3 Tips When A/B Testing 

We’ve written before about A/B testing and how to get started with A/B testing; we’ve also called out how important A/B testing is for identifying a website’s strengths and weaknesses. Whether you’re about to run your first A/B test or have been playing around with A/B testing for a while now, here are three tips that may improve your efforts—

1 – Know the Difference Between A/B Testing and Split Testing

First, do you know the difference between A/B testing and split testing? The two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are some distinctions. A/B testing compares two versions of your website with the only difference being a single element change, such as text color or the language in your CTA. Split testing, on the other hand, involves comparing two completely separate and distinct design versions of your website. Both can be very valuable, but it’s important to know which one you’re doing and the insights that the results of each can offer. Which leads into the next tip….

2 – Understand What Metrics You Care Most About

There are numerous different metrics to think about when assessing website performance. You may care most about clicks, or conversions, or traffic, or something else entirely. Working with a professional to understand which metrics matter most to you can help you to understand which elements you want to A/B test, or whether split testing instead of A/B testing is more appropriate. If you don’t know what you’re looking for or what you care about, you won’t really understand how to best assess the results of your testing. 

3 – Focus On Relevant Elements for Testing

If you’re A/B testing, it’s best to focus on the key elements, rather than changing multiple things at once or changing things that statistically don’t make much of a difference. Top areas to focus on when A/B testing include: 

• Calls to action. Calls to action, or CTAs, can have a big difference when it comes to conversions. Testing a very different version of your CTA is strongly recommended. 
• Headlines. Another important element to test is the language you use for your headlines. Play around with a few different versions and see what performs the best.
• Graphics and videos. First, you absolutely should be incorporating graphics and videos on your website. Second, you should A/B test those graphics to see which performs the best.
• Content length and depth. It can be difficult to determine how long content should be and how in-depth you should go; sometimes, providing a surface overview of a subject is more effective than taking a deep dive into it, and sometimes, the opposite is true. You can use A/B testing to determine what’s most appropriate for your audience.

Get Help with Your Website from NUVEW

Effective A/B testing, as well as split testing, can be technical and complex. At NUVEW, we offer professional support. To learn more about A/B testing and our digital marketing services for Indiana businesses, call us directly today.