Whether you’re writing content, designing media for your website, planning a landing page, or crafting a social media post, A/B testing is always a smart call. Let’s understand why.

A/B testing (also known as split testing) is the process of comparing the performance of two variations of any variable (content, webpage, video, etc.). Each version is shown to different segments of web users at the same time. The version that appeals to people most is used while the other is discarded.

This is a great way to elevate your marketing performance, create maximum impact, and generate more revenue. When web users are shown elements that resonate with them, they’re more likely to take action. A/B testing will help you get rid of guesswork and achieve guaranteed results.

In this blog, we’ll focus on web content. What’s the right way to A/B test web content? Are there any considerations you need to be mindful of? Keep reading our A/B testing guide for web content to get started.

1. Select a Test Variable

You can choose between dozens of test variables. However, when you’re starting off, stick to one variable, e.g., content titles, images, calls-to-action (CTAs), keyword usage, etc.

The more specific your approach, the better the results. If you focus on everything at once, you’ll struggle to understand which element works well on its own. Avoid the hodgepodge approach and get hyper-specific to achieve optimal results.

Recommended Read: How to Write a Brilliant Call-to-Action (CTA) That Converts Visitors Into Customers

2. Specify Your Goals

Your A/B testing plan must have clear goals. Before you kick things off, develop a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve.

• Do you want to earn more conversions?
• Are you trying to generate more traffic?
• Do you want to elevate your SERP rankings?

Even if you’re trying to achieve multiple goals at once, write them down clearly. This will help you stay focused and on track.

3. Create “Control” and “Challenger” Content

It’s show time! Create test pages with control content (unaltered content) and challenger content (modified, improved version of the content).

There should be a significant difference between the two versions. If you make minute changes, your audience will react similarly to both types of content. This is a waste of your time and money; you’ll essentially achieve no results.

Tweak the challenger content to ensure it’s significantly better than the control content.

Recommended Read: Five Guaranteed Ways to Find New Content Ideas for Your Industry

4. Choose Testing Groups

If you want to achieve good results, select testing groups at random. The sample size and demographic should be the same.

If your sample audience comprises 500 people, select 250 for the control content and 250 for the challenger content. The random sampling approach will help you get rid of any room for bias.

Make sure your audience doesn’t know that you’re running an A/B test. They should go into the process uninformed. If they know what’s happening, their subconscious bias may come into play.

5. Turn to Experts for Help

 The A/B testing process requires expertise and experience. If you hand this project to your in-house content team, there’s a high chance that the test will not be performed properly.

Successful A/B testing requires advanced software, complete knowledge of and experience in A/B testing, and the right skillset. A/B testing experts possess strong comparative analysis skills and have a good grasp of testing techniques. They’ll help you achieve the best possible results.

Find a reliable, trustworthy, and reputable content marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) company that specialises in A/B testing. Turning to the pros will help you get things right from the get-go and leave no room for error.

Recommended Read: How to Create Evergreen Content & Improve Your SERP Rankings

6. Use the Results to Improve Your Content

By the end of the test, you’ll have a clear understanding of which variable performed better and why. Use the results to tweak your content and elevate your SEO performance.

A/B testing results often confuse people. They predict certain results and get confused when the outcome is different. It’s important to note that your mindset is very different from your audience’s mindset.

While a certain CTA may appeal to you more, it’s possible that it doesn’t resonate with your clients. And while a content title may sound like a bad idea to you, it may be exactly what your audience wants to see!

Keep the goal of A/B testing in mind. You’re not trying to improve your content for yourself or Googlebot, you’re trying to improve it for your audience.

Your A/B testing campaign should be audience-centric through and through. Trust the results instead of challenging them because they deviate from your expectations.

7. Plan Your Next A/B Test

All done? It’s time to plan your next test! Each A/B testing process will help you streamline things and achieve a greater level of efficiency. Learn from your mistakes, fine-tune the process, and leverage better tools.

While we covered web content in this blog, it’s not the only thing you can A/B test. There are many, many other components that can be tested. Slowly branch out of your comfort zone and start leveraging the power of A/B testing for the rest of your website.

You can also use this technique for your Google Business profile, social media, directory listings, and so on. Work with experts to hit the ground running!

Let TocToc Take the Reins!

If you’re looking for a professional content marketing team that plans, writes, optimises, edits, A/B tests, and markets content for you, TocToc should be your first stop. We take care of everything to leave you with a content system that runs like a well-oiled machine.

Our content marketing specialists assiduously A/B test web content to determine the most effective and appealing variations. This helps us engage your audience and reel in maximum conversions.

Explore our content marketing services to get started! We specialise in article writing, blog writing, eBook writing, and web copywriting. If you’re not sure whether TocToc is the right call for your business, get to know our founder, Ben.

Our services also include search engine optimisation (SEO), email marketing, web design and development, app development, and social media marketing. Contact our team today!

If you have any further questions about our A/B testing guide for web content, we’re always happy to help. Comment below, and our team will get back to you promptly.