A Beginner’s Guide to A/B Testing
If you are new to marketing for your business or are new to marketing in general, here is a beginner’s guide to A/B testing. A/B testing is a marketing technique that involves comparing two different versions of a campaign to see which one performs better. Imagine if you’re a chef and you want to create a new recipe for dessert muffins. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips but you think people might prefer blueberries instead. So, you make two different versions of the same muffin recipe but change ONE ingredient. One version of the muffin recipe features chocolate chips. The other version features blueberries. Once you bake them, you ask a group of people to taste each muffin and rate which one they prefer. It’s that simple!
Based on the results, you can determine which version of the dessert is more popular and decide which one to include on your menu. This is essentially what AB testing does in marketing – it allows you to compare two different versions of a campaign to see which one is more effective in achieving your desired outcome, such as getting people to sign up for your newsletter or buy your product
The “A” version of your campaign is the original, while the “B” version is the modified version with one variable changed, such as the color of a button or the wording of a headline. You then show both versions to a group of people, with half seeing version A and the other half seeing version B. You can then track which version performs better based on the desired outcome, such as the number of sign-ups or sales.
Just like with the dessert example, AB testing allows you to make data-driven decisions by identifying which version of your campaign is more effective in achieving your goals. This can help you optimize your marketing campaigns and achieve better results over time.
Remember Original Vs Different
The “A” version of your campaign is the original, while the “B” version is the modified version with one variable changed, such as the color of a button or the wording of a headline. You then show both versions to a group of people, with half seeing version A and the other half seeing version B. You can then track which version performs better based on the desired outcome, such as the number of sign-ups or sales.
Just like with the dessert example, AB testing allows you to make data-driven decisions by identifying which version of your campaign is more effective in achieving your goals. This can help you optimize your marketing campaigns and achieve better results over time.
Famous A/B Experiments: Coca-Cola Vs New Coke
New Coke was the unofficial name of a reformulation of the soft drink Coca-Cola, introduced by The Coca-Cola Company in April 1985. It was renamed Coke II in 1990 and discontinued in July 2002. By 1985, Coca-Cola had been losing market share to diet soft drinks and non-cola beverages for several years. Source: Wikipedia
Blind taste tests suggested that consumers preferred the sweeter taste of the competing product Pepsi, and so the Coca-Cola recipe was reformulated. The American public reacted negatively, and New Coke was considered a major failure.
Practical Uses For AB Marketing Tests
AB testing is a common practice in modern marketing, and there are many examples of AB tests being used by companies across different industries.
Here’s an example of an A/B test for a CTA button: Let’s say you have an e-commerce website that sells shoes. Your current CTA button says “Buy Now,” but you want to test whether a more specific CTA, such as “Shop Running Shoes,” would perform better. You would create two versions of the website, one with the original CTA and another with the new CTA, and show them to different groups of visitors. You would then track which version resulted in more clicks, purchases, or other desired actions.
Here Are Some Examples Of AB Marketing Tests Are Being Used Today:
- Website Design: A company may conduct an AB test to determine which website design leads to more conversions. For example, they may test two different versions of their homepage, with one featuring a large hero image and the other featuring a video. By measuring the conversion rates of both versions, they can determine which design leads to more sign-ups or sales.
- Email Campaigns: An e-commerce company may conduct an AB test to determine which subject line leads to more email opens. For example, they may test two different subject lines, with one being a straightforward description of the email content and the other being a more creative and attention-grabbing headline. By measuring the open rates of both versions, they can determine which subject line leads to more engagement and sales.
- Advertisements: A company may conduct an AB test to determine which advertisement leads to more clicks or conversions. For example, they may test two different versions of a social media ad, with one featuring an image and the other featuring a video. By measuring the click-through rates of both versions, they can determine which ad leads to more engagement and conversions.
- Landing Pages: A company may conduct an AB test to determine which landing page design leads to more conversions. For example, they may test two different versions of a landing page, with one featuring a long-form sales copy and the other featuring bullet points and a more concise message. By measuring the conversion rates of both versions, they can determine which design leads to more sales or sign-ups.
Overall, AB testing is a versatile marketing technique that can be used to test a wide range of variables and improve the performance of marketing campaigns. By making data-driven decisions and optimizing campaigns based on AB test results, companies can achieve better results and drive more revenue.
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