for yourself. But I’ll make it easy for you and show you the differences right here.
Test 1 – 256.4% Increase (Home Services Niche)
This test ran for 93 days and the post had 4,076 total page views. Here is the breakdown for how it performed…
- Control Version (the original, unedited) – 2,009 page views with 63 clicks to Amazon – 3.14% CTR
- Variant Version (AmaLinks Pro®, edited) – 2,067 page views with 231 clicks to Amazon – 11.18% CTR
Test 2 – 386.8% Increase (Pet Niche)
This test ran for 70 days and the post had 2,529 total page views. Here is the breakdown for how it performed…
- Control Version (the original, unedited) – 1,295 page views with 36 clicks to Amazon – 2.78% CTR
- Variant Version (AmaLinks Pro®, edited) – 1,234 page views with 167 clicks to Amazon – 13.53% CTR
Test 3 – 263.3% Increase (Health & Fitness Niche)
This test ran for 2 months and 4 days and the post had 4,898 total page views. Here is the breakdown for how it performed…
- Control Version (the original, unedited) – 2,414 page views with 42 clicks to Amazon – 1.74% CTR
- Variant Version (AmaLinks Pro®, edited) – 2,484 page views with 157 clicks to Amazon – 6.32% CTR
THIS Test – 84.1% Increase (Survival/Prepper Niche)
This test ran for exactly 100 days and the post had 13,867 total page views. Here is the breakdown for how it performed…
- Control Version (the original, unedited) – 6,920 page views with 468 clicks to Amazon – 6.76% CTR
- Variant Version (AmaLinks Pro®, edited) – 6,947 page views with 865 clicks to Amazon – 12.45% CTR
As you can see, the original CTR’s were abysmal on the first three tests – with 3.14% being the highest. The original CTR’s for this test were already more than double that amount.
The improvement rate for CTR’s on this test was not nearly as high as the others. This is partly due to the fact that CTR’s were already high and the reason for this (we think) is because of the type of post that it is.
This post is a DIY guide. Visitors to this post already want to build the item as described in the post. They just need instructions, materials, components, and tools. The post provides the instructions – and some of the components are things that you wouldn’t find just lying around the house. By giving readers the opportunity to easily click over to Amazon to purchase components – the website owner is actually doing them a favor! We think this is exactly why this post already had high CTR’s.
What are we testing, exactly?
It’s simple, really. We set up this test to count the number of times a user (reader) clicks on an external link that contains ‘amazon’ in the URL. We verified that all links to Amazon in the original post were using the full Amazon URL and contained the word ‘amazon’ – and we know that all links created by AmaLinks Pro® use the full API-driven URL which contains ‘amazon’ in the URL.
How are we setting up our A/B tests?
Note: This post does contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service after clicking one of our links, we earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
We’re using Nelio A/B Testing – a WordPress plugin for easily setting up and monitoring A/B tests from within your WordPress dashboard. We researched and tested a few different A/B testing tools and found that Nelio A/B Testing would be the easiest for us to use on multiple WordPress sites.
The Nelio A/B Testing plugin allows us to create as many variants as we want, per post (or page). For the tests that we are running, we are setting up just one variant. To make changes to the variant, the plugin opens up a post (or page) editor with the exact original version and we simply make all the changes that we want and then save it.
The plugin then automatically directs about 50% of traffic to the original post (the control version) and the other 50% of traffic to our edited post (the variant version). Readers of the website have no idea that there are 2 different versions of the post!
The coolest thing about the Nelio A/B Testing plugin?!? After you find which version of your post performs the best – you can set that version to be the new live version on your site with just a click!
How was the original post (control version) set up?
The post that we ran this test on is a DIY guide for how to build a particular survival item. The title is really straight-forward and to the point.
How to Build a [survival item name]
An example for the title would look something like this (this is NOT the title of the post or even the same product or niche!)...
How to Build a Smokeless Firepit
After the title, there was one paragraph of text and then a 13+ minute YouTube video was embedded. The video was created by the website owner and it included a finished version of the survival item as well as some design updates for the item. Next, there was some intro text and an image – and after that there is a table of contents.
Next up in the original article was some more text and then another YouTube video embed. This video contained full instructions for how to build this particular survival item. Right after the video, there was an image showing a manufactured item that could be purchased instead – so that the DIYer could compare the cost for building your own versus just purchasing one. The image was NOT linked to anywhere that it could be purchased! In fact, to this point in the article – there have been NO Amazon affiliate links yet.
Next up, there were several sub-sections describing the major components needed for building this item. Each subsection included an image (actual photo taken by the website owner) and a text link over to Amazon where the component could be purchased. These are the first Amazon affiliate links on the page!
The next section was essentially a list of all of the components needed to build the item – except that it isn’t really a list at all. Rather, it contains Amazon SiteStripe Text+Image links – used exclusively in this section!
Here is an example of what the components list section looked like…
Again, this is just an example. The actual site did not promote this specific product.
Main Components for the [item name here]
After the main components sections – there was another sub-section just like it for additional components – and another after that for tools needed. All three of these sections used Amazon iframes from SiteStripe as shown above.
I gotta say – I don’t think I’ve never seen a site use iframes side-by-side like this. I KNEW I could make this post look SO much better using AmaLinks Pro®. But… the page was already getting really good CTR’s to Amazon – so I really didn’t know what to expect when I started setting up the test.
What changes did we make for the variant post?
