Broadleaf Commerce Enterprise Module

Content Tests

The Content Test module is a wrapper on Google Experiments.

Google Experiments provides A/B testing functionality based on a test URL and multiple variations. With a normal usage
of Google Experiments, you would define an original url to test, a goal to measure, and then define the URLs of the
variations you want to test. This would be followed by developer tasks to insert the experiments code in each of the
pages.

Broadleaf Commerce uses a "Server Side" implementation that marries Google Experiments with the needs of an eCommerce site.
This approach provides several benefits over the standard Google Experiments implementation.

Benefits

• Once Google Experiments are setup, no develop involvement is needed to add experiment code to your pages and templates.
• You are able to target experiments at page types (for example all product detail pages)
• You are able to target actions other than simple URL variations
  
• You are able to restrict tests to certain customer segments

Sample Usage

With the Content Test module, merchandisers can test the following ...

• Variations of category, product, checkout, and content pages
• Variations of "Content Items". For example, show a different home page banner ad as the A/B test.
• Variations of "System Properties" (see notes below)

Being able to target off of System Properties allows for custom development actions. For example, perhaps you have a
new recommendations algorithm that your team wants to try out. Your development team can develop the new algorithm and
provide a system property to control whether the algorithm is being used or not. You can then setup an A/B test that
turns the algorithm on for members of the A/B test. This example is representative of a large number of business tests
that can be run using developer interaction.

Targeting Features

In Broadleaf Content Tests, the tests can be targeted using Broadleaf's powerful rules engine. For example, you might be
testing a variation that you only want to show to customers with a particular loyalty status or those that reside in a
specific geography.

Approach

Setting up a content test involves the following steps ...

1. Create the Content Test and determine which URLs or templates will be involved in the test. You can select pages participating in the test by ...

   • Entering a specific URL
   • Selecting a content managed page
   • Selecting a product (e.g. product page)
   • Selecting a category (e.g. category page)
   • Selecting a template (e.g. all products using a given template)
   • Building a rule based on URL and template paths

2. Choose a Goal that you want to measure for the test. The goal can be page views, sales, or any custom Goal you have
   setup in Google Analytics

3. Setup an one or more variations of what the users involved in the test will see. The alternate variations can include one
   or more actions including the following ..

   • Show an alternate template
   • Show an alternate Url
   • Change the value of a system property
   • Show an alternate content item
   • A combination of the above actions

For a full walkthrough of setting up Content Tests in Broadleaf, see [Creating Content Tests].

Compatibility

Module Dependencies

• Scheduled Jobs and Events module
• Theme module
• Customer Segment module
• Advanced CMS module

Initial Configuration

For detailed instructions on how to integrate the Content Test module into your project, see the Module Installation document.

Note that the Broadleaf Content Tests module will require access to your Google Analytics account.

See Google Configuration for information on how to setup the access.