Why Multivariate Testing Matters for Keeping Adventure Travelers Coming Back
Retention is the name of the game when you run content marketing for an adventure-travel company. After all, finding new customers costs 5 to 25 times more than keeping existing ones, according to a 2023 McKinsey study. Multivariate testing can help you figure out exactly which elements of your emails, landing pages, or app keep your passengers excited enough to book their next trek or safari. This isn’t just about flashy headlines or pictures — it’s about what builds loyalty, reduces churn, and creates habit-forming engagement.
Multivariate testing means you test several variables at once — say, image style, call-to-action wording, and testimonial placement — to see which combos keep your adventure travelers clicking and booking. You don’t just guess; you gather data from real users. But if you’re just starting out, the testing can feel like a maze. So, here are 8 tactics to try, explained with mountain-hiking, jungle-trekking, and kayaking examples.
1. Start Small: Test One Section at a Time
It’s tempting to throw everything into a test — swapping photos, headlines, and buttons all at once. But that’s a rookie trap. Multivariate testing can quickly get messy if you test too many variables, making it impossible to pinpoint the winning change.
Example: Suppose you’re testing your adventure travel newsletter. Change the header image from a mountain vista to a rainforest waterfall, but keep the headline and call-to-action constant. Run this test first. Once you see which image drives more clicks, move on to testing the headline text next.
Gotcha: Only test combinations that make sense together. Avoid mixing unrelated changes — you want to isolate the effect of each element on retention.
2. Focus on Post-Booking Engagement Metrics, Not Just Clicks
Clicks are easy to measure, but clicks don’t always equal loyalty. Your goal is to reduce churn — meaning you want travelers who return to book again or engage with loyalty content.
Example: After an expedition booking, test two different email sequences. One sequence sends personalized packing tips, while the other shares an exclusive video from the guide. Measure which sequence results in more repeat bookings or longer app sessions three months later.
A 2024 Forrester report found that personalization in post-booking emails increased repeat customer rates by 15%.
Edge case: If you run a new adventure launch with zero repeat customers yet, focus first on clicks and sign-ups, then expand to retention metrics later.
3. Use Customer Feedback Tools Mid-Test to Understand Why
Numbers tell you what changed, but not why. Incorporate surveys or polls during or after tests to gather traveler opinions. Tools like Zigpoll, Typeform, or even Instagram Stories’ polls can be quick ways to ask your audience.
Example: You tested two landing pages for an Andes trek: one with vibrant action shots, another with serene landscape panoramas. Mid-test, send a Zigpoll asking visitors which image made them feel more excited or safe.
Caveat: Feedback is subjective, so treat it as a complement to hard data, not a substitute.
4. Prioritize Variables with High Impact on Loyalty First
Not all elements influence retention equally. Your call-to-action’s wording might be less important than the type of content you deliver after booking.
Example: One adventure company tested button text (“Join the Adventure” vs. “Secure Your Spot”) and saw a 2% lift in click-throughs. But changing post-booking content to monthly “Trail Tales” stories increased repeat bookings by 11%.
Tip: Focus initial efforts on variables tied directly to retention behaviors — like loyalty emails, app notifications, or customer community invitations.
5. Beware Seasonal and Regional Variations in Testing Results
Adventure travel is highly seasonal and location-dependent. A test that boosts retention in Patagonia might flop with African safari customers.
Example: Your test of a “Special Gear Discount” email might work well for winter ski tours but tank for tropical diving expeditions.
Gotcha: Run tests long enough to cover any seasonality (think 4–6 weeks minimum). If you have diverse customers, segment your tests by region or trip type to avoid misleading aggregate results.
6. Run Sequential Multivariate Tests, Not All at Once
When you’re testing many variables, break them into phases. Adjust one or two elements per phase.
Example: Phase 1: Test email subject lines for your bungee jump offers. Phase 2: Once the subject line is optimized, test the button designs inside those emails.
This ensures you understand which change drives the lift and prevents “confounding” — where multiple changes in one test blur your insights.
7. Use Realistic Traffic Sizes and Know When to Stop
Multivariate testing requires enough visitors to reach statistical significance. For small adventure-travel businesses, traffic can be a bottleneck.
Example: If your website only gets 500 visitors a month, running a test with 16 combinations is unlikely to give reliable results within a reasonable time.
Rule of thumb: Start with major splits (A/B testing) before moving to multivariate tests. Tools like Google Optimize or VWO can help estimate your required sample size.
Limitation: Don’t wait months to get conclusive results if your audience is small. Consider qualitative feedback or smaller-scale experiments instead.
8. Document Learnings and Build a Testing Calendar
Testing is a process, not a one-off task. Document what you tested, results, and hypotheses for future reference. Plan a testing calendar around your key seasons or campaign pushes to keep improving retention year-round.
Example: After testing two loyalty-email formats in Q1, plan a follow-up test in Q3 around personalized trip recommendations based on past destinations.
Tip: Share results and insights with your sales or customer service teams — their frontline feedback can spark new test ideas.
What to Try First?
If you’re just starting, here’s the quick checklist to stay on track:
| Priority | What to Test | Why It Matters | Duration | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Post-booking email content | Keeps travelers engaged and ready to rebook | 4–6 weeks | Easy |
| 2 | Landing page visuals | First impression impacts conversions | 3–4 weeks | Medium |
| 3 | Call-to-action text/buttons | Nudges action but less retention impact | 2–3 weeks | Easy |
| 4 | Regional offers or discounts | Tailor to local preferences | 4+ weeks | Medium |
| 5 | Loyalty program invitations | Builds long-term engagement | 6+ weeks | Medium |
Focus on retention-driving variables first. Then, explore more granular tweaks once you have solid data. Testing isn’t just about conversion rates; it’s about understanding your adventurers deeper and keeping them on the trail with you.
Multivariate testing is a tool. Used thoughtfully, it helps you create content that keeps your travelers coming back, year after year. And that’s worth more than any single booking.
