So you’ve decided to start your own business and promote your products and services through a website. The digital world makes it easy for people from different backgrounds and parts of the world to connect, which helps when you’re trying to get as many people as possible to buy what you’re selling.

However, if you’re new to the online marketing world, then you’ll want to make sure that you have a clear message to potential customers about what you’re offering. You’ll want as many as people as possible to visit your website and become familiar with your product. Satisfying different portions of your consumer base is important.

That’s where A/B testing comes in because this tool allows businesses to look at alternatives to increase traffic to their websites. Services such as DigitalCoast Marketing LLC emphasize how different elements of web pages, such as headlines, images, and calls to action, can make it easier for customers to find out whether your services are right for them.

Here’s how to use this A/B testing to bring success to your business.

How It Works

A/B testing involves creating different versions of the webpage to see which one brings in more traffic. Both alternatives are shown to an equal number of visitors so that it is clear which option performs the best.

The testing includes two samples. Option A is usually the original page that you use, and it is sometimes referred to as the “control” page. Option B is the second idea that you have and is often called the “challenger” page.

While the name “A/B testing” might give you the idea that you can only test two variants, you can test as many variants as you want. You just have to make sure that they all get an equal amount of dedication so that you have a fair assessment of which variant is getting the most favor from potential consumers.

For the test to be conducted fairly, you must assign traffic to each page randomly, which will be based on how many pages you’re testing. For example, you must split the traffic 50/50 for two pages, 33 percent for three and 25 percent for four.

Factors On Success

Several factors exist in determining how much success each variant will have in bringing traffic to your business. One element is how much time you give your options to draw in visitors. It’s best to give them as much time as possible, whether it’s a few days, a week or a month. The pages may not receive a great deal of traction on Day One or Day Two, but taking them down too soon will take away the opportunity of gaining hundreds or thousands of viewers a few days later.

Testing the variants at the same time is also important, as this will save you time on seeing which option works. The quicker you can decide which variant to run with, the sooner you’ll be able to move on to another test subject and release the final form of your website.

Testing different variables one at a time so that you can see the strengths and weaknesses of each option is also important. You will be able to focus on what portions of each variant are satisfying visitors, as well as which elements are not getting attention. This will also answer any assumptions that you may have about the advantages that one variant might have over another.

The size of your samples will also determine how well your options perform. The more people you have viewed your variants, the more opinions you’ll be able to obtain about your options. These critiques can showcase how well your pages perform, as well as point out any weaknesses that you may have glossed over and can work on to draw in more viewers in the future.

Having a bigger sample size for your variant will also give you an accurate view of your audience’s preferences. Getting the opinions of only 10 to 20 people won’t give you as good of an idea of what your customers want as getting those from hundreds or thousands. The more people you have viewing your variants, the better understanding you’ll have of whether or not you’re doing the right thing.

What You Can Test

Those considering using A/B testing to market their business online will be able to choose from a variety of elements of their website to test. The best portions of your website to test are those that allow your products and services to rank higher in a search engine.

Among the elements that you can test are the headings and subheadings. You’ll want to have the first few words in each to focus on your product and the specific benefits that they provide. For example, if you’re selling supplements for losing fat and building muscle, you’ll want the different benefits to be as close to the beginning to each heading as possible. This will be the most important thing you want viewers to recognize, so the easier it is for viewers to notice them, the more likely they’ll check out the rest of your page and website.

Calls-to-action is also helpful testing subjects, as they aim to keep viewers coming back to your website. Where you place this calls-to-action will determine how easily your visitors will notice them, thus determining how likely they’ll come back to check out your offerings further. You may want to test your variants out by placing them at the beginning or end of the text on the page, as well as what words you use to encourage them. The more unique and drawing the word or phrase you use, the better chance the variants will have of increasing traffic.

Images come in handy with getting viewers’ attention, as well. You can test different pictures of the same product(s) to see what types of images draws in visitors. For example, one photo could be of the supplements that you’re advertising, and the other could be the physique of people who use your supplements. This could test how much people care about the usage of your supplements compared to the results that you’re promising.

You’ll also want to test how your pricing and promotions are positioned on your page. Affordability is among the main concerns that people have when looking at what products to use, so having your prices, as well as weekly or monthly deals, as easy to see as possible will make it easier for them to decide whether your product is right for them. Other details that you’ll want to test for positioning include product details and testimonials, both of which will determine what your customers are looking for in their products, whether the information comes from you or a seasoned customer.

Hyperlinks can determine how much other pages of your web design will be able to get traffic. You can position your variants in different parts of the page so that you can figure out how often your other pages get views. You could put one option at the beginning of the page so that viewers will notice it earlier and one at the end for those who are willing to read through the whole page.

Benefits of A/B Testing

Business can see a variety of benefits with A/B testing, among the most important being the opportunity to save money. Testing marketing tactics before you start using them lowers the odds that you’ll waste money on advertising that won’t work. You’ll be able to figure out which variant will get the most attention, which will likely make more money for you in the long run.

Time is another reward that you’ll get with this testing because you’ll be able to use it for images, headlines, emails, hyperlinks, contact information and other elements of your website. You won’t have to use different marketing techniques for each, and one variant might work for each of these elements, which will allow you to make improvements quicker and draw in more visitors sooner.

A/B testing also allows you to gain reliable results in traction. Putting two variants against each other at the same time and for an equal amount of time will make it easy to figure out which option is getting more views and positive criticism from customers. The only factor that you’re focusing on is numbers, so you’ll be able to decide which option to go with right away.

Begin implementing A/B testing for your business and applying DigitalCoast Marketing’s services so that you can gain visitors quickly and provide the right products and services to keep them happy.