A/B Testing and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Have you ever questioned why some companies have little trouble turning web visitors into paying customers while others find it difficult to draw in their target market? This frequently boils down to how well these companies use conversion rate optimization (CRO) and A/B testing methods. Where do you stand on this spectrum, then?

Let’s go into great detail about one of the effective digital marketing strategies for business growth — A/B testing and CRO. We’ll look at why they’re so important for websites trying to improve their online performance. Ready to get right in?

What is A/B Testing?

Let’s first understand the A/B testing. It’s also called split testing, during which you compare two versions of an application or a webpage (versions A and B) to see which one works well for your audience. What can you change on each version to compare?

• Layout
• Copy
• Images
• Call-to-Action
• Colors

This method helps business owners and marketers to make data-driven decisions. The main goal is to determine the changes on the website and app that drive the most engagement, sales, and conversions. It can be the product placement, design elements, or just the content of your website. 

For example, a company might test two different CTAs—one saying “Shop Now” and the other “Discover More”—to see which one leads to more clicks or purchases.

How It Works:

• Creating Variations (A and B): You need to create two versions of a webpage and app, during which Verison A is commonly the existing one, while Version B includes a new design or new copy to test. 
• Running the Test: Then you run the test to understand the results. You show both versions to similar segments of your target audience to have accurate results. 
• Analyzing the Results: After running for some time, you analyze the data to see which version got higher conversions, considering one option as the winner of the test. 

Examples of A/B Testing:

1. Button Colors and Placement: Changing the color or position of a CTA button on a landing page can significantly impact the conversion rate. 85% of companies prioritize call-to-action triggers for A/B testing before launch.
2. Headline Text: Changing a headline from “Save Big with Our Sale” to “Big Savings on Your Favorite Items” can influence how users interact with the page.
3. Product Images: A/B testing different product images to see which ones lead to higher clicks or sales is another common strategy.

But why should you do the A/B testing? 

• 77% of businesses use A/B testing on websites and 60% on landing pages. 
• 70% of businesses saw increased sales from A/B testing landing pages.
• User testing may improve UX design and increase conversion rates by 400%.

What is Conversion Rate Optimization?

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is a process during which you aim to convert your website visitors into customers and leads. During CRO, you aim to optimize the entire user experience (UX) to boost conversions. A/B testing is one of the methods used for CRO. The main goal of CRO is:

• Increase the percentage of visitors who will take your preferred action. 
• Reduce the percentage of people who leave your website without interacting with it.
• Make customers want come back to your site and experience your products. 

Check the image to see common CRO techniques.

Why should your company consider CRO? Businesses that use conversion rate optimization tools typically see a 223% average return on investment.

The Relationship Between A/B Testing and CRO

Both CRO and A/B testing are essential components of an effective website optimization plan. CRO aims to improve the entire website’s features to convert visitors, while A/B testing focuses on determining which elements of the website work better for the target audience. 

If you want to integrate both A/B testing and CRO in your marketing strategy, then what tools to use?

• A/B Testing Tools: You can run A/B tests using tools like AB Tasty, Kameleoon, Optimizely, VWO, and Google Optimize.
• CRO Tools: Unbounce, Crazy Egg, and Hotjar are good tools to increase conversions, helping you with survey collection, user behaviour analysis, market personalization, etc. 

Key Metrics to Track in A/B Testing and CRO

It’s essential to monitor the following indicators to assess the effectiveness of A/B testing and CRO initiatives:

• Conversion Rate: You can understand the success of your testing by checking the conversion rate, which is the percentage of people who took the desired action, such as buying a product, subscribing to your newsletter, or downloading an ebook. 
• Bounce Rate: The number of customers who leave the website without taking action. It’s like entering a store, taking one product to look at it, putting it into place, and going out without looking at any other products.  
• Time on Site: This is the time duration, that visitors spend on your website. The higher it is, the more engaged they are. 
• Pages per Session: The number of pages viewed by a visitor during a single session.
• Click-Through-Rate (CTA): The number of people who click on a specific link and button. 

Top Techniques for CRO and A/B Testing

Use these recommended practices to get the most out of CRO and A/B testing:

Now that you know all about A/B testing and CRO, it’s time to test your web pages and take action to boost conversions. Even a simple step like simplifying your sign-up form or registration form can make a difference in conversion rates. Want to know how to boost your conversions? Get an audit from our team.