A/B testing is an alternative for maximizing traffic and open rates. It's a reliable scientific tool to guide marketing teams in choosing their approach. A/B testing offers economic advantages in the face of rising advertising costs. But what is the principle of A/B testing? And how does it work?
What is A/B Testing?
A/B testing is a scientific method for comparing the performance of two versions of a web page, labeled A and B. The differences between the two versions can lie in the design, content, and site structure. The goal of this comparison is to identify which version converts best.
Some users will be directed to version A, and others to version B. This distribution is random. Statistical analysis based on indicators such as conversion rates, click-through rates, purchase rates, subscription rates, etc., will allow us to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of each version.
A/B testing is a marketing procedure used to identify the best version of digital content for a specific purpose. Sometimes, multiple versions are presented for evaluation; this is known as A/X testing.
Origins of A/B testing
This process predates the internet, as the concept involves comparing two versions of the same product to determine which performs best. In the 1920s, the British biologist and statistician Ronald Fisher was the first to highlight this using mathematics. This contributed significantly to advancements in the scientific world. The principle was subsequently applied to medicine with clinical trials.
A/B testing was adopted in marketing in the 1960s. However, as we know it today, A/B testing has existed since 1990. It quickly proved its worth. The development of digital technology and the democratization of the internet have exponentially increased the possibilities for performance testing. Technological advancements, with the various tools available, facilitate test design and results analysis.
What is the point of doing A/B testing?
A/B testing allows you to verify the impact of changes made and understand how those changes affect users. It is carried out to optimize the user experience and guide your various marketing campaigns by combining high-performing elements.
The strategies adopted will then be based on scientific evidence and not on intuition.
READ ALSO: Implementing an Account Based Marketing Strategy
How A/B testing works
What can be A/B tested on a website?
Almost all visible elements of the site can be tested:
- Titles are the gateways to your website.
- Product pages that provide access to your offers with the correct shopping cart button.
- The texts that convey the message you want to send.
- The prices and how they are displayed.
- Images for their effect of superiority over text.
- The colors
- The forms
- The appearance of the buttons, the links, etc.
For an email campaign:
All elements visible before the email is opened should be tested: the sender's name, the email subject line, the beginning of the message, or preheader. These tests will improve your open rates. You can also improve your click-through rates by testing elements of your call to action.
The rules for A/B testing
Certain rules must be followed for a good test:
- The objective must be defined in order to make the changes in a precise manner.
- You must test one element at a time to identify the best version. Use a control version and a processing version.
- It is necessary to work with an appropriate sample size in order to obtain a statistically significant result.
- You need to archive the tests and their results to review the information and share it with the stakeholders.
- And continue testing to perpetually optimize your content.
Which sites are affected by A/B testing?
A/B testing applies to all websites and applications:
- Leads to determine the characteristics of the prospects contacted: ages, genders, etc.
- In the media, this is an editorial test to determine the success of a content category.
- E-commerce to determine its commercial effectiveness, and its online application.
Tools for A/B testing
Here are some examples of software that can be used to perform A/B testing
AB Tasty : website pages
With AB Tasty, you can implement split tasting, which puts your visitors at the heart of the decision-making process. It hosts different versions on separate URLs and requires the support of a technical team.
To test your website pages you can also use Optimizely and Kameleon.
Unbounce : landing pages
Unbounce adapts your landing page to the device on which it will be viewed: desktop, tablet, or mobile. It can create multiple versions of your landing page. Simply duplicate the existing page and then change the elements you want.
Mailjet : email campaigns
Mailjet is an intuitive email editor that creates, sends, and tracks your emails . It allows you to design up to 10 versions of your emails to optimize your campaign results. The best version, according to your criteria, is sent to the rest of your contact list .
A/B testing significantly contributes to optimizing conversions, but on its own, it's not enough to understand user behavior. It needs to be supported by other disciplines to be more accurate. Here are a few examples: web analytics data, usability audits, user testing, customer feedback, heatmaps, and session recording.
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