There are a lot of techniques and methods being used in marketing to make it more effective. One of them is A/B testing. This is a method where you get to compare two different sets of content to see which one works better.
This strategy has been helping marketers to pick an element version that will work best for them. In this article, we are going to analyze what this strategy actually is.
Not only that. You will also learn how to implement it. We’ll explain it using a hypothetical example. Let’s start.
A/B Testing Overview
Comparing two different sets of marketing elements is known as A/B testing. The purpose of this comparison is to know which of them affects the target audience better. The splits test is another name for this technique.
In marketing, we advertise our brand using a variety of media. Landing pages, emails, and advertisements are among them. Since they are created in many ways, not each of them is likely to have a significant impact on the viewer.
So, marketers create two versions of them. These versions are shared with two different sets of audiences. The version that gets more conversions such as clicks, sign-ups, etc., is picked and used for further work.
Components of A/B Testing
Here are the main components of this method:
A marketing campaign:
In this marketing method, a proper campaign is involved. It can be any marketing campaign including sending emails, running ads, etc.
Two sets of elements:
As mentioned before, there are two different sets of elements involved. For example, they can be two emails written in different ways. They are referred to as A and B elements.
Focus groups:
You have to determine two different sets of focus groups for your audience. These sets receive two different versions of your medium.
Defined goals:
Lastly, different goals are defined for the campaign. These goals can vary according to the nature of the campaign such as clicks, subscriptions, sales, etc.
How Implementing A/B Testing in Marketing is Important?
The following points can describe this importance:
- This testing method helps you identify the element that your marketing should focus on for improvements.
- If you fully understand the procedure, identifying and solving the problem can be done in no time helping you save time.
- In this technique, making even minor changes can result in major improvement.
- Since you only change small things, almost no risk is involved in the marketing process.
How to Implement A/B Testing in Marketing?
According to the components discussed above, we’re going to implement this marketing method for a hypothetical campaign.
1. Identify your problem:
First of all, you have to identify a problem that you are facing in your business marketing campaign. This problem has to be specific. For example, you cannot pick “low number of conversions” as a problem.
That is because it is very generic and too many factors are included in it. Instead, you need to know the exact reason why you’re not having these conversions.
Example:
Let’s say you run an online clothing business. The business is running well overall. However, you notice that there are very few people who are coming to your website through your emails. So, not having many conversions through emails is your problem here.
2. Analyze user data:
Analyzing user data is an important part of A/B testing. Here, you check different factors that might be causing this problem. However, you cannot do this for every factor of the email. That is because it will take forever. Instead, you pick one target factor that you will work on to improve these conversions through emails.
Example:
With user data, you analyze your standard email properly. This data tells you that many people are opening the email. This means that your headline is okay. The data also tells you that people are spending time reading this email properly.
This means that there is nothing wrong with the way you have completed the copywriting of this email. You understand that the whole email is fine but there is still something that is causing people not to convert via email.
3. Develop a hypothesis:
To continue this testing method, you have to develop a hypothesis. This means that you have to point out an imaginary issue that is causing the problem. This issue will be tested later with the A/B testing.
Example:
As we mentioned before, the headline and the copywriting of our email are fine. Now, you observe that the button that converts the reader to your website is placed in an odd place. It is placed at the very bottom so people might be ignoring or missing it.
So, you make a hypothesis that if you place this button somewhere else, you may start getting the conversions you need. You will make changes to the placement of this button in order to test it.
4. Conduct A/B testing with the hypothesis:
Now, we know that the element we have to test through A/B testing is the conversion button. You have to perform this testing by changing the placement of this button.
Example:
For testing, you place the conversion button at the top of the email. The old placement will be considered A. The new position will be considered B. Now, you start sending this newly modified email to a new audience.
Read also: Guide to Storytelling Marketing for 2024
5. Analyze results:
After a certain period of time of sending the B email, you will start receiving data. Now, analyze it to check the results.
Example:
For example, a month has passed since you sent the B email to your audience. Now, analyze how many people have used the conversion button to get on to your clothing brand website. If the number has increased, the B version of the button will be considered the champion and used further.
If there are equal or fewer results, you repeat the whole process again. This time, you try to identify a new problem and create a new hypothesis accordingly. Keep on following the procedure unless your campaign starts showing your required results.
Final Thoughts
A/B testing has been a promising marketing technique to get the most out of your marketing efforts. In this technique, two different versions of an element are compared. Marketers expose them to the audience to check which one gets more responses. After that, the version that receives more responses is considered the champion.
The further marketing campaign is carried on according to it. Implementing this strategy to your business is easy. We have discussed different steps that can help you do it. We have described them with the help of a hypothetical situation for your better understanding.
FAQs
Is A/B testing costly?
Not really. That is because you just have to create and test two versions of a marketing element in it.
Is this method time-consuming?
Yes. This method can be a little time-consuming.
Is this method effective?
Absolutely. This method can help you market your brand in a way that people like it. As a result, you get more engagements/clicks/sales.
