These 9 A/B testing ideas will take your conversion rates to the moon

If you're in the digital marketing world, you know just how crucial conversion rates are. They're the heartbeat of your business, the pulse that determines whether your efforts are yielding fruitful results, or falling flat with your target audience.

But let's face it, conversion rate optimization isn't always easy. To keep your rates where you want them, you’ll need to constantly tweak, refine, and experiment with your content— and the best way to handle that requirement is to perform A/B testing.

In an A/B test, you create two different versions of a piece of content, and then test them against each other to determine which has a better conversion rate. The beauty of A/B testing is that, by generating statistically significant results, you take the guesswork out of website optimization, and support data-driven decisions that can shift your business conversations from "we think" to "we know." 

By measuring the impact that multiple page variables have on metrics such as sign-ups, downloads, purchases, or whatever else your goals may be, you can ensure that every change produces positive results. 

But with so many variables to consider, where should you start? In this blog post, we'll go through nine proven A/B testing examples that have led to significant conversion rate optimization. These aren't theoretical ideas or hypothetical scenarios — they're real-life tests carried out by businesses just like yours, with tangible results to show for it. 

Whether you're new to A/B testing or a seasoned pro, these examples are intended to provide a little fresh insight, and inspire you to test, optimize, and convert like never before.

A/B testing idea #1: Headline A/B testing

In the world of online content, headlines are the equivalent of first impressions. They're the first thing your audience sees, and they can make or break a visitor’s decision to engage with your content. That's why A/B testing your headlines is so vital for optimizing your conversion rates.

The idea behind headline A/B testing is simple: you create two different versions of a headline for the same piece of content — be it a product page, blog post, landing page, or any other part of your website. Half of your audience sees one headline (Version A), while the other half sees the other (Version B).

You can see an example above in the hero image for this blog post.

Headline A/B testing can deliver several benefits:

• Increased engagement: By determining which headline types your audience responds best to, you can tailor your headlines to grab their attention and draw them into your content.

• Improved SEO: A/B tests that reveal that certain keywords or phrases in your headlines lead to better engagement can improve your search engine rankings.

• Higher conversions: Ultimately, more engaging headlines can lead to increased traffic, lower bounce rates, and higher conversion rates as more visitors are drawn into your content and encouraged to take action.

A/B testing idea #2: Landing page

Landing pages are a gateway to your business. They can be the deciding factor between an unfamiliar user bouncing off your content, or converting into a lead or customer. That’s why optimizing your landing page layout through A/B testing can have a significant impact on your conversion rates.

Landing page layout A/B testing allows you to experiment with different design elements on a landing page, which could involve anything from the placement of a CTA button to the page’s color scheme, its images, or its text size. The test will determine which of two versions of the landing page resonates more with users and prompts them to take the desired action — be that signing up for a newsletter, requesting a quote, making a purchase, or downloading an ebook.

A/B testing your landing page layout can yield numerous benefits:

• Better user experience: By understanding which layout elements your audience prefers, you can create a more user-friendly and engaging landing page.

• Increased conversions: A well-optimized landing page can significantly boost your conversion rates by motivating more visitors to take the desired action.

• Lower bounce rates: If your A/B test reveals that a certain layout keeps visitors on your page longer, this can reduce your bounce rate and potentially improve your search engine ranking.

A/B testing idea #3: Product pricing

Price is one of the most influential factors in a consumer's purchasing decision. Therefore, testing different pricing strategies can be an effective way to optimize your conversion rates and increase sales.

A/B testing product pricing involves experimenting with different price points, or different pricing strategies for the same product, in order to see which generates more conversions. These variations could include offering discounts, creating bundle deals, changing the pricing format (for example, $19.99 vs. $20), or simply altering the visual presentation of the price.

A/B testing your product pricing can provide several benefits:

• Optimized pricing: By discovering what price point or pricing strategy maximizes conversions, you can optimize your pricing to boost sales and revenue.

• Increased perceived value: If your A/B test reveals that discounts or bundle deals increase conversions with statistical significance, you may be able to implement pricing strategies that enhance the perceived value of your product, and make customers more likely to purchase.

