In the digital landscape, the difference between a thriving online presence and a static one often comes down to mastering the art of A/B testing and conversion rate optimization. These are two crucial tools for business owners, digital marketers, and everyone in between so you might want to listen...

What is A/B testing?

A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method used to compare two versions (A and B) of a webpage, email, app, etc. The goal is to determine which version performs better by analyzing user engagement and conversion metrics. By systematically presenting different variations to different segments of the audience, businesses can make data-driven decisions to optimize content, design, and user experience for maximum effectiveness.

But why?

A/B testing is crucial for improving your online content and achieving better results. By comparing two versions and analyzing how users respond, you can make informed decisions based on real data. This helps you understand what your audience prefers and enhances their experience on your website. It ultimately takes the guesswork out of decision-making, ensuring you invest in strategies that truly work for your audience.

The process of A/B testing is quite simple...

• Data Collection: You must collect data in order to find the area you would like to improve. Gather insight from analytics tools such as Google Analytics to target high traffic areas and gather data faster. Additionally, analyze other sources like heatmaps, social media and surveys to find new areas for improvement.
• Identify Goals: You must identify your business' goals, whether that is a purchase, click, form filled out, etc.
• Hypothesize: Generate A/B testing ideas and test hypotheses for why you think they will be better than the current version.
• Create Variations: Try to only change one thing on your site at a time, that way you can pinpoint which change had a significant effect on visitor behavior and which one did not.
• Run your experiment!
• Analyze: Lastly you must analyze your results. It is important to achieve statistically significant results so you’re confident in the outcome of the test.

Now, what the heck is a conversion?

A conversion occurs when a user completes some predetermined action on your site (your "goal" as mentioned earlier). Conversions do not have to be tied to monetary goals, and some common examples are when a user makes a purchase, clicks a button, submits a form, or any other goal of interest for your business.

Conversion Rate Optimization

Conversion rate optimization, or CRO, is the process of increasing the percentage of users or website visitors who complete a specific action to increase the number of leads you generate.

The goal of CRO is to enhance the efficiency of a website or digital platform by optimizing elements that influence user behavior, leading to increased conversions.

CRO Process

HotJar gave me some great insight in to the CRO process. This process involves analyzing user interactions, including the:

• Drivers - parts of site or app driving people to convert
• Barriers - issues stopping users from converting
• Hooks - elements on website that convince users to convert

You must then test different variations of elements like content, design, and CTA's through methods such as A/B testing.

Then, implement change based on these insights.

The ultimate aim is to create a more user-friendly and persuasive experience, encouraging visitors to complete the desired actions. CRO is a continuous and iterative approach focused on maximizing the impact of each user visit.

The same but... different

Conversion rate optimization and A/B testing definitely get along great but they are not identical. CRO is the overarching strategy aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a website or digital platform. A/B testing, on the other hand, is a specific method within CRO that involves comparing two variations to determine which performs better in terms of user engagement and conversions. While CRO requires a sustained, long-term commitment to analyzing user behavior and implementing continuous improvements, A/B testing provides immediate insights through controlled experiments. Overall, A/B testing is a tactical tool that serves the strategic goals of conversion rate optimization.

A/B Testing in Action

This case about Humana is interesting and will hopefully show you the importance of this tool.

The medical insurance company was not happy with their clickthrough rate (CTR) so they decided to do A/B testing on their website header. They simply cleaned up the header and changed it from this:

to this:

to this:

The photo change alone led to a 433 percent increase in CTR and after changing the CTA text to the simple "Shop Medicare plans", the company experienced a further 192 percent boost. This is an instance of remarkable outcomes from A/B testing. Humana aimed to boost CTR and succeeded significantly by streamlining the graphic and tweaking some minor aesthetic elements.

Thanks for reading, I hope you absorbed some useful information!

‍