Conversion rate optimisation is essential when you want to boost your profits. This is where you focus on converting your already existing traffic into paying customers. However, for this to happen, you have to make use of A/B testing. This is the secret sauce that will make all that happen.
Just as the phrase implies, A/B testing is a split test. This is an experiment where you test two versions of your landing pages or apps simultaneously with the goal of finding out which is more effective. The best thing about this trial is that it helps you get the best version of your app or landing page, thereby making it easy for you to optimise conversions.
Why run A/B tests?
The obvious reason is to find out which version of your webpage or app works best. Improving customer experience is important in online marketing, and you will only be able to know which version works best by testing. This is what A/B testing is all about. It helps you find the version that converts the most.
There is a range of other benefits you get from A/B testing. This include:
- Lower your website’s bounce rate
- Increase conversion rates
- Achieve more sales
- Boost customer experience
It is also important to note that A/B testing can help you reduce your marketing expenses. This is more so when considering the fact that once you test your landing page or app, you will be able to know which version works best. You can then drop the ineffective versions.
The best thing about A/B testing is that it helps you measure and improve aspects of your strategies. You just need to conduct tests consistently and make sure that you implement the required changes accordingly.
Suggestions for effective A/B testing
Now that you understand why A/B testing is important for your online business’ success, it is time to learn how to do it right. Not every business that conducts these tests gets the result they need. This is more so because of their poor approach. Below are a couple of points you should consider using when conducting your tests.
Start with low hanging fruits
The first thing you need to consider is to focus on the things that you can change yourself. You can rectify these things without any IT support. This will help you hone your skills on testing and build your momentum before getting into the hard parts. More often than not, starting with the complex areas will cause you to forget about the small things that have a significant impact on your business.
Determine your sample size before getting started
For your test to run smoothly and bear the results you want, you have to calculate a sample size. There are numerous tools you can use online to calculate a sample size. How much increase in profits/ conversion do you want to achieve? Typically, the conversion rate of companies is about 4 to 10 percent. This is not an easy rate to achieve. To start with, focus on smaller percentages.
Test different versions at the same time
The mistake you can make when it comes to A/B testing is that of testing different versions separately. Although you may get the results you think you want, the data will not be accurate. A/B testing relies on testing different versions of a web page or app simultaneously. This is the only way you will be guaranteed that each version gets the same traffic. If you test one version of your website now and then the other one next time, your findings will not be accurate. With such a test, you can only rely on user reviews to know which version they prefer.
Run tests in increments of a week
When running your test, it is important that you do so with increments of a week. This is because the amount of traffic your website gets on a weekend may be different from the amount you get on a weekday. For accurate results, run your test throughout the week. This is unless you want a version that will work best on a weekend or a specific day of the week.
Do not assume anything
An important thing you need to do when it comes to A/B testing is never assume anything when running the test. It is easy to understand that your audience will love the big orange button that Oil Gardner uses. One thing you have to remember is that your audiences are different from those of Oil Gardner.
Therefore, for you to get accurate results, you have to test everything without making any assumptions. Yes, you should always start your tests with a hypothesis but you must never presume to know what your results will be. More often than not, the results are never what you expect.
Never discontinue the test prematurely
Often when the results are good, you may be tempted to stop the test with the assumption that you have everything. This is something you must never do. When it comes to A/B testing, you must run the test for the entire test period. The results may be good for the first week but completely unpredictable in the third week. Therefore, if you want to run the test for a week, do not stop until the week is over or until you have reached your sample size.
Test several variables
Last but not least. Whether you are testing your landing page or an app, it is important that you test different variables. Start by testing the headlines and the call-to-action buttons then proceed to test a combination of these variables. The more you test, the more insight you will get.
A/B testing is important to the success of any business. When done right, it can help you boost your profits within a very short period. The important thing, however, is to learn how to conduct these tests. Also, you need to check how comprehensive your test is will determine the quality of results you get.
