30 May A/B Testing For Landing Pages

The significance of a landing page can never be underestimated. Not only does it function as the shopfront for your business, but a landing page is a direct avenue for leads and conversions. Landing pages themselves have their own set of practices that should be adhered to, but overall landing pages should be representative of the business it’s embodying an audience it’s hoping to attract. While design, format and layout preferences differ from one business to the other, one practice that is non-negotiable is A/B testing for your landing page.

A/B testing involves running variations of the same page, ad or campaign to determine which variation generates the most engagement levels. A/B can be done for lead pages, checkout, campaigns or headline propositions, but is especially effective when used on landing pages to test the resonance of your band message. A/B testing involves a process of data analysis, variation formulation, experimentation and modification.

 Websites have varying entry points as visitors enter your site through pages which relate to their search. In order to understanding which pages are successfully converting visitors and which aren’t, a thorough analysis of data is required. To gain this deeper understanding of user behaviour, data such as click and bounce rates are integral in pinpointing which elements of the site are working effectively and at which point users are exiting the site.

This information is used to evaluate the sites current performance in comparison to the conversion rates. More often than not, performance is intertwined with the conversions and leads the site is producing. A/B provides a solution to issues related to site performance and allows for experimentation with different marketing approaches and messaging. Testing landing pages can have a significant effect on your overall digital marketing strategy, here’s how:

Conversions

The driving force behind the desire to A/B test is usually to generate a higher conversion rate. If you’re seeing a drop or lag in leads and conversions then A/B testing is a great way to make some informed changes. The only true way to know your audience is to observe and analyse the way they interact with your site. Experimenting with variations and making minor alterations into messaging, design or timing may be the difference in seeing a rise in lead and conversion rates.

Deeper Customer Insights

It’s one thing to conduct A/B testing, but quite another to derive behavioural insights from the results. One of the most valuable assets in business is customer information. The results from A/B testing provides a deeper look into the logic, values and behaviour of the customer and as such gives a business the opportunity to align their own logic and values to that of the customer. Tools such as www.vwo.com allow you to gain further insights from A/B testing results and outline which elements of a landing page are being used (such as a navigation or menu bar) and which are not garnering any engagement.

Engagement

Away from leads and conversions, a landing page functions as a critical marketing vehicle that establishes and circulates your brand message. If users remain undecided or not ready to complete a purchase, you’re landing page works to navigate them to your blog or social media channels which can help to confirm or accelerate their decision. In this sense, A/B testing can help to boost engagement levels on all platforms.

In the stages of developing or redesigning a new landing page,  implementing an A/B testing strategy is recommended. Regular testing will ensure your landing page is still effective and relevant to the customer base. The main elements the testing should focus on:

Headline: This is arguably one of the most important aspects to test. The headline works as the shopfront for your business, so it’s vital to ascertain whether it’s having a good impression on your audience.

Call To Action Prompt: For most businesses, getting conversions is usually a result of users engaging with a CTA prompt or button. If conversions levels are low, it may be because people are not engaging with the CTA prompt. Try changing the colour or text and seeing how this influences user behaviour.

Photo & Video: Visuals are a crucial component to a website. Similarly, because people are visual thinkers, we process images and video much faster than we do text. While effective images and video is sure to benefit your landing page, ineffective ones can have the reverse effect. A/B testing images and video may uncover small optimisation solution such as changing the size or position of the visuals.

A/B testing is a vital part of website optimisation and allows you to gain tangible data to improve customer experience. While A/B testing can be useful on any part of your site, the landing page is especially pivotal in converting users and influencing sales. The landing page sets the tone of your business and is often the first interaction customers have with your brand. Regular modification through A/B testing can assist in ensuring your landing page is still leaving a lasting impression on visitors.