Why we split test across our digital marketing

Split testing, A/B testing – we’re sure you’ve heard of it. But what actually is it? Split testing is a method of comparing two versions of a digital marketing campaign or element (such as a website, email, or ad) to determine which one performs better. This allows you, to make data-driven decisions about how to optimise your campaigns for maximum effectiveness. By testing different variations of a campaign, we can then identify which elements are most effective at driving conversions, engagement, or other desired outcomes. This can lead to significant improvements in the performance of the digital marketing campaigns, resulting in higher ROI and better return on investment.

Split testing is such a powerful tool for business owners and their marketing teams to use. Quite easily, you are able to optimise your campaigns and improve ROI. By creating two or more variations of a campaign and testing them with a small subset of your audience, you can determine which version performs the best before rolling it out to your entire audience.

Why should I run split tests on my website?

To understand why your visitors aren’t converting on your website, it is important to ask yourself which content is keeping your visitors from converting. Your intuition isn’t enough; what matters is the product’s effect on your visitors. By performing a split test, you put your visitors at the heart of your decision-making process. On the one hand, the results obtained from split testing will help you know which page version they interact with the most, and, on the other hand, which information and design transforms them into repeat customers. Split tests promise qualitative feedback on user experience to help you identify barriers and optimise your conversion funnel. And that’s exactly why you should hop on the split testing train, too!

Other benefits of split testing are as follows:

• It’s perfect for low-traffic sites. On the one hand, if your website has low traffic, split URL testing is simply the only method you can use. On the other hand, it makes the analysis of results more than easy. Simply create two variations of a website or landing page and split the traffic accordingly. Afterwards, see which one generated more conversions. It’s as simple as that!
• More money. Let’s put it like it is: After all, split testing will help you find the best version of your website possible. The better your conversion rates are optimised, the higher your average order value and the higher your turnover will be.

Make those data-led decisions

One of the key benefits of split testing is that it allows you to make data-driven decisions. Instead of relying on gut feelings or assumptions about what will work, you can test different elements of your campaign and see which ones have the biggest impact on performance. For example, you could test different headlines, images, or call-to-action buttons to see which ones lead to the most clicks or conversions.

Confirm your campaigns

Another benefit of split testing is that it can help you identify and fix problems with your campaigns. By comparing the performance of different variations, you can pinpoint specific areas that need improvement and make changes accordingly. This can help you save time and money in the long run by avoiding costly mistakes.

Nail your website and landing pages

In terms of websites and landing pages, split testing tools allow for variations to be targeted at specific groups of visitors, delivering a more tailored and personalized experience. The web experience of these visitors is improved through testing, as indicated by the increased likelihood that they will complete a certain action on the site.

By comparing several versions of your web pages, such as your landing pages or homepages, a split test helps you identify which one has a better conversion rate for your visitors.

Within webpages, nearly every element can be changed for a split test. Marketers and web developers may try testing:

• Visual elements: pictures, videos and colors
• Text: headlines, calls to action and descriptions
• Layout: arrangement and size of buttons, menus and forms
• Visitor flow: how a website user gets from point A to B

When the split test is launched, your pages’ traffic is randomly spread over the different versions of your pages. Each one’s performance is tracked and analyzed by the split testing software to identify the version that converts the best, with the highest significance. Split testing determines the version on which the sample converted the best.

Split testing is very useful in making major design changes to your website. For example, if you’re thinking about completely changing your home page’s design, split testing is the ideal tool to help you optimize conversions.

Find the right audience

Split testing can also help you optimize your campaigns for different segments of your audience. By testing different variations with different groups of people, you can see which elements are most effective for different demographics, such as age, gender, or location. This can help you create more targeted campaigns that are more likely to resonate with your audience.

Trial your ad campaigns

In addition, split testing can also be useful for testing different ad formats, platforms and channels. This can help you determine which format, platform and channel work best for your business and audience.

Getting started with your very own split test

No matter the goal, before you create a testing campaign, you have to know what you can test and which testing scenarios are ideal for split tests. In general, we suggest split tests whenever there are major changes being made on a site…

1. Relaunch of a full site or landing page

Split tests will guarantee you a better performance and less code to implement because you can build a new page. This is especially useful for pages where you are testing drastic changes – like a complete overhaul of your existing homepage, product detail page or different landing pages.

2. Back-end heavy tests

We suggest split tests when you want to test back-end heavy tests, like different checkout processes that use technically complex page logistics.

3. Page copy length

In general, short-form copy is said to be better than never-ending paragraphs. First impressions are made within seconds. However, you will never fully know until you run a split test on your website or landing page yourself. In the end, it’s all about data-driven decisions here, right?

4. Page copy position

Page copy is not just where you explain a product or a service. Page copy is also call-to-actions, client testimonials and much more. Finding the perfect position is crucial. The most common rule-of-thumb is the “above the fold rule”, which suggests you put the most important information on the top of your page. It works for most websites, but that doesn’t guarantee it will work for your individual business goals, too. Again: Put it to the test and let split testing decide.

5. Sign up workflows

When you are testing completely different funnel processes or sign-up workflows against each other, again, make sure you use a split test. This will require less code to be implemented on a single page and will improve the overall performance while running those tests.

Overall, split testing is an essential tool for you, business owners, and founders, who are looking to improve your campaigns and maximise ROI. By testing different elements and variations of your campaigns, you can make data-driven decisions and optimise your campaigns for different segments of your audience.

It’s always important to remember, while split testing can be a powerful tool, it’s not the only tool that you should use. Always make sure you’re testing the right things and not over-complicating the process. Now go ahead and shine in your split tests!