AB testing is also known as split testing, and it's a marketing strategy whereby you compare two versions of a website page or application. The goal of the test is to check which version performs better. As explained on kameleoon.com, the variations are A and B and are presented to people randomly. It is an amazing way of calculating the perfect promotional and marketing strategies for your online business platform. Below you'll find more information about the testing.
Types of Websites that Can Use AB Testing
All websites can benefit from this testing since the owners have a reason for their website being online. Whether you own an online store, media site, or news site, your goal is to improve your conversion rate, so doing an ab test is perfect. Below are websites that need this form of testing:
• Lead – this is a term that refers to a prospective client or sales lead. Relevant emails are sent to users to boost a website's sales. An A/B test here will identify the characteristics of people contacted, such as the age range or sex.
• Media – if you work closely with the press, the main idea is to test how successful certain content category is; to check if the content is perfect for the audience. It is a common practice in media.
• E-commerce – the purpose of testing in this website's category is to check how an online store sells its merchandise. The test is done using the completed sales to check what works better. It also checks the main pages' design and visual elements of making a purchase, such as buttons or calls-to-action.
What is A/B Testing and How Does it Work?
The testing has two variations known as A and B, and they're represented to you randomly. One website page is given the A while the other version will get the B. The results are analysed to determine the variation that performs better—the analysis shows which one performed better by comparing some indicators such as conversion rate. In short, you verify which version receives more clicks, purchases or subscriptions. After receiving the results, you can use them to optimise your site for conversions.
For an example;
Assume you have two landing page designs, and you would like to know the one that might perform better. Once you've created them, you assign one group (say A) to one landing page and the other group (B) to the other version. After an analysis, you'll see the landing page that performs better in terms of metrics such as clicks, conversions or traffic.
The Importance of AB Testing
Now that you already know the answer to what is ab testing, it's time you learn how you'll benefit from this practice. The testing uses controlled tests and data to figure out what strategies will work best for your brand. By accurately testing your website, you'll see changes in your return on investment. Here are the other benefits you'll enjoy from a/b tests:
• You understand your target audience by seeing the types of emails or headlines your audience responds to. Ab tests give you an insight into who your audience is and the things they want.
• Ab tests are an effective way of increasing conversion rates. Understanding what ab tests are and how they will streamline the conversion process.
• Stay updated in terms of trending products or information. Predicting the type of content, products or images people will like is difficult, but with this testing, you'll stay ahead of changing consumer behaviour trends.
How to Do A/B Test
The testing isn't complicated, but you'll need a strategy before you start. It's highly recommended before running the test, you understand the pages that are performing. Once you're aware of this, use Google Analytics to keep track of traffic and referral sources.
To increase your website's revenue and boost the conversions rates, here is how to do an ab test:
1. Choose what you want to test
You have to start with the element or website you want to test. It should be relevant to the metric you want to make changes to. For example, if you want to increase organic traffic, identify the elements that have an impact on SEO, such as keywords and blog post length. Set your goals. What is it that you want to achieve with the ab test and start the process.
Analyse Data
Take a look at your data, and for this, you can use a tool such as Google Analytics. Check what the tool tells you about the current state of the webpage based on the targeted metric.
Choose the page you'll test
You should start with the important page, such as the highly trafficked landing page or homepage. The page you choose should have a major impact on your business. Now that you've chosen the page set the A and B elements to run the test. Choose the elements you'll test and assign one group to one version and the other one to the remaining group. Always start with the element you think performs better.
4. Create a Variant
The next step is creating a variant of the champion. You change the element you chose in the second step and make a few changes. For example, if you're testing the CTA, you can change the button size or background colour.
5. Pick the best a to b testing tools
The best tool will depend on what metric you're testing. If you're going to test emails, some email service providers have their in-built testing tools. You can also use other tools like Crazy to A/B test landing pages.
6. Design the test and accumulate data
Now, it's time to design the test. For instance, you should specify how long you want the ab test to run and the devices from which data should be collected. As for data collection, some tools collect it automatically, and you can check the progress of the test at any point.
7. Analyse the results of the ab test statistics
Once you've completed all the steps and the test is complete, it's time to draw conclusions based on the results. You check who won: the champion or the other version. Once you've determined the one that won, you can make changes to your website based on what the audience preferred or start the process with a new variant.