Common Questions About Website Optimisation

Article Topics

• What is A/B testing?
• How does A/B testing work?
• What are the benefits of A/B testing?
• What can you use A/B testing for?
• How do you decide what to test?
• Can you test multiple variants simultaneously?
• How long should an A/B test run?
• How many visitors are needed for accurate results?
• Does A/B testing impact SEO?
• What are the best A/B testing tools?
• How can you ensure A/B testing success?
• Why hire an agency for A/B testing?

Data-Driven Decision-Making

When managing an eCommerce store, you might rely on intuition to make decisions. However, the most effective approach is leveraging data-driven insights. A/B testing is one of the best methods to obtain accurate, actionable data that helps optimise your website and marketing efforts. If you’re new to A/B testing, this guide will cover everything you need to know.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing, also known as split testing or bucket testing, involves comparing two nearly identical versions of a webpage to determine which one performs better. It falls under the broader category of Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), a marketing strategy focused on improving website performance by increasing conversions.

How Does A/B Testing Work?

Imagine you have a landing page with a well-performing headline, but you suspect another version might do even better. Here’s how A/B testing would work in this scenario:

• The original page (control) remains unchanged.
• A duplicate page (test variant) is created with a modified headline.
• Website traffic is split evenly between both versions.
• After a set duration, conversion data is analysed to determine which performs best.

Benefits of A/B Testing

A/B testing provides actionable insights specific to your business. While general conversion rate advice is helpful, what works for one business may not work for another. Testing allows you to tailor optimisations to your target audience, ensuring maximum impact.

What Can You Test?

A/B testing can be applied to virtually any website element, including:

• Images and videos
• Headlines and body text
• Call-to-action (CTA) buttons
• Forms and checkout processes
• Page layouts and navigation

You can also extend A/B testing to other marketing channels, such as email subject lines and ad creatives, to enhance engagement and conversions.

How to Choose What to Test

Start by defining clear goals—whether you want to increase sign-ups, reduce bounce rates, or improve sales. Analysing existing data, such as customer feedback and Google Analytics reports, can help pinpoint areas needing improvement. Tools like heatmaps and session recordings can further identify elements worth testing.

For example, if you notice visitors aren’t engaging with your CTA buttons, you might hypothesise:
 "Changing the CTA from ‘Register Now’ to ‘Reserve Your Spot’ will create urgency and increase webinar sign-ups by 20%."

A well-structured hypothesis guides the test and ensures meaningful results.

Can You Test Multiple Variants?

While technically possible, testing multiple variants simultaneously increases complexity and requires significantly more traffic for accurate results. Instead, it's best to test two versions at a time, refining them step by step.

For example, if you want to test CTA button colours (red, yellow, blue, green), start by comparing two colors first. Once you have a winner, test it against another variant until you identify the best-performing option.

How Long Should You Run an A/B Test?

There’s no universal answer. The key is reaching statistical significance—ensuring results aren’t due to random chance. Factors such as seasonal trends or promotional campaigns can skew data, so timing matters.

Most CRO experts recommend a minimum test duration of two weeks and a maximum of eight weeks. Running tests for too short a period may result in insufficient data, while excessive durations increase the risk of external influences distorting results.

How Many Visitors Are Needed for Accurate Results?

The required sample size depends on the expected conversion rate change. A larger traffic volume is necessary to detect minor improvements. Online calculators, such as Optimizely’s sample size calculator, can help determine the optimal number of visitors needed for statistically significant results.

For lower-traffic websites, alternative CRO techniques like heatmaps, session recordings, and user testing can provide valuable insights alongside A/B testing.

Does A/B Testing Affect SEO?

A common concern is whether A/B testing negatively impacts search rankings due to duplicate content. Fortunately, Google supports A/B testing as long as it’s conducted ethically. To avoid SEO penalties:

• Use rel="canonical" tags to indicate preferred versions.
• Avoid cloaking or deceptive tactics.
• Implement 302 redirects instead of 301s for temporary test variations.

Best A/B Testing Tools

Many businesses use specialised A/B testing software for streamlined experimentation. Popular tools include:

• VWO – Comprehensive testing and analytics
• Unbounce – Landing page optimisation
• Omniconvert – CRO and A/B testing platform

If you run A/B tests infrequently, built-in tools from platforms like Shopify (Shoplift, Visually) and WordPress (Nelio) may be more cost-effective. Marketing platforms like Google Ads, Meta, and MailChimp also offer built-in testing capabilities.

Ensuring A/B Testing Success

Not every test will yield game-changing results. Only about 1 in 7 A/B tests deliver substantial insights. Here are key practices to enhance accuracy:

• Keep tests focused—small, incremental changes yield clearer insights.
• Avoid testing during peak sales periods like Black Friday.
• Run multiple tests to verify results before implementing changes.
• If results seem unclear, rerun the test to confirm the findings.

Why Hire an A/B Testing Agency?

A/B testing is a powerful tool, but getting it right requires expertise. Partnering with a digital marketing agency specialising in CRO can help:

• Identify the most impactful elements to test.
• Leverage enterprise-level A/B testing tools, reducing software costs.
• Conduct unbiased testing, eliminating internal biases.
• Analyse results and implement effective optimisation strategies.

At Recognise Designs, our expert team helps businesses optimise their websites with data-driven A/B testing strategies. Whether you’re new to testing or looking to refine your existing approach, we’re here to help you achieve measurable success.