Designing Intelligently with A/B Testing

Effective digital solutions observe development as multifaceted and flexible. Both your designing and manual building phases will take a few forms before the final product deployment, and much of this change comes off the back of feedback and testing.

With the build, developers are spoilt for choice with a vast range of intelligent and trusted applications and procedures to help ensure the robustness, security, and validity of their code – so we should apply the same scrupulous testing and fact checking with the appeal, engagement, and usability of its design and functions.

A/B testing facilitates design development by offering a glimpse at user feedback before the final product is launched. It’s quick, modifiable, and largely invaluable when building a customer-facing product. So what is it?

The Ins and Outs of A/B

Put simply, A/B testing is a method of comparatively testing two versions of the same product. One set of users are given a mock using the designs, functionalities, and format chosen by the client, the control version, and another half given access to one that is slightly altered, the challenger version.

Data is gathered from both versions over a short period of time, recording a variety of metrics like engagement conversion, sign-ups, bounce rate, and general feedback which can be compared and contrasted to find the more effective design. Should the challenger win, this will become the new control and the process repeated until the best version of the product is produced.

A/B testing effectively eliminates poor design choices and inconsistencies in the functionality. It ensures that the user-flow is robust and the designs are attracting the right people.

There’s a huge amount of data that can be coined from A/B testing so it’s important to narrow down what feedback you’re specifically looking for and really consider what the true purpose of your digital solution is. Tip: Start broad and narrow your questions down as you move forward for a more conclusive and encompassing result.

From A to B and Back Again

Your website reflects your business and acts as an extension of your brand’s identity. It will be the first impression your brand has on a lot (if not all) of your audience. Having an idea of what you want is important but it’s more important to listen to what your customers want, and A/B testing is one of the most accurate methods of collecting such feedback.

A/B testing can help you better understand your customer. Product testing and competition analysis act as supplementary to your ultimate offering but A/B testing definitely asses how people will respond to your service presentation. Ultimately, no one wants to waste time with a great product/service for no one to see it because of your website, so it’s vital to listen to these results.

There are a huge amount of variables that can alter the way consumers engage with your website so being diligent with the alterations you make in each copy will provide you with the richest set of data, yielding the best outcome. Some changes to consider include:

  • CTA – The user has navigated your services and you’ve successfully caught their attention, so what now? Make sure you have clear and concise next steps i.e., “Contact Us Now” forms and instant call buttons.
  • Copy – What written content generated the better visitor response and were there any particular keywords that worked better than others?
  • Forms – Evaluate your customer support, mailing lists sign-up, and contact forms.
  • Images – Do they enhance or distract from your message? Colour, size, and occurrence all matter.
  • Layout – Page length, text length, image to text ratios, mobile conversions etc.,
  • Composition – colour, typography, logos, etc., how are users viewing and interpreting your brand?
  • Brand statement – Does the user know exactly why they’re here and what you offer?
  • Mobile device optimisation – In order to rank well, it’s important that your site is compatible on mobile devices

How Can 6B Help?

6B have worked with a variety of private and public sector clients, from Public Health England and NHS Trusts to Candy Kittens and more, and we understand what is important to you.

We have the skill, resources, and expertise to deliver a variety of projects on time, in budget, and to a high quality.

For more information on what services we offer and how we can help you become more accessible to your audience, take a look at our Services page.

What to join the 6B team? We’re always looking for dynamic and talented individuals to join us. Browse our Career Opportunities or email us at info@6bdigital.com

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