• Customer insights: Pricing tests can also offer valuable insights into your customers' price sensitivity and purchasing behavior, helping you make more informed pricing decisions in the future.

A/B testing idea #4: Call-to-action buttons

Call-to-action (CTA) buttons are a crucial content element for guiding users toward conversion.  Accordingly, optimizing CTA buttons through A/B testing can significantly impact your website's performance.

A CTA button typically includes an imperative statement which encourages visitors to take a desired action, such as “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Download.” CTA button A/B testing involves experimentation with different aspects of the button — adjusting its design, size, color, text, and so on — in order to gauge which variation drives more conversions. 

A/B testing your CTA buttons can yield multiple benefits:

• Increased conversions: By determining which CTA button attributes lead to higher click-through rates, you can optimize your buttons to drive more conversions.

• Improved user experience: A/B tests can reveal that certain button designs, sizes, or colors are more appealing to users, which can enhance overall user experiences on your site.

• Better understanding of user behavior: The results of your A/B tests can provide valuable insights into your audience's preferences and behavior, helping you make more informed design decisions in the future.

A/B testing idea #5: Customer testimonials

Customer testimonials are a powerful tool for building trust and influencing purchasing decisions; A/B testing their placement and design can significantly impact your conversion rates.

The idea behind customer testimonial A/B testing is to experiment with different aspects of testimonial content: their placement, design, format (text, video, etc.), and even the number of testimonials displayed. The test should reveal which variation encourages more conversions.

A/B testing your customer testimonials offers the following benefits:

• Increased trust: By determining the optimal placement and design for your testimonials, you can make them more noticeable and convincing to visitors, thereby increasing trust in your brand.

• Improved conversion rates: If A/B tests reveal that certain testimonial placements or designs lead to higher conversion rates with statistical significance, you'll be able to use that insight to optimize your product pages and drive more sales.

• Enhanced user experience: Understanding what type of testimonials (text, video, etc.) and designs appeal to your audience can enhance the overall user experience on your site.

A/B testing idea #6: Blog post CTAs

A/B testing can also be applied to your content marketing efforts, including the blog posts you create and, in particular, the CTAs they feature.

Blog post CTA A/B testing involves experimenting with the CTAs at the end of blog posts, adjusting their text, size, color, positioning, and so on, to determine which variation attracts more readers, and encourages more engagement.

A/B testing blog post CTAs offers the following benefits:

• Optimized content: By determining which blog post CTA attributes attract more readers and engagement, you’ll drive more traffic and increase conversions.

• Improved reader engagement: If your A/B tests reveal that certain topics, formats, or lengths of CTA are more appealing to readers, you’ll be able to boost engagement with blogs going forward, encouraging readers to comment and share, and return to the site.

• Better understanding of your audience: The results of your A/B tests can provide valuable insights into your audience's content preferences, helping you create more targeted and effective content in the future.

A/B testing idea #7: Promo codes and special offers

Promo codes and special offers are common marketing strategies to encourage purchases and drive sales. However, their effectiveness can vary greatly, and so conducting A/B testing can help optimize their impact.

A/B testing different types of promotional strategies involves the comparison of certain content experiences, such as automatic discounts at checkout, exclusive codes sent via email, or limited-time offers. You can then collect data to determine which are the strategies resulting in higher sales.

A/B testing your promo code strategies provides the following benefits:

• Increased sales: By determining which promo code strategies are most effective at driving sales, you can optimize promotions to maximize revenue.

• Improved conversion rates: If A/B tests reveal that certain strategies improve conversion rates with statistical significance, you can use that data to refine your promotional efforts and encourage more purchases.

• Better understanding of your audience: The results of your A/B tests will offer valuable insights into your customers' preferences and shopping behaviors, helping you tailor your promotional strategies to better meet their needs and expectations.

A/B testing idea #8: Product images

Product images play a crucial role in online shopping because they provide customers with a visual representation of what they're buying. A/B testing different product images can help optimize your campaigns for clicks and sales.

