A/B Testing—also known as split testing—is a method for comparing two versions of a webpage, email, ad, or other digital asset to see which one performs better. You show version A to one group of users and version B to another, then compare the results to find out what actually works.
This approach moves you away from guesswork and toward data-backed decisions. It’s not about what looks better to you—it’s about what gets better results for your audience.
Why does A/B testing matter for business owners?
Every word, image, color, or layout choice on your site influences whether visitors convert or leave. But instead of blindly changing things and hoping for improvement, A/B testing lets you:
- Learn what your audience actually responds to
- Improve conversions with measurable changes
- Reduce bounce rates and wasted traffic
- Make decisions based on real behavior, not opinions
It’s especially useful when you rely on your website to generate leads, sales, bookings, or signups.
How does A/B testing work?
The idea is simple:
- You create two versions of a page or element (A and B).
- Half your users see version A; the other half see version B.
- You track which version gets more clicks, signups, purchases, etc.
- The winner becomes your new default.
Over time, these small improvements stack up—and even a 5% lift in conversions can mean big gains in revenue.
What can you test?
Pretty much anything that affects user behavior:
- Headlines or button text
- Call-to-action (CTA) wording or placement
- Images, videos, or product photos
- Layout or form length
- Navigation structure
- Pricing or promotional offers
- Email subject lines or send times
The key is to test one thing at a time—otherwise, you won’t know what caused the change in performance.
Tools that make it easy
You don’t need a development team or fancy setup. Some popular A/B testing tools include:
- Google Optimize (sunset in 2023, but alternatives are emerging)
- VWO (Visual Website Optimizer)
- Optimizely
- Convert
- Mailchimp (for email A/B tests)
- Elementor, Bricks Builder, and WordPress plugins also offer built-in split testing for pages
A few rules of thumb
- Test with enough traffic: Small sample sizes = unreliable results.
- Be patient: Let tests run long enough to avoid false positives.
- Always start with a clear hypothesis: Know what you’re testing and why.
- Document your results: Build a knowledge base of what works for your business.
Bottom line
A/B Testing is one of the smartest ways to optimize your website or marketing without overhauling everything. It’s about learning what moves the needle and iterating with purpose. The best part? You don’t need to be a data analyst to get started—just curious, strategic, and willing to learn from real users instead of making assumptions.
