A/B Testing in Web Design: What to Test for Better Results

You may have a busy website but find it difficult to turn any of those visits into enquiries, sign-ups or sales. There may be a few issues that aren’t related to your product/service but are down to small design choices. This is where A/B testing will help.

A/B testing will allow your business to try out two variations of a section of your website so you can understand which works better. Rather than making decisions based on opinions, using real data will help designers and marketers make informed choices.

What Is A/B Testing?

Split testing or A/B testing is when you create two variations of a webpage/section. Version A will be the original, Version B will be the new suggested change.

Half of your users will be shown version A and the other half version B. You will then track how they interact with them, aiming to hit a specific goal. This can be clicking a button, completing a contact form, signing up to a service or making a purchase.

For example you could try out two different call to action buttons to understand which encourages more people to ask for a consultation.

This will give your team insights into which version works best for your audience.

Why Is A/B Testing Important?

There are many decisions to make when designing a website. You may decide on a colour scheme that looks great but doesn’t encourage your visitors to take action. Or maybe you decide to shorten your form but it increases completion rates. Changing the headline may help you get your message across.

A/B testing will help your business:

  • Understand what your real customers like.
  • Understand what design changes affect conversions.
  • Avoid making changes that don’t need to be made.
  • Improve your user’s experience.
  • Use your current website traffic more effectively.
  • It will also help you to always strive to improve your website.

What Should Be Tested?

Not everything should be tested straight away. Start by testing sections that really impact the users actions.

Headlines and Page Message

Your headlines are often one of the first things users will see. They should tell the user what your business provides and why it’s important.

Try different styles of headlines. Maybe a benefits headline vs straight to the point. See if clear and specific messages work better.

Call To Action Buttons

Call to action buttons can encourage users to take the next step. How you phrase your buttons, where they’re placed and how easy they are to see can all impact your users.

Try different phrases such as ‘Get a Free Consultation’ vs ‘Talk to Our Team’. This will help you understand which gives you more meaningful interactions.

Contact/Lead Forms

Long forms can deter users from completing any enquiries. Try different numbers of fields, question order and submit buttons.

Shortening your form may increase form completions however ensure the form has enough information to make a lead.

Page Layout and Content

How you lay out your content can impact how easy it is for users to understand. Try different ways of laying out your content, headings, images and sections.

Putting testimonials further down the page may help users feel more confident to make an inquiry.

Images

Images should be used to enhance your message. Try different images to see which helps users understand better. These could be product images, service images or illustrations.

Always consider if the images are helping you to convey your message clearly.

Tips For Successful A/B Testing

Always have a clear goal in mind. Decide what you want to improve and create variations. Don’t make too many changes to unrelated items. This will make it hard to know what affected your results.

Give your test enough time to gather data. If only a small number of users complete the test you may not get accurate data. Consider device types, traffic sources and seasonal changes.

Most importantly focus on making meaningful improvements. Just because a button gets more clicks doesn’t mean it will give you better leads/sales.

Improving Your Design With Insights

As you learn more about your audience your website should develop. By regularly testing you will be able to identify what needs improving. Incinque Agency provides digital marketing, web design and development to help your business create an effective online experience.