First thing’s first. What is A/B Testing?
Comparing A to B. It is as simple as that. Well, no, not really. There are plenty of variables in play. For best results it is highly recommended to familiarize with the concept in more detail. That is what we shall do here. Let’s begin.
A/B testing (also known as split testing) is a process of showing two variants of the same web page to different segments of website visitors at the same time and comparing which variant drives more conversions.
In other words: the split testing relies on changing part of the page or app, to see how the changes work. Or not. It requires two parts. One is the Control object (for example, the original webpage), and the second one is the Variant – the webpage with the changes.
After the testing is complete – the analysis of the statistics allows for solid conclusions to be drawn, making the A/B testing a powerful tool with very little effort. How so? Simple!
What good does it do?
Well, lots! Believe it or not!
It is a great option for testing multiple variables, allowing to build rapport overtime to let you know what works best and what needs to be changed. A/B testing is based on testing one detail aka change, at a time, giving the creator of the webpage, the best chances at knowing, which parts of their webpage work best, or not.
By having both: The Control and the Variant tested at the same time, it makes it easier to spot how much the changes made to the webpage are effective. The options on what can be tested with the A/B testing are endless! That’s the beauty of the A/B testing.
A/B testing and adverts
The split testing can also help you get better with your advertisement. One more selling point of the A/B testing is that it can also account for network analysis for your content. Here’s how.
Imagine running multiple tests all to no avail. You, at your wits ends, are at a loss. Don’t panic. A/B testing is here to help. Thing is, no matter the amount of changes done to your ads – they can still fail to produce the desired results. Why?
Well, it might be because your content is not located in the right spot. Your ads are having difficulty getting noticed by your “perfect consumer” because your ads do not have the right network. With the help of A/B testing you can determine whether your work is receiving the praise it deserves.
Ok, I’m sold… Now what?
Now let’s take a look on how to run it. Properly.
There are major key points that you should be focusing on before running an A/B test. Those are:
Research – it is important to have a basic understanding on what is going on with the current webpage. Analysing current data will provide a general idea on what is currently working and what is not.
Observing and Formulating Hypothesis – once the general idea of the current situation is clear, it is time to think about what would be the desired results. What is it that we want to achieve?
Creating Variations – is the fun part! This is where you have the freedom to mess around with the components of the webpage. Keep in mind, that this creativity should be consistent with the Hypothesis at hand.
The last 2 are, of course, running the test and analysing it. Luckily, the last key points are quite self-explanatory. Once you have your statistics in place – you will have a clear picture on what changes bring the best results. The only thing that’s left after that is to simply implement the changes, based on the analysis.
Attention! VIP detail incoming!
Do not resort to testing a bunch of As vs. Bs, all at the same time. Although, it is possible, it is not recommended. No need to overcomplicate yourself.
The beauty of the A/B Testing lies in running it as many times as you like, with a detail changed at a time. Of course, it sounds tedious when put like that. However. Even the slightest change can lead to a major impact.
No need to go too crazy right out the gate. With enough patience you can build up to the perfect idea of what the final product should be like. All thanks to the A/B testing!
The punchline…
So then, for the Ladies of Digital Marketing the A/B testing can be summarized as:
“will this Pretty Little Dress look better with the belt on or off…”
It is as simple as that, once you know how it works. So, don’t be shy and try it out. See what works best for you!
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