How to Effectively Plan an A/B Test

One of the best ways to get to know your consumers is through A/B testing.

A/B testing, by definition, is a method of comparing two versions of a web page, direct mail piece or app against each other to determine which one performs better. A/B testing is essentially an experiment where two or more variants of a campaign are shown at random, and statistical analysis is used to determine which variation performs better.

If you haven’t tried A/B testing, here are a few things to consider: 

Why should you A/B test?

There are many reasons why you should A/B test. You can learn so much about your consumer through this tactic. Plus, through this strategy, you should be able to refine your marketing campaigns to yield better results. Once you’ve learned certain things about your consumers and what they prefer, it will be easier to market directly to them and their preferences. Here are three reasons why you should A/B test:

1. Get to know your consumers: You can learn all about your consumers preferences and then use that information to your advantage. You'll know when to send them something, what kinds of calls-to-action they convert on and what kind of channel they are most likely to engage.

2. Useful Data: Once you gather the information from your consumers and find out what their preferences are about your marketing tactics, you can base your future decisions on the data you gathered from your A/B testing.

3. Increase ROI: Learning this valuable information will help you better target your campaign's offers and messaging, and tell you where your marketing spend should be concentrated to get the best ROI from your efforts. 

What can you A/B test?

Many parts of your campaign can be A/B tested. Especially if you are using different channels, it can help test out different variables. From testing the timing of a piece to testing a simple subject line, you can learn a lot about which specific variable works best with the specific target audience. Here are some examples of variables you can A/B test:

• Subject Lines
• Headlines
• Calls-to-Action
• Offers/ Audience Segments 
• Location of the Call-to-Action
• Design/Colors
• Images on Landing Pages
• Timing

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