A/B Testing, also known as “split testing”, is a way to compare two versions of a website to see which one works best. Version “A” is the control, and version “B” is the change. The goal of A/B testing is to improve conversions by finding out which version of a web page is more likely to turn visitors into customers or leads.
What is A/B testing?
A/B testing is a data-driven marketing method that allows you to compare two versions of a piece of content (usually an email, landing page, or advertisement) to see which one works best. Version “A” is the control version, or the version of the content you’ve used so far. Version “B” is the variation you want to test, which is a slightly different version of the content.
For example, let’s say you want to test two different subject lines for your next email campaign. Subject line “A” is the one you usually use, and subject line “B” is a slightly different version you want to test. Once you’ve sent the emails, you can look at metrics such as the number of opens and clicks to see which subject line performed better.
With proper A/B testing, conversion rates can increase by up to 20%. This is why it has become an important tool for modern marketers.
If you’re not yet using A/B testing as part of your marketing strategy, now is the time to start. Read on to find out how A/B testing can help your business and what its benefits are.
How do I set up an A/B test?
There are four steps to setting up an A/B test:
Choose what you want to test
This can range from the title of your homepage to the color of your “Buy Now” button.
Set up your A/B testing
You need to create two versions of the e-commerce page you want to test (version “A” and version “B”). Be sure to change only one element at a time so you can accurately determine which change made a difference in the results.
Drive traffic to your A/B test
Use your regular marketing channels (social media, email marketing, paid advertising, etc.) to drive traffic to your A/B testing.
Analyze the results of your A/B test
Once you have enough data, it’s time to analyze the results and see which version performs best. The winning version is the one that achieved the desired result (e.g., more sales, more sign-ups, etc.), although there may be other factors to consider (e.g., user experience).
Types of A/B testing
There are three types of A/B testing:
Multivariate testing
In these tests, more than one part of a web page is changed at the same time. For example, you can try different headlines, images and call-to-action buttons at the same time.
Split URL tests
For these tests, you send traffic from your usual marketing channels (like social media and email marketing) to two different URLs, one for version “A” and one for version “B”. The only thing that changes between these two versions is the URL. Everything else remains the same.
Redirection tests
Most of the time, redirection tests are used when major changes are made to an e-commerce site (such as a complete redesign) and it would be too difficult or time consuming to create two different versions with different URLs.
A/B testing is a useful tool for any marketer who wants to increase the number of people who buy something on their ecommerce. By subjecting different parts of their websites to split testing, they can determine which changes result in a higher conversion rate and make those changes permanent. Each type of a b test has its pros and cons, depending on what you want to do with your website. Before you start making changes to your live e-commerce based on the results of a test. Make sure you have a clear goal in mind and enough traffic for a profitable A/B Testing.