You can A/B test product images by experimenting with different angles, backgrounds, and lighting conditions, or by featuring the product in use contexts as opposed to standalone framings.

A/B testing product images can offer the following benefits:

Improved click-through rates: By determining which product images are more appealing to viewers, you can optimize your campaigns to generate more clicks.

Increased sales: If certain images lead to higher sales, you can use your A/B test results to enhance your product listings and drive more purchases.

Enhanced user experience: Understanding what type of product images resonate with your audience can improve their shopping experience on your site, potentially leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

A/B testing idea #9: Video content

As the popularity of video content grows, many businesses are choosing to experiment with videos on their product pages and landing pages. A/B testing can be used to measure the impact of this strategy on user engagement and conversion rates.

In a video content A/B test, you’ll compare two versions of a web page: one without video content (Version A) and one with video content (Version B). The goal is to determine whether the addition of video content improves key performance indicators like user engagement, time spent on page, and conversion rates.

A/B testing video content can offer several benefits:

• Improved user engagement: An A/B test that reveals that pages with video content have higher engagement could indicate that your audience finds video content more engaging or informative.

• Increased conversion rates: Videos can provide a more comprehensive overview of a product or service, which could lead to higher conversion rates if users feel more confident about their purchase decision.

• Enhanced user experience: Adding video content may improve user experiences on your site by providing more diverse and engaging content.

The importance of a hypothesis

Now you've seen a variety of A/B testing examples, let's take a moment to talk about an essential element in any successful A/B test: the hypothesis.

A hypothesis is, essentially, your educated guess or prediction about what you think will happen during your A/B test. It's the foundation upon which your entire test stands, guiding the direction of your experiment, and giving it purpose.

Without a hypothesis, an A/B test can quickly become a wild goose chase. You may find yourself testing random elements without any clear understanding of why you're doing so, or what you're hoping to achieve, or you might end up missing the statistical significance of results. A well-defined hypothesis not only sets the stage for your test but helps you collect data, interpret results, and draw meaningful conclusions.

How to formulate a hypothesis

Formulating a hypothesis for your A/B test involves three key components:

1. Change: This is the specific element on your web page or email that you plan to modify. It could be anything from the color of a CTA button to the wording of a headline on an existing page.

2. Impact: Here, you predict the effect that the change will have on user behavior. For example, you might anticipate that changing the color of a CTA button from blue to green will increase click-through rates with your target audience.

3. Reasoning: This is your rationale behind the predicted impact. Perhaps you believe that a green CTA button will stand out more against your website's color scheme, catching users' attention and encouraging them to click.

Applied correctly, these components combine to form a clear, concise hypothesis. For example: "Changing the CTA button color from blue to green will increase click-through rates because the button will stand out more to website visitors against the page's color scheme."

Hypothesis examples

To give you a clearer idea of what a well-formulated hypothesis looks like, here are a few examples:

• "By making our sign-up form shorter, we will increase conversions because we believe visitors are currently feeling overwhelmed by the number of fields."

• "Increasing the size of our product images will boost sales because it will give visitors a better view of what they're buying and remove friction from the user journey."

• "Adding customer testimonials to our landing page will improve trust and thus increase sign-ups because potential customers often rely on reviews when making a decision."

Remember, a hypothesis doesn't guarantee success or statistically significant results — and that's okay. Even if your A/B test disproves your hypothesis, you still gain valuable insights about your target audience and visitor behavior. With each test, you learn more, which means you’ll be able to continually fine-tune your efforts for better results and better future tests.

Want more A/B testing ideas?

If you found these A/B testing examples useful, and you're hungry for more, we've got just the resource for you.

Our comprehensive "26 A/B testing ideas" ebook is packed full of insightful tips and practical examples to help you take your A/B testing to the next level. Whether you're new to the world of A/B testing, or an experienced marketer looking to boost conversion rates for your next marketing campaign, this ebook is a must-read.

So why wait? Supercharge your marketing strategy by downloading your free copy of our ebook, or contact our team for a guided demo of A/B testing using Contentful Personalization. 

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