Increase Your Numbers: A/B Testing

At one point during our time on the internet, we may have helped in testing different functionalities, tools, solutions, components, or even the efficiency of some processes. You may be wondering, “What kind of testing did I partake in?”.

Well, you most likely took part in this type of testing, called A/B testing.

A/B testing is used in order to achieve clear data on how users interact with digital products and what aspects can be improved, and how your app or website can transform those users into customers.

All set; let's start on the concepts of A/B testing.

What is A/B testing?

A/B testing is a type of testing which consists of the implementation and distribution of two versions of an application, be it web or mobile, split between the users in order to determine which version works better based on the user’s feedback and behaviour.

But what exactly does this mean?

Let’s say you have a mobile app, and you want to see what colour works best for the "registration" button, and you have colour A and colour B. This is the perfect case in which A/B testing can help you decide.
You need to develop two versions of the registration button: one with colour A and one with colour B. The users are then split, and each group is presented with one of the two versions of the button. During the time of the testing, information is collected by using analytics data, heat maps, and client feedback. At the end of the testing period, you’ll have a bigger picture of which version of the button works better for users.

To be able to make the right decision at the end of the testing period, several A/B tests should be performed beforehand. 

There are different types of A/B testing, such as:

Split testing - this type is used to test a whole design change of the webpage and to be able to see which version performs better;
Multivariate testing - MVT for short, is used for testing multiple changes and functionality combinations in order to see which combinations work the best for users;
Multi-page testing - is used to check multiple versions of the same page, for example, the placement of a button on the landing page.

When’s the time to perform A/B testing?

This testing can be conducted in many situations, such as wanting to increase the conversion rate, change the header, the font of the text, placement of the images, page design and so on. Getting feedback directly from the users using this testing type can help you see the performance and the quality of your developed product, reduce costs overall, and focus on the set objectives.

Benefits of A/B testing

Understanding the users' needs is essential when it comes to making changes, and the best way to do so is by using A/B testing. With this type of testing, companies will be able to make changes that will benefit their consumers, provide a flawless experience, and have more success in converting users into customers.

How to carry out A/B testing

To correctly measure the results obtained from this test and get on with the implementation of the final result, several steps need to be done first.

Identify the problem.

Let's say that you are not satisfied with the website's conversion rate or that the number of abandonment is higher than desired, both significantly impacting your business. The problem needs to be identified to proceed to the next step.

Defining the objectives.
The next step is to choose which metrics you want to focus on. Doing this will help you determine what changes should be made in order to encourage the users to continue using your app or browsing your website. 
As an example, let’s think about the scenario where the abandonment rate is high during the Checkout flow. The more complex the checkout flow is, the higher the chances that the customer will get frustrated and simply abandon it. A potential solution for this issue can be reducing the number of steps during Checkout. 

This leads to the third step of the process, which is developing two or more solutions. To be able to conduct A/B testing, you will need at least two potential solutions for the given problem. 

Testing can start when the solutions are ready by rolling out the two versions to the public. During the period set for testing, collect as much data as possible to be able to have a better understanding of the users' needs and to see which of the two versions works better with the audience. To have a more accurate data result, several A/B tests should be conducted. After the tests are done, the statistical data is collected and analyzed.  

But how do you know if the results are reliable? 

The accuracy of the results can be determined by how many users participated in the tests. 
If 7 out of 10 users received version A and the rest received version B, it might not be enough data to process the results and draw clear conclusions. Having at least 1000 users participate in the testing should give you enough information to analyze the results more accurately. It really depends on how in-depth you would like it to be, but the more data you collect, the more accurate your data will be.
After having enough results, we reach the final step of the process: making a final decision and taking action based on the feedback and collected data.

In conclusion

Small changes can significantly impact the users, but if the changes are not made based on the data received from the consumers, the results may not be satisfactory. For this reason, it is best to conduct several A/B tests to get and analyze the data and to be able to make the best decision for the future of your website.