5 Must-Haves For Every Great A/B Testing Program
At Reusser, we believe A/B testing is the best way to measure the impact of new digital experiences on your website.
Not sure what we mean? Check out this article about using A/B testing to make revenue-driving decisions. Or this article about the benefits of A/B testing.
If you’ve followed along, you’ve probably started to wonder what it takes to build an A/B testing program for your business.
Building Your A/B Testing Program The Smart Way
It’s important to mention that many businesses take a relaxed approach to A/B testing.
That might look something like this:
- Someone has an idea
- A developer quickly builds a new experience
- The team decides whether or not the test was a win (usually without using predictive statistics principles)
While it might seem like this type of testing is better than nothing, this ‘see-what-sticks’ approach is likely costing companies time and resources.
Testing programs that invest in the five must-haves listed below are more efficient, make more money, and see results that align with high-level company goals.
1. The Right Tool Stack
The first thing you need is a testing tool. Many Reusser clients who are just getting started prefer Google Optimize, a free testing tool that gets the job done without all the bells and whistles.
You’ll also need a way to measure your results. Typically, our clients who use Google Optimize also use Google Analytics to read their test results. The combination of these two tools is all you need to understand how your tests perform. The best part? They’re both free.
2. A Diverse Team
Your testing team might look different from the team that works on the rest of your digital marketing initiatives. Four key team members who will make your testing program shine.
Strategist
A testing strategist is responsible for making sure your roadmap and individual tests are designed to bring in the highest return on investment. The strategist will work closely with the rest of the team to make sure everyone is aligned and help you understand how your testing program is impacting your business.
Analyst
A testing analyst is responsible for determining the results of a test using statistics principles. A great analyst will also help you understand any big insights behind your test results so you can use that data to develop new test ideas.
Designer
A testing designer is responsible for making sure new tests are designed to generate accurate test results. Great designers work with analysts to make sure that each test is built to generate clear results.
Developer
Testing developers are responsible for knowing how to build experiences that work with your testing tool. Developers have a high-level understanding of how testing programs work so that they make sure the analyst has reliable data to work with.
3. Access To Reliable Data
Many people believe test data is only necessary for reading results. However, great testing programs rely on data throughout the whole lifecycle.
Strong test hypotheses are developed using both qualitative and quantitative data.
Then, when your test is live, your analytics data will help you understand whether or not it was successful.
Good data will also help you understand why the test won or lost and if different user segments responded differently.
4. A Well-Developed Strategy
It’s important to have a well-developed strategy for your testing program. What does that look like? Strategic testing programs are designed to impact your biggest business goals.
For example, if your business goals revolve around improving sitewide order conversions, most of your tests should address this goal.
A great testing strategy also uses data to determine program performance. Metrics like test win rate, test bust rate, and annualized revenue impact will help you understand the ROI of your testing program.
5. A Reliable, Repeatable Process
As your testing program grows, you’ll likely start testing several experiences at the same time. When you have multiple team members working on multiple projects, it’s important to keep everyone organized with a standardized process
Every testing process looks a little different. However, the one that works best for your program should take your team from test ideation to test analysis as efficiently as possible.
Begin Building Your Testing Program
We believe every great testing program has these five must-haves. We also realize that everything involved probably feels overwhelming. Reusser has the experience and expertise to help you build your testing program. Let’s kick things off with a strategy call today.