We made a couple of big changes to the variant version of the post, using AmaLinks Pro®. We left the top of the post exactly the same as the original. The first change we made was in the spot where the original had an image of a comparable (manufactured) product. We replaced that image with a Showcase Box (with image slider). This way, readers could see what a manufactured version looks like and scroll through the images, and see updated pricing from Amazon.
In the subsections where the main components were featured with images, we added AmaLinks Pro® Showcase Boxes just under the subheading. Again, instead of just a text link over to Amazon – readers could see nice imagery from Amazon as well as bullet points and updated pricing information.
Finally, for the components and tools sections – we replaced ALL of the Amazon SiteStripe iframes with AmaLinks Pro® (mobile responsive) Comparison Tables. You see, comparison tables don’t need to be used just to ‘compare’ products – they can also be used to list out products!
Here is an example of how our variant post is setup (again, this is just an example – the actual site and product have nothing to do with smokeless firepits)…
Title of The Post Here
Intro paragraphs – Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur…
YouTube video embeds and more text here and then our Large Showcase Box with Image Slider
- BONFIRE- 304 Stainless steel fire pit makes for a big smokeless flame
- BONFIRE SHELTER- A great companion for your Bonfire fire pit, the waterproof, durable Bonfire Shelter makes it easy to cover and protect your Solo Stove from rain and snow, saving you the time and effort of storing it indoors when not in use.
- BONFIRE SHIELD- The durable Solo Stove Shield helps prevent sparks and embers from leaving your Bonfire fire pit. Unmistakably a Solo Stove product, the clean, minimal, two-piece spark Shield provides extra peace of mind, helping prevent embers from escaping your fire pit.
- BONFIRE STAND- Designed to allow you to use your Bonfire on more heat sensitive surfaces like wood decks. By raising up your Bonfire and allowing more airflow to pass underneath, youll be able to enjoy your Bonfire in more places than ever before!
- SOLO STOVE- Solo Stove will always focus on making innovative gear that will just work. We hope that our gear will be a part of how you reconnect to what really matters
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Main Component One Section
- Perfect size for cozy bonfire: 39 inch inside diameter x 45 inch outside diameter x 10 inches tall, weighs 32 pounds; Outdoor fire ring makes great addition to backyard
- Heavy duty construction: Made of sturdy 2mm thick steel metal and finished with a high temperature paint to ensure long lasting quality and functionality for all weather types; Rugged enough to be used for outdoor campfire
- Easy to assemble firepit rim: Large 4 piece ring insert kit assembles in minutes, giving you more time to enjoy a beautiful fire while camping; Please note, there is no bottom to this firepit liner
- Multi-use fire ring: Can be used as a in-ground fire pit liner or above-ground fire pit ring; You can also get creative and add decorative landscape blocks or rocks around the steel ring (NOTE: Landscape bricks and stones are not included)
- Worry-free purchasing: Sunnydaze Decor backs its products with a 1-year manufacturers warranty for worry-free purchas
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur…
Components List Section
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Blue Sky Outdoor Living 33” Steel Mammoth Patio Smokeless Fire Pit, Firewood and/or Wood Pellet Burning, Black (PFP3318) | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | Patented Smokeless Fire Bowl Pit for Outdoor Wood Pellet Burning Spark , Firepit Grill of Fireplace Stove for Picnic Camping Cooking on Beach - L | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | Cast Master Bon 2000 Dual Purpose Bonfire Pit - Smokeless Fire Pit & Campfire Grill - 3-in-1 Firepit, Wood & Charcoal Grill Rack, Grate -Cooking, Camping, Tailgating, Beach - Portable with Carry Case | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | Esright Stove Bonfire Fire Pit,21.5 Inch Stainless Steel Outdoor Smokeless Firepit,Wood Burning Firebowl for Backyard, Silver | Prime | Buy on Amazon | |
 | onlyfire 24 Inch Stainless Steel Outdoor Smokeless Fire Pit | Portable Wood Burning Bonfire with Detachable Handles for Backyard Camping | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | VBENLEM Fire Pit Ring 36-Inch Outer/30-Inch Inner Diameter, Fire Pit Insert 3.0mm Thick Heavy Duty Solid Steel, Fire Pit Liner DIY Campfire Ring Above or In-Ground for Outdoor | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon |
There you have it! We pretty much just replaced existing Amazon links that were already on the page with our higher-converting AmaLinks Pro® links – as well as adding a few links in strategic places. These changes alone resulted in an 84.1% increase in clicks to Amazon on this particular page!
Run Your Own A/B Tests!
Would you like to try setting up a similar A/B test on your own website or blog, to see if you can increase your clicks to Amazon? You only need a few things to get started.
- A post or page that gets decent traffic (at least a few hundred visitors per month)
- An A/B testing tool or plugin (like Nelio A/B Testing)
- Your own copy of AmaLinks Pro®
Check your analytics to find a post that gets decent traffic. If you’re not already promoting Amazon products on your high-traffic posts – take a look at our detailed guide to see exactly HOW you can be monetizing ANY post on your blog with Amazon.
Find a good A/B testing solution that will work well for you. The Nelio A/B Testing plugin that we use does have a VERY limited free version in the WordPress repository. If you choose to use Nelio A/B Testing – you will likely need to choose one of their Pro (paid) plans.
If you don’t already have your own copy of AmaLinks Pro® – I would suggest starting out with our Blogger plan. The Blogger plan gives you a license that you can use on only one site. If you have more than one website that you would like to use AmaLinks Pro® on – you can always upgrade your license later by simply paying the difference.
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