A/B testing: You probably know you should be doing it, but does it really make an impact? In our opinion, the answer is a resounding yes!

If you run a B2C (business-to-consumer) organization, what would it mean for your bottom line if you could double the click-through rate and double the spend per customer?

When you optimize your marketing content, these are the types of tangible results we’ve seen.

For B2B (business-to-business) organizations, when launching any digital content, conducting even just a few A/B tests to confirm the best design and copywriting can drive results.

According to Neil Patel, studies show that A/B testing creates up to 40% more leads for B2B sites.

Successful marketing campaigns are hard work. They require constant innovation and optimization to stand out in a fast-paced digital market.

By incorporating A/B testing into your strategic marketing plan, you will be able to make more data-driven decisions, which will lead to better campaign performance.

First of all: A/B testing… what is it?

A/B testing involves comparing two versions of a form of marketing content where you change one variable — such as the subject line, call to action, or design — to determine which version performs better.

A/B testing helps us answer the questions: “What subject line is better? Which photos attract more attention? How long should my content be?”

It also helps us understand the impact of changes we make to our language and design so that we can continuously refine our campaigns for optimal results.

→ The more you A/B test, the more information you’ll have to help you create more effective and impactful content for your customers!

So how can A/B testing be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns?

1. Clearly define the objective of the test and choose one specific element to focus on.
2. Create two variations (A and B) of a single element. This could be the subject line, the time, the colors, the introduction, or the placement of the CTA.
3. Split your audience, so that half receive A, and half receive B. This can be easily randomized in platforms like Mailchimp or Klaviyo for email marketing or Unbounce for landing pages.
4. Monitor the performance metrics to examine the success of each test. The better-performing test tells you what your audience engages with the most.

And then what?

Once the A/B test is complete and data is gathered, it’s time for the fun part:

Analyzing the results.

The winning variation can tell you a lot about the best way to connect with your customers.

For example, we A/B tested the most effective image when comparing kiddos vs. doggos.

The design featuring the winning image had a 43% higher click rate than the least effective image.

A/B testing drives results.

But which image would win for your brand? It all depends on your audience.

For an audience of moms, the kiddos may be more engaging. For Gen Z, the content that features pups may pull ahead.

At the end of the day, the goal is to understand what is most engaging for your customers.

As a case study, we recently A/B tested our own homepage copy.

Our goal was to determine whether different subheading copy would better inspire a visitor to be interested enough to click through to learn more — either by visiting our “About” page, “Services” page, or our e-commerce optimization page.

In this case, version “B” won by a lot!

At the end of the day, your marketing should support your business strategy.

To drive more ROI, A/B testing is an indispensable tool for marketers to enhance the effectiveness of campaigns.

With its ability to measure, validate, and optimize marketing efforts, A/B testing empowers you and your businesses to stay ahead of competitors by speaking directly to what your audiences want.

Finding concrete results about the content your audience is drawn to can make all the difference in amplifying your impact.