Boost Your Marketing with Split Testing

When it comes to marketing strategy, even the smallest changes in your messaging, imagery, and design can significantly impact your conversion rates.

However, nearly half of all companies fail to test these variables. They often choose what they believe looks appealing without further analysis.

This approach is a major oversight.  According to Enterprise Apps Today, A/B testing has become widely adopted, with approximately 77% of companies utilizing it to improve website performance. 60% of these companies focus on landing pages, while 59% concentrate on email campaigns.

What is Split Testing?

Split testing involves comparing two versions of something and testing which gets you the best results. Also called A/B testing or A/B split testing, this strategy fosters continuous improvement in your marketing message and design.

In marketing, split-testing compares two versions of marketing assets like a webpage, advert, or email marketing content. Therefore, split testing can be used to test images, videos, and design elements like font, color, wording, CTAs, and more.

How Does Split Testing Work?

You can try split testing by preparing two versions of a webpage or ad and then monitoring the results. The initial version of the marketing piece is called “control.”

The “variation” should involve a single change from the control, like choosing blue for the color of the CTA button instead of red. You would publish both versions and monitor their performance to see which one does better.

If the variation does better, you will change that part of your marketing, and it will become the new control if you opt to continue split testing. Over time, you can refine your marketing to be the most effective.

What are the Benefits of Split Testing?

When you take the time to A/B test your marketing messages, you will see a few essential benefits. Your conversion rate will improve – that’s what you are testing and modifying your marketing message to see. However, a higher conversion rate is not the only improvement.

Split testing can also result in more traffic, lower bounce rates, and fewer abandoned carts. These benefits clearly indicate the value of split testing in your marketing strategy.

Picking Variables to Test

Picking variables to test may seem straightforward, but split testing takes time. If you try to test everything and give each variable ample time to check, it will take years to figure out your perfect marketing message – and your market could change by then. Instead, try figuring out which variables need the most testing.

Funnel analysis can help determine any hitches in your sales or conversion funnel. You may also want to look at a heatmap of user actions. It will help you see any distracting or otherwise ineffective elements. Alternatively, ask your target customers what they think about your marketing message or design.

Tips for Better Split Testing

While split testing can be a powerful tool, it’s essential to be mindful of potential pitfalls. If not approached with care, testing and analyzing different variables can lead to unexpected outcomes. Here are some tips to help you navigate A/B testing more effectively.

Focus

Start your A/B testing journey with a clear focus. Test only one variable at a time. Including too many differences in your variation can muddy the waters, making it difficult to identify the key factor responsible for the boost. Stay determined and purposeful in your approach.

Timing

Also, remember that you must simultaneously test the variation against the control. If you try to test one this week and another next week, you won’t know whether your performance is impacted by timing or the variable you changed.

Duration

Patience is key in A/B testing. It’s crucial to run your tests for a sufficient duration to yield significant results. A single day won’t suffice. Be prepared to invest days, if not weeks, in split testing before you can act on the results.

Summing Up

Split testing is a powerful tool to help you test and refine your marketing strategy.

​Split testing, or A/B testing, helps you make data-driven decisions. Before initiating any test, work out what you want to achieve from the test – i.e., establish specific goals. Determine what you aim to improve—be it click-through rates, conversion rates, or user engagement. With clear objectives, your testing process will help measure what works and fails.

Take the time to select the right variables to test. Give those variations time and focus on producing statistically significant results. With a bit of patience, you can improve your marketing meaningfully.