What Is A/B Testing?
It is a way to compare two versions of something to decide which one helps you achieve your goals more efficiently.
Why Use A/B Testing
- Find and solve pain points in your UX. Use heat maps to analyze the results more effectively;
- Reduce bounce rate that can be caused both by longer than necessary page loading or not enough catchy and informative first screen;
- Verify new UI or redesign to ensure successful launch and promotion;
- Explore opportunities to increase ROI, making sure marketing materials and landings are up to par.
What To Test With A/B Testing
Most common and impact-driven A/B testing examples include focusing on:
- Call-to-action buttons — a critical element in converting visitors into customers;
- Email subject lines — crucial factor affecting email open rates;
- Headings — essential for capturing your visitors’ attention;
- Design elements — with a significant impact on user engagement;
- Navigation — define whether clients can easily use your product.
A/B Testing Types
As for the types of A/B split testing, here are the ones you should take into account:
- Multivariate — involves checking multiple options of several elements at the same time;
- Split URL – relies on creating two different URLs and directing traffic to each URL to compare their performance;
- Multipage — focuses on different versions of multiple pages on a website or app.
How To Implement A/B Testing
If you need the shortest guide on how to do A/B testing, follow these steps and figure out the details as you go:
- Conduct research and formulate a hypothesis;
- Create two or more variations of the element you want to experiment with;
- Run the sequence and monitor the results;
- Analyze the results and implement changes based on the data.
A/B Testing Best Practices
- Create an optimization roadmap to define your strategy and goals;
- Limit the number of elements you work on to one or two at a time to prevent confusion and ensure that the results are clear and actionable;
- Consider the statistical significance of your results before making any changes to your site or app;
- Use balanced traffic to ensure accurate results;
- Divide your traffic equally between the control and test groups;
- Choose a duration that is long enough to produce reliable outcomes;
- Take into consideration external factors such as holidays or events;
- Consider your specific needs and budget when selecting a tool that will work best for you.
