A/B testing, or split testing, is the process of serving two variants of the same web page to different groups of website visitors. The goal of A/B testing is to optimize different elements of a webpage, email, or marketing campaign to maximize its conversion potential.
What can you A/B test?
The use cases of A/B tests are limitless. Some common A/B tests include:
- Website copy
- Pop up offers
- Website design elements
- Product description copy
- Headlines
- Email subject lines
How does A/B testing work?
The way A/B testing works is simple. After deciding what the test will be, you'll create two variants for the test to serve to your website visitors.
By showing half your visitors variant A, and the other half variant B, you can come to a conclusion based on which version converts better. This way, changes made to your site will be based on live feedback from your website visitors. Whichever version gets more engagement is your winner.
Here’s an example: Let’s say you’re trying to build your email list and you’re not sure whether you should offer 10% or a flat $10 off a new subscriber’s first purchase.
This is the perfect use case for an A/B test. Half your site visitors will see the 10% option, while the other half sees the $10 off option. You’ll get a sense of which version performs best based on the number of email addresses you capture from each. Then you can switch over full-time to the winning variation and grow your list even faster.
A/B Test Resources:
Learn about A/B testing on Shopify.
Learn how to run A/B tests on Privy campaigns.
