AB-test (definition)
What is an AB-test?
An AB-test is also known as a split test: a critical and essential marketing activity. An AB-test compares the results from one media component with another and is commonly used within PPC advertising. An AB-test can be performed for a large range of media components, including:
- ad versions
- ad propositions
- buttons
- landing pages
- PPC campaign settings
- email subject lines
- etc.
Due to the many opportunities for measuring effectiveness, an AB-test is a widely used within PPC marketing. However, an AB-test is also often used within email marketing, usability and (offline) direct marketing.
Best practices for AB-testing
Best practices are:
- Determine which KPI you want to use for your AB-test.
- Write a AB-test plan with the components and versions you want to test
- Make sure that various AB-tests don’t interfere with eachother (or keep this within acceptable limits).
- Always test different ad versions within PPC campaigns, to determine which one is the most effective.
- AB-test various landing pages, using tools as Visual Website Optimizer, Google Website Optimizer, or Adobe SiteCatalyst’s Test & Target.
- Make sure your findings are valid using a chi-square test.
- Use the findings from online campaigns for offline media.
- Test everything, always and continuously, to keep improving your marketing campaigns!
If your website receives sufficient traffic, or your AB-test has a high conversion rate, you can use multivariate testing in order to increase your AB-testing capacity.
