Only conduct one test (on one asset) at a time

Test one variable at a time

• In order to evaluate how effective an element is on your page, call-to-action, or email campaign, you have to isolate that variable in your A/B test. Only test one element at a time. For example, don’t test the landing page image and the copy on the page and try to run your test. Like we mentioned in the previous tip, it’ll muddle your results. Note that by testing the entire, email or CTA as the variable, you can achieve drastic improvement. That said, you may not be able to pinpoint which changes caused that improvement.

Test minor changes too

• Although it’s reasonable to think that big, sweeping changes can increase your conversion rates, the small details are often just as important. While creating your tests, remember that even a simple change, like switching the color of your call-to-action button, can drive big improvements.

You can A/B test the entire element

• While you can certainly test a button color or a background shade, you should also consider making your entire landing page, call-to-action or email one variable. Instead of testing single design elements, such as headlines and images, design two completely different pages and test them against each other. Now you’re working on a higher level. This type of testing yields the biggest improvements, so consider starting with it before you continue your optimization with smaller tweaks.

Measure as far down funnel as possible

• Sure, your A/B test might have a positive impact on your landing page conversion rate, but how about your sales numbers? A/B testing can have a significant effect on your bottom line. You may even see that a landing page that converted fewer prospects produced more sales. As you create your A/B test, consider how it affects metrics such as visits, click-through rates, leads, traffic-to-lead conversion rates, and demo requests.

Setup control and treatment

• In any experiment, you need to keep a version of the original element you’re testing. When conducting A/B tests, set up your unaltered version as your “control”: the landing page, call-to-action or email you would normally use. From there, build variations, or “treatments”: pages, calls-to-action or email you’ll test against your control.

Decide what you want to test

• As you optimize your landing pages, calls-to-action and email, there are a number of variables you can test. You don’t have to limit yourself to testing only one color background or text size. Look at the various elements on your marketing resources and their possible alternatives for design, wording, layout.

Split your sample group randomly (HubSpot exports contacts by create date, so be sure to randomize!)

• In email A/B testing each of your email variations must have as similar a group of recipients as possible. List sources, list type, and the length of time a particular name has been on a list are all factors that may cause large differences in response rates.

Test at the same time

• Timing plays a significant role in your marketing campaign’s results – be it time of day of the week, or month of the year. If you were to run test A during one month and test B a month later, you wouldn’t know whether the changed response rate was a result of the different template or the different month.

Decide on necessary significance before testing