A/B Testing is a method of testing design changes on a webpage to find out which performs the best. Quite literally, you create webpage version A, and webpage version B, then test them over a specified timeframe. It enables businesses to identify which webpage design and element is enhancing conversion rate before making a permanent change.
Knowing which elements to improve on your website to get the best result or meet your goals is not so easy. People have opinions. People’s opinions differ. Your marketing team may want to fill the homepage with social media widgets; or your sales team may insist you include more product banners in the homepage linking directly to the shopping cart. Who is right? Maybe you have your own opinion? The problem with opinions is that they are subjective. The true expert in deciding how to optimise your website for greater success and business growth is your website visitor. A/B testing allows you to question your long held assumptions and use data and facts at hand to result-driven action. But how does it work?
Let’s imagine you want to ensure that you’re making the best impact you can on your homepage, which displays your social media widgets and registration form. Do you think it would be better if you include a brief introduction of your business? Would it be best to include your product/service details in it? Perhaps it’s best to also include testimonials from your previous clients? What would your website visitors like best? Ask them! Using A/B, testing you can split your page and create different versions. Version A may include products with version B including testimonials. 50% of visitors will see one variation and 50% will see the other. Run this for a specified timeframe and then compare the result of each. The analytics will help you see which version performed the best i.e. completed the most goals you set. From there, you have evidence that one version works better than the other.
Having chosen a winning design and achieving your conversion rate goal, you continue to further optimise your website by enhancing other elements of it. You may change the colour of ‘buy now’ buttons, or the position of your ‘Sale’ page. Either way, you take opinions away, and replace them with facts. Listen to your website visitors, let them make the decisions for you.
Thanks for reading our ‘What is A/B Testing?’ article – this post covers just a small number of factors involved with A/B Testing. Be sure to visit our digital marketing blog for all the latest happenings in digital marketing.
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For more information, any help or advice for your A/B Testing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the team.
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