Why You Can’t Afford To Ignore A/B Testing In Web Design

When it comes to all things web development, the key to success obviously lies in user behaviour and what is most likely to keep a casual visitor interested enough to stick around and become either a regular customer or reader of any given site. Trial and error has long been one way of attempting to gauge exactly what works well with a specific audience or key demographic – though there have thankfully been strides made in more sophisticated and reliable testing over the years. One such methodology lies in A/B testing.

What is A/B Testing?

During web development, A/B testing will give you the opportunity to trial two different versions of a prospective website – ahead of such a design or platform having been completed – in an effort to see which works best with specific control groups or demographics. This system effectively allows you to allow two such versions of a page or site to go live, with one version as the standard and the other with slight tweaks to content or layout – or even functionality. Visitors will be presented with either version A or B, decided randomly.

Why Should I Run an A/B Test – and is it Relevant For Me?

A/B testing is a tried-and-tested method of looking for even the slightest in variations in user behaviour. Detailed reports allow developers to ascertain which elements of a website may not be providing the results desired of them – allowing the fine-tuning process to streamline and to take up less time for all of those involved. It also helps to ensure that users receive the content they need and desire. A/B testing is particularly useful in helping websites with storefronts, those steeped in ecommerce, as it can help to fine-tune a virtual storefront to help increase revenue while remaining relevant to customers.

Which Elements Can Be Tested?

The world – or at least your website is your oyster. Alter content, colours, widgets, layouts, media embeds, buttons and calls to action as you may desire for version B – checking back on reports to see what works and what doesn’t, and only continuing to tweak from there. This is a method of fine-tuning that places an awful lot of power and control in your hands – and it’s your turn to make it work to your advantage! Discuss your web development needs with Vital Concept today!

Posted in Web Development

talk to us about your project

Our experts are on hand for advice, technical queries and quotations.

    Upload your file