A/B Testing Summary

Would you like to double your conversions or donations with just one tweak to your website? A/B testing holds the answers you’re looking for.

1. A/B Testing Explained: The Key to Website Optimization

Understanding and utilizing A/B testing can transform how businesses approach their online presence. At its core, A/B testing involves showing two variations of a website or page to separate groups of users to measure engagement and effectiveness. This method enables companies to base decisions on real-world data rather than assumptions or intuition.

For businesses, this offers an unparalleled opportunity to refine their websites. Whether increasing email sign-ups or driving sales, A/B testing provides actionable results. For example, by testing email sign-up buttons and imagery, President Obama’s 2008 campaign increased engagement by 40.6%, gaining millions of email addresses and $57 million in additional donations.

Modern tools like Optimizely make it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes to implement A/B testing without requiring huge technology investments or advanced expertise. Even smaller businesses can learn what works best for their audience and continually improve.

Examples

• Obama’s campaign found the optimal combination of a family photo and a “Learn More” button.
• Optimizely simplifies A/B testing, even for businesses without technical teams.
• Online stores can test elements like checkout flows or product images to drive sales.

2. First Steps: Define Success and Hypothesize

Before running an A/B test, knowing which metrics matter most is key. A clearly defined goal ensures meaningful results. Metrics may vary between industries—publishing might prioritize shares, while an online store values completed purchases.

Hypothesizing is equally important. A test without a hypothesis is like sailing without a destination. For instance, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund hypothesized that adding an image to a donation page would increase contributions. Initial results defied expectations, but further testing revealed placing the image beside the form instead of above it led to a dramatic boost in donations.

By focusing on both measurable metrics and logical hypotheses, businesses can drive impactful changes instead of chasing random outcomes. Testing is about learning from every outcome, even unexpected ones.

Examples

• Haiti Fund raised over $1 million by hypothesizing and refining their donation page.
• Online stores can hypothesize that showing product reviews will lead to higher sales.
• A magazine can test whether longer or shorter articles drive more repeat views.

3. Beyond Tweaks: Revamping Websites Through Testing

Sometimes, incremental changes aren’t enough; A/B testing can guide businesses toward bigger transformations. By analyzing user behavior, companies can identify major redesign opportunities.

For example, Disney’s ABC Family network noticed users frequently searched for specific TV shows. Instead of tweaking small elements, they introduced a full-page redesign listing all shows clearly—an update that boosted engagement by 600%. Similarly, Netflix used testing to design its now-iconic browsing rows, drastically improving user retention.

Big changes often require bold experiments. Well-executed A/B tests provide the confidence to make such shifts backed by data rather than guesses.

Examples

• Disney’s redesign increased user engagement by 600%.
• Netflix’s user interface changes stemmed from A/B testing feedback.
• Chrome rethought their homepage by testing which areas attracted the most clicks.

4. Simplify to Engage

When it comes to web design, less really is more. Cluttered, distracting layouts overwhelm users and push them away. By trimming unnecessary elements, websites can deliver a clearer, smoother experience.

Optimizely helped the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund remove unneeded fields, such as “Phone Number,” on their donation form. This change led to an 11% increase in donation dollars. Even breaking up forms onto multiple pages can make things less daunting, as demonstrated by Obama’s 2012 campaign, which raised an extra $190 million.

Small simplifications can yield outsized results. Focus on what matters most to your users and strip away distractions.

Examples

• Obama’s campaign increased donations by breaking forms into two steps.
• Retailer Cost Plus World Market used hidden fields to boost revenue by 15.6%.
• The Haiti Fund focused only on necessary form fields to drive higher donations.

5. The Power of Language

Words matter, especially when trying to engage visitors. Language on buttons or action prompts should be clear, meaningful, and actionable. Testing different phrasing reveals what resonates most with users.

For example, replacing the generic “Submit” button with “Support Haiti” on a donation page motivated more contributions. Similarly, using phrases with verbs—like “Try It Free”—outperformed static nouns, driving 14.6% more click-throughs for LiveChat’s trial campaign.

Adding clarity to every call-to-action and explaining what a click signifies can significantly boost engagement.

Examples

• “Submit” was replaced with “Support Haiti” for higher donations.
• LiveChat’s “Try It Free” led to a 14.6% jump in campaign clicks.
• Buttons like “Start Saving” perform better than “Savings”

6. Embrace Failure as Feedback

Not all A/B tests lead to immediate success. However, even when ideas “fail,” there’s valuable learning to be gained. Unsuccessful experiments reveal what doesn’t work, guiding better future strategies.

For instance, online retailer Chrome tested whether promotional videos converted more customers than images and discovered no notable difference. Though not the result they hoped for, it reassured them not to fear using videos. Meanwhile, IGN learned their audience primarily consisted of return visitors after a test moving their “Videos” link failed spectacularly.

Harness each failure as a step toward understanding your users better.

Examples

• Chrome learned videos did not outperform images in driving sales.
• IGN’s navigation experiment taught them about visitor habits.
• Failed design changes help rule out ineffective ideas.

7. Build Data Culture Through Advocacy

To integrate A/B testing into company practices, you must inspire others by demonstrating its benefits. Share results of small but effective tests to win over colleagues and align them to the data-driven approach.

Lizzy Allen adopted this strategy at IGN, introducing A/B testing with an engaging “Master Challenge.” Even when employees guessed test results incorrectly, they realized how often data surpassed assumptions. Similarly, Adidas’ Scott Zakrajsek used simple tests as proof of A/B testing’s potential.

By sharing wins and making experimentation a group effort, companies can embrace this as part of their culture.

Examples

• Lizzy Allen introduced the A/B Master Challenge at IGN.
• Adidas convinced stakeholders with small, visible test wins.
• Regularly showcasing test outcomes helps shift company mindsets.

8. Think as a User, Not a Designer

Websites often fail because businesses design them with their own views, not what visitors want. A/B testing enables companies to match their designs to user expectations and needs.

Cost Plus World Market’s use of hidden promotion code sections aligns with how customers naturally behave during checkout. IGN’s realization about its returning users also highlights the importance of understanding visitor patterns over designer instincts.

Testing sharpens focus and bridges gaps between the business and the user.

Examples

• Cost Plus World Market’s checkout redesign reflected user habits.
• Design tweaks at IGN acknowledged returning visitors over new ones.
• Breaking long forms on donation sites simplified user processes.

9. Headlines and the First Five Seconds Matter

Most visitors give websites only a few seconds. A/B testing lets businesses test critical first impressions, like headlines, homepage designs, and visual hierarchies.

Wording variations in call-to-action buttons are a simple yet impactful testing choice. Similarly, testing headers that match the promise of ads or emails ensures fewer bounces. Optimizing those first few moments keeps users interested longer.

Examples

• Headlines with clear benefits vs. vague ones reduce drop-offs.
• Matching button texts to ad copy smoothens user flow.
• A/B testing splash pages increases web impressions.

Takeaways

1. Regularly use A/B testing tools like Optimizely to evaluate site performance and learn what drives customers to engage further.
2. Always establish a clear hypothesis and measurable success metric before running your tests.
3. Start by simplifying your web content—remove clutter, experiment with form layouts, and clarify call-to-actions using action-oriented verbs.