What Is A/B Testing and How Can It Boost Your Marketing Results

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing (also called split testing) is a method marketers use to compare two versions of a webpage, email, advert, or other marketing asset to see which performs better. By showing two variations—version A (the original) and version B (the variation)—to similar audiences at the same time, marketers can measure which one achieves better results.

In other words, A/B testing replaces guesswork with data-driven decisions. As Google's Digital Marketing Evangelist Avinash Kaushik says:

"A/B testing is not only about the testing, but also about the learning."

How Does A/B Testing Work?

A/B testing typically follows these steps:

• Set a clear goal: Define exactly what you want to improve, such as click-through rates, conversions, or sign-ups.

• Create two versions: Version A (the control) and version B (the variation). Change only one element at a time, such as the headline, call-to-action, image, or layout.

• Split your audience: Randomly divide your audience into two statistically similar groups.

• Run the test: Show each group one version simultaneously and track performance metrics.

• Analyse results: After gathering enough data, compare the results to identify the winning version.

• Implement and iterate: Use the winning version and continue testing new ideas to further optimise your marketing.

For a visual overview, see this helpful A/B testing process diagram.

Advertising legend David Ogilvy famously advised:

"Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving."

Why Should You Use A/B Testing?

If you're serious about growth marketing, A/B testing is essential. It helps you:

• Understand your audience better by learning what resonates with them.

• Optimise your marketing assets to maximise conversions and ROI.

• Reduce risk by validating ideas before committing significant resources.

However, effective A/B testing requires clear hypotheses, structured processes, and robust analytics. If your team struggles with these elements, Growth Method can help.

How Growth Method Simplifies A/B Testing

Growth Method is the only work management platform built specifically for growth marketers. Unlike generic project management tools like Asana, ClickUp, or Monday.com, Growth Method combines ideation, experimentation, and analytics into one streamlined platform.

Here's how Growth Method makes A/B testing simpler and more effective:

• Ideation: Our intuitive system ensures your growth ideas align with team goals, automatically categorises them, and enforces hypothesis best practices. Ideas are instantly shared with your team for feedback, keeping everyone informed.

• Experimentation: Growth Method guides experiments through four clear stages—building, live, analysing, and complete. We enforce best practices and timeframes at each stage, increasing your experiment velocity and learning.

• Reporting: Easily demonstrate the value of your growth marketing efforts with professional, detailed reports. Clearly communicate strategy, goals, experiment execution, and results to stakeholders.

Laura Perrott from Colt Technology Services shared her experience:

"We are on-track to deliver a 43% increase in inbound leads this year. There is no doubt the adoption of Growth Method is the primary driver behind these results."

Further Resources on A/B Testing

To learn more about A/B testing and conversion optimisation, explore these resources:

• Our Guide to Conversion Rate Optimisation

• Marketing Experimentation: How to Run Effective Tests

• Building a Culture of Experimentation

• Understanding Sample Ratio Mismatch in A/B Testing

• Frequentist vs Bayesian Statistics in A/B Testing

• CXL's Comprehensive A/B Testing Guide

• Optimizely's A/B Testing Guide

• Smashing Magazine's Ultimate Guide to A/B Testing by Paras Chopra

• VWO's A/B Testing Guide

• Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments by Ron Kohavi

Ultimately, A/B testing is about making smarter marketing decisions based on data rather than guesswork. As statistician W. Edwards Deming famously said:

"In God we trust. All others must bring data."

Growth Method is the only work management platform built specifically for growth marketers. We help companies implement a systematic approach to grow leads and revenue. Book a call today to see how we can help.