Do you want to increase your website’s conversion rate? A/B testing is a great way to find out what works and what doesn’t. However, before you start testing, you need to come up with hypotheses – educated guesses about what changes might improve your website. In this article, we’ll discuss techniques for generating winning A/B test ideas that will increase your website’s conversion rate.
Start with User Research
To generate winning A/B test ideas, you need to understand your users’ needs, preferences, and behaviour. Start by conducting user research, such as surveys, interviews, and usability testing. Use this information to create user personas that represent your typical users. These personas will help you identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Real-world example: In a study conducted by Nielsen Norman Group, it was found that 79% of users scan web pages instead of reading them word-by-word. This insight led to the development of the “F-pattern” design, which places important information in the top-left corner of the page.
Analyse Your Website’s Data
Another way to generate winning A/B test ideas is to analyse your website’s data. Look at your website’s analytics to identify pages with high bounce rates, low conversion rates, and other issues. Use this data to create hypotheses about what might be causing these issues and how you can improve them.
Real-world example: WiderFunnel conducted an A/B test for a company that sold outdoor gear. By analysing their website’s data, they found that their “add to cart” button was the most clicked item on their homepage. As a result, they ran an A/B test that changed the colour of the button from green to red, which resulted in a 35.81% increase in conversions
Use Behavioural Science Principles
Behavioural science principles can be used to create winning A/B test ideas. For example, the scarcity principle suggests that people are more motivated by the thought of losing something than gaining something. This could be used to create urgency in your website’s copy or promotions.
Real-world example: Booking.com uses the scarcity principle to create a sense of urgency for hotel bookings. They use language such as “Only 1 room left at this price!” and “In high demand!” to encourage users to book quickly.
Think Outside the Box
To generate truly novel A/B test ideas, you need to think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to challenge conventional wisdom or take risks. Test ideas that might seem counterintuitive, as they might lead to surprising results.
Real-world example: In an A/B test conducted by ConversionXL, they tested two variations of a lead generation form. One variation included a privacy policy checkbox, while the other did not. The variation without the privacy policy checkbox resulted in a 19.47% increase in conversions.
Voice Search Optimisation
Voice search is becoming more prevalent, and optimising your website for it is important. Here are some tips for optimising your website for voice search:
- Use natural language in your content
- Focus on long-tail keywords and phrases
- Optimise for featured snippets
Real-world example: The recipe website, Allrecipes, optimized their website for voice search by creating a “skill” for Amazon’s Alexa. Users can now ask Alexa for recipe recommendations, which has led to a 60% increase in traffic from voice search.
As Purna Virji, a voice search expert, said, “We need to be thinking more about how people are interacting with their devices and less about how they’re typing into their devices.”
In conclusion, generating winning A/B test ideas requires a combination of user research, data analysis, behavioural science principles, and thinking outside the box.