1.
`How to Successfully Run
Your First Website A/B Test
THUE MADSEN

2.
@thuelmadsen
@Kissmetrics

3.
The don’ts…
The dos…
1 What is A/B testing?
Do your homework
Repetition
Succeed
2 Where do you start testing?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 A framework for success
Tooltips and Burgers4

4.
What is A/B testing?
A SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF PROOF

5.
WHAT IS A/B TESTING FOR MARKETING
• A scientific method adapted for marketing
• Compare two or more versions of an asset to each other
• Use data and statistics to determine which version is better
• Implement winner and increase conversions

6.
*Image from Optimizely
HOW DOES A/B TESTING WORK?

7.
*Image from Kikolani
HOW DOES A/B TESTING WORK?

8.
*Image from Dynamicyield
HOW DOES A/B TESTING WORK?

9.
SO WHY DO WE A/B TEST?
• Lowers risk
• Helps us realize the actual impact of proposed changes
• Increase learnings
• Takes the guess work out of optimization

10.
Where do you start testing?
THE DON’TS

11.
*Image from Optimizely
WHERE DO YOU START TESTING?

12.
DON’T JUST GUESS

13.
SUB OPTIMIZE
• Button colors
• Small copy changes
• Small layout changes
• Fonts, font size, etc.
* at least not until you have found
a great variation and have lots of traffic

14.
WATCH OUT FOR BUZZ
• Don’t just test what the gurus say
• What works for others may not work for you

15.
PREMATURE TESTING
• Testing without traffic
• Before you know what and why you are testing

16.
Where do you start testing?
THE DOS

17.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
You have to put in the work to get great results
• Learn as much as you can about A/B testing
• Study the great people out there
• What’s their process and insights?

18.
A framework for success
The basis of a successful testing program

19.
Research
Know what to test and see the greatest improvements

20.
DIVE INTO YOUR DATA
PaidEntered CCAdded to CartViewed Product

21.
FIND YOUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES
PaidViewed CheckoutAdded to CartViewed Product

22.
INVESTIGATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IT
And/Or

23.
FORM A HYPOTHESIS
By doing A,
B will happen,
Because of C

24.
FORM A HYPOTHESIS
By updating branding and increasing form visibility (A),
We will get more prospects to register for webinars (B),
Because prospect attention will be drawn to the form (C).

25.
BUILD THE TEST

26.
LAUNCH THE TEST
VS.
Control Variant

27.
THE TEST
VS.
+24.01% increase
in registrations!!
100% Significance

28.
DOCUMENT AND SHARE YOUR FINDINGS

29.
DOCUMENT AND SHARE YOUR FINDINGS
Documenting all your tests and results
• Increases company transparency
• Helps others know where tests are going on
• Makes it easier to call tests
• Makes learnings available for everyone in company

30.
*Image from Optimizely
REPEAT THE PROCESS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

31.
A STORY OF OUR FAILURE
VS
Control Variant

32.
A STORY OF OUR FAILURE
VS

33.
A STORY OF OUR FAILURE
VS
-13.68% increase
in registrations!!
80% Significance

34.
*Quote found on VWO
NOT ALL TESTS ARE WINNERS
““Only 1 out of 8 A/B tests have driven
significant change.”
Noah Kagan
AppSumo*
““The goal of a test is to get a learning,
not a lift. With enough learnings, you
can get the real lift,”
Dr. Flint McGlaughlin
MECLABS**
**Quote found on MarketingSherpa

35.
RULES OF THUMB FOR