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Conduct Web experiments using PHP, Part 1

By Paul Meagher
2005-03-16

Use categorical data analysis tools to analyze factorial Web experiments
It's practically impossible for you to use the Web today and not come across a Web offer -- a Web-based product or service offer that includes an online method of responding to the offer. The desired response might be to fill out an information request form, to join a site mailing list, to set up an appointment to meet with a representative of the product or service, or any number of other options.

A Web offer is a powerful marketing tool that gives a sales force entrče to a buyer's most pervasive motivating force. Through the unique structure of online technology, marketing can easily tap into a consumer's brightest fantasy or most vulnerable flank (depending on your point of view): almost instant gratification. And like any marketing tool, half of its effectiveness lies in being able to measure its effectiveness.

That's where these two articles come in. In this one, I'll demonstrate how to implement Web-based factorial experiments using PHP. Using this code, you can begin running Web-based quality control experiments in the background on your own sites. And I won't stop there. In the next article, you will learn how to analyze factorial data arising from these Web experiments using PHP-based Categorical Data Analysis (CDA) tools.

To start, ask yourself the question, How can I assess the effectiveness of a Web offer?


Tutorial pages:


First published by IBM developerWorks
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