The topic of A/B testing has probably been thrown around the boardroom several thousand times since the pendulum of marketing began swinging the other direction after the Google update storm settled. A/B testing, roughly defined, means assessing two versions of a single element-say, a website or marketing campaign-by keeping all the same attributes, except one.
For those slightly sheepish when it comes to boring tests, let's walk you through the various steps involved in an effective A/B test.
1. Define your goal
Determine the element you want to review and fix through your A/B test. This can be your website, newsletter, rebranding announcement or promotional campaign. For sake of simplicity, let's say you want to zero in on your company's portal and wish to improve its overall "look and feel."
2. Identify variables
When it comes to website improvement, variables can be as diverse as produce found in your local Walmart store. Attributes-same thing as variables-to test range from accessibility, browser compatibility and user-friendliness to instructiveness, FAQ section, returns policy, payment options, payment data security, unique selling point, and pizzazz-meaning how memorable and exciting the shopping experience would be to users.
3. Rank variables by operational priority
After determining variables to test, ascribe testing priority to a few. For example, you can decide to improve how informative your website is, and enhance customers' overall shopping experience while providing a secure payment gateway to prevent instances of identity theft. A combination of all these things is what specialists call "unique selling point," meaning what sets you apart from the competition-or if you want, why you would buy a product on eBay versus Amazon.
4. Design the A/B test
Once you have selected the variables of interest, rank them and pick the testing singleton, which is the criterion you would assess both in the test version and control version. Don't be confused here; in A/B testing, you have Option A and Option B. You can set Option A as the option in which you don't alter anything-that is, the control version-and Option B being the version in which you change the testing singleton. For example, you can say Option A is a website without an FAQ section and Option B a portal with a comprehensive FAQ section.
5. Implement the test
This step is pretty straightforward. Simply, put to good use all the things you've learned so far. You also can use online tools, such as to speed up the testing process, add professional flair to the procedures, and get reliable results you can then use to generate higher conversion rates and sales. You can read more information on A/B Testing by going to Maxymiser for a better understanding on how it works.
6. Analyze the results
Evaluate the results and pay attention to the scenario that yielded the optimal result. For example, choose Call-to-Action B over Call-to-Action A if the former showed a convert rate of 35%, while the latter displayed a 17% rate. In other words, the test showed you that a website with an expansive FAQ section yields a higher conversion.
7. Assess the results' relevance
Assessing the results' relevance means making sure they are in sync with your initial goal and the problems you wanted to fix in the first place. So ascertain that operational relevance before thinking about implementation.
8. Implement the Corrective Tactics
This is the easiest part; you just have to implement the fixes you've identified during your A/B test. In our example, all you need to do is write an informative and alluring Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) section that your readers and potential customers can read to get more information about your products and services.
9. Deploy an Updated, Enhanced Website
Once the various fixes implemented, deploy your updated website. Spread the word as much as possible, making sure a public-relations campaign on social networks is in the mix.
10. Perform a Post-Test Review
After implementing your new, more updated website, I recommend you perform a post-test review to confirm that results the A/B test delivered a few weeks earlier still holds true. That way, you know if it is time for a new evaluation, or whether the initial A/B appraisal was perfect and sufficient.
Bottom Line
A/B testing can help you monetize your website content and increase conversions if you apply effective steps, talk to the right people, use the proper online tools and do your homework in advance. Key steps in an effective A/B test include identifying goals and designing the test along with reviewing and analyzing test results.