More A/B testing by Google as part of Panda?

1. 74

   Lalulinhoposted 12 years ago

   So maybe I don't have enough traffic to be a reliable indicator, but I think I am still being A/B tested by Google.  Several weeks before September 6 = best traffic ever, then thrown off a cliff by Google.  Then the beginning of November, went from almost 0 traffic to best traffic ever again, and today thrown off a cliff the second time. 
   
   Now, best traffic ever for me = 40 daily views off just 12 hubs (and mainly, 2 hubs drove that traffic), and very few backlinks that I did.  Am at 2 views today.  Discouraging because this month I made about $10 total, which isn't bad for just 12 hubs (Hub ads + adsense + amazon).

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   1. 79

      QuestionMasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry but I haven't come across that before... what is 'A/B Testing?'

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      1. 76

         jenniferrpoveyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Views *always* drop on Sundays.

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         1. 90

            Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            No, not always.
            
            Mostly, I'd agree.  But not always.

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            theherbivorehippiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Sunday is one of my best days

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            1. 83

               David 470posted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Me too

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2. 90

   Pcunixposted 12 years ago

   What do you mean by saying YOU are being A/B tested by Google?
   
   
   YOU can do A/B testing with ad positions, colors, text, whatever.  What A/B testing are you talking about that Google would do?

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3. 76

   jenniferrpoveyposted 12 years ago

   I've heard enough people say that views dip on Sundays that I wouldn't assume a Sunday dip meant anything.

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4. 60

   AndrewGeeposted 12 years ago

   actually i can see where you are coming from.  basically you are saying that for a short period Google is floating you to the top of the search engines to see what people are doing on your site.  do they click through? do they bounce or read your whole article?
   
   what i would say you should do is write more hubs and link them to existing hubs.

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5. 86

   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   I think the OP is describing the surging/plunging pattern that a lot of us have been experiencing since the new subdomains came in.
   
   I was interested in learned what A/B testing is though. Is that the official name for it?

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      Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes.  You try an A version, then a B version.   See http://www.google.com/support/websiteop … swer=71976

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      1. 86

         IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That is something for webmasters to use then, and not Google?
         
         As we are not webmasters here, we have no control. Then again, obviousy my stuff is not getting moved around or I'd have noticed.(thought is has been, a teensy bit with the new ad layouts etc).
         
         So the OP is still plunging/surging. He mentioned September 6th which was a black day for a lot of us, but other surged at that time.
         
         There is hope for me yet then. I am still on a plunge, and it is hopeful to know the results have not finally settled into their forever position.

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6. 90

   Pcunixposted 12 years ago

   Yes, though you can do manual tests anywhere.  You don't have full control, but you can affect ad placement to some extent here.

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7. 71

   sunforgedposted 12 years ago

   you could and should use a/b testing in as many ways as possible
   
   
   some ideas for a hub a/b test ...
   
   should amazon/adsense/ebay occupy the "prime" above the fold spot?
   
   try a month with each ... or a week, or 1000 views etc.
   
   does product A (pepsi)sell better than B (coke)? on a hub "buy soda online" showcase one over the other see what happens.
   
   A/B testing is pretty much a must have technique in the arsenal for any smart webmaster or publisher

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8. 73

   Richieb799posted 12 years ago

   Yes they've been doing it for a few weeks recently according to a newsletter I receive, one of my clients rankings was umming and arrring about whether it was 1st or 2nd in Google UK for about a week

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9. 95

   PaulGoodman67posted 12 years ago

   I lost 45% of my traffic very suddenly on Saturday (I would normally expect to drop maybe 20-25% at the start of the weekend and not quite so suddenly).  I really thought I was being "plunged" and that my Google traffic would be down to zero within 24 hours.  However, thankfully, my traffic has more or less recovered now, although not quite at the level it was before the weekend.

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   1. 77

      Sally's Troveposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You describe exactly the pattern I've experienced over the last few days.

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10. 61

    Hollie Thomasposted 12 years ago

    I've also lost about 50% of my traffic, this started on Friday and I've not recovered yet.

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