Determining the right layout, design, and features for a website is a vital step in engaging users. If the web design or development is boring or poorly functioning, it can easily spike the bounce rate. But, how do you know what is effective for users without trying it in the first place? This is where A/B testing can greatly enhance user experience, click rates, and conversion rates.
A/B testing, sometimes called split testing, is a way of comparing two versions of a website against each other. It is also often used for images or other digital media. The idea is to test which version performs the best. This works by showing one version of a website, called version A, to a group of people. Then, version B is shown to a different group. Key metrics are then analyzed to determine which version performed better.
Ultimately, this allows developers and website owners to make data-driven decisions for any improvements or changes to the web design. However, some designers or developers may not know the most efficient ways to perform A/B testing. That’s why we’ve put together five key tips for conducting the best A/B tests.
5 Best Tips for A/B Testing in Custom Web Design
Implementing the below can help any designer significantly improve the efficacy of their A/B tests.
1. Determine Which Elements to Test
The first step before any A/B testing is determining which elements should be tested. In many cases, designers and developers want to test the high-impact elements before anything else. This includes elements such as:
- Headlines
- Call-to-Action Buttons
- Layouts
- Images
- Menus
This helps narrow down what will be tested so that it can happen faster and with more effective results. As an additional tip for the pre-testing phases, be sure to identify and note key metrics, such as bounce rate, time on page, conversion rate, and more.
2. Develop a Hypothesis on the Change
The next tip is to develop a clear hypothesis about the changes being tested. However, be sure to base the hypothesis on user data and analytics. This goes hand in hand with the first tip, as the hypothesis can be developed based on the metric you’re looking to improve.
For instance, if A/B testing is happening because the bounce rate on the site is higher than ideal, the hypothesis might be that the homepage isn’t performing. This means that the layout or navigation of the homepage needs to be improved or adjusted to keep users on the site. Moreover, developing a hypothesis before testing offers additional benefits for the entire process:
- Guidance: A hypothesis helps to determine a direction for the testing, as well as guidance on the objective throughout the process. This helps to avoid wasted time or mismanaged testing.
- A Goal: It also presents a targetable goal for testing. In other words, did the change produce the desired result of improving a metric? If it did, great! If not, go back to making additional or different changes.
3. Test One Thing at a Time
For the third tip, the best advice for any A/B testing is to only test one thing at a time. While this can sound time-consuming, it is often better practice for actually determining what works. Testing too many things at once can quickly become burdensome and it makes it tough to know what actually worked and what didn’t. When testing one change at a time, it narrows the test down to know the precise effects the change had. This also makes it easier to monitor the specific metrics being targeted.
If there is a time crunch and testing one thing at a time isn’t possible, try to narrow it down to just a few changes. Moreover, if there will be multiple changes, make them ones connected to separate metrics so that the performance of each can be monitored. For instance, changing the color of a “Buy Now” button to improve conversion and the headline on the home page to monitor bounce rate.
4. Opt for Responsive and Mobile First Changes
In the modern digital age, mobile devices are king. In fact, most of modern internet traffic and shopping is from mobile devices at this point. This means that mobile optimization and design need to be a significant focus. In other words, any A/B testing done on custom web design needs to include mobile device testing. Otherwise, a majority of the traffic may be getting neglected.
5. Monitor Metrics, Analyze, and Iterate
Now that changes have been made, the next step is to monitor metrics very closely. Obviously, there will be data to collect at the end of the test, but monitoring the metrics throughout the entire test can be beneficial. It can help detect whether a change was simply ineffective or counterproductive early on. If metrics aren’t reviewed until the end of the test, it could result in a lot of lost traffic, conversions, and more.
However, make sure to run tests long enough to actually gather enough data for confident decisions. For example, if the conversion rate goes down a bit on the first day of running a test, don’t sound the alarms and revert everything. Instead, let the test run for a week or two. If the conversion rate is continuously down, then the change likely isn’t effective.
Be sure to continue to monitor and analyze the data throughout the entire test to stay aware of performance. Depending on what the data is showing, continue to iterate and make any necessary changes to improve metrics.
Overall, the above are far from the only tips for successful A/B testing. However, following even just these vital five will help A/B testing become significantly more effective with better resultant data.
Custom Web Design vs Website Templates Testing
For those who are opting for website templates over customer design, A/B testing may be slightly different. The primary difference is that switching templates or switching to a template after using a custom design can cause a lot of changes on the site.
When it comes to customer web design vs templates, it may be slightly harder to analyze results, but the same principles apply to testing. Make the change, give the test enough time, closely monitor metrics, and make any changes necessary. Templates also have plenty of ability to make adjustments and edits to conduct smaller A/B tests within the template.
Graphem Solutions for All of Your Web Design and Development Needs
If you are looking for high-performing website templates or want a custom design, Graphem Solutions can help. Our team is made up of experts with years of experience in everything web design and development. Whether you need a site with specific functions and custom options or want an easy template you can have live quickly, we have you covered. We can even create custom-designed apps to suit any of your business’s needs.
Check out some of our previous work with clients to see what you can expect from our team. To learn more, fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 1-800-590-0175. We look forward to helping create the perfect website for your business.
