Definition: A/B Testing, AKA split testing, is a method where two variables (usually in ads, funnel pages, page elements, etc.) are compared to each other at the same time.
Explanation:
Everyone wants to obtain good results, especially in marketing, to know if their marketing efforts are worth all the fuss.
One good reason why this is important is that it is used to gather qualitative and quantitative results and
The A/B testing method is done to easily determine which variable is effective than the other before taking action.
Usually, the variable that performs better is more likely to be used in the process to optimize conversion rates.
What is A/B testing in digital marketing?
In digital marketing, A/B testing is used to compare two versions of a web page to determine which one has a better performance to achieve goals.
Most of the time, marketers use variations of the same page to different segments of traffic at the same time.
Upon getting results, this helps marketers understand engagement rate, user behavior, headline performance, CTA buttons, and more.
Why do we test?
Testing helps marketers understand how words, phrases, colors, videos, design, and other page elements more, make minor changes and give users a good experience.
A/B testing is best used in email marketing, ad optimization, eCommerce websites, landing pages, and sales funnel pages.
Tests make a huge impact on your business as they can increase sales and other types of conversions.
What elements should you test?
There are six important elements that need to be tested directly to your audience and each one will be discussed in this section.
Call to Action Button
Minor details of your CTA button, specifically the color, affect conversion rates the most.
Marketers often experiment with the colors of their CTA button like changing it from green to red or green to blue.
Your CTA copy could also affect performance like using ‘Start Free Trial Now’ or ‘Start My Free Trial”.
Headlines
Headlines are what your audience sees first while they’re on your website.
It has to be engaging, actionable and builds curiosity to get your audience to click it right away.
You can test by using different versions of your headlines and see which one produces a higher click-through rate than the other.
Sales Copy
Your sales copy might also be a reason why you’re not getting enough conversions on your website.
It might be too confusing for your audience or maybe it wasn’t enough to tell them about your products or services.
Images
The images, video, and audio of your website might also be one reason why less traffic is doing a specific action in one of your web pages.
Try adding shorter infographics, memes, explainer videos, testimonials, podcasts, and other stuff that is relevant to your subject matter.
Product descriptions
Product descriptions in eCommerce also have an effect on consumers.
Short product descriptions are highly recommended as it is direct to the point and easier to read.
Alternatively, you can use bullet points in your product description other than in paragraph form.
Social Proof
If you want to make your offer extra attractive, try adding social proof or testimonials about it as it can affect the buying decision of your audience more in a positive way.
How do you perform a test?
Now that you know the basic concepts of A/B testing, it’s finally time to start doing the test.
Choose an independent and dependent variable
Your independent variable can be the image, font, colors, headlines, videos, CTA buttons, page design, etc.
On the other hand, the dependent variable is the altered version of your independent variable that’s put to test.
Identify goals
Ask yourself what results do you want to obtain at the end of the test.
Do you want to get higher conversion rates?
Do you want to determine which element is malfunctioning?
Which element needs to be changed?
After identifying goals, create a hypothesis and compare it to your results after the test.
Create a controlled group and experimental group
The controlled group is the participants who will not be tested whereas the experimental group will be exposed to the test.
For example, the controlled group will be directed to the same page that you usually use, while the experimental group will be redirected to a page with the same content but with a different design.
This makes it easier to compare different results and determine if your hypothesis is correct.
Split sample groups
Divide visitors and randomly assign them to different tests to obtain results.
Tests can be done for at least a week to get accurate results from your experiment.
Take action
Once obtaining the results, analyze them and take all the necessary actions to start optimizing conversion rates.
A/B testing doesn’t have to be a complicated process.
When done correctly, you’re guaranteed to get the desired results that you’ve been aiming for all along.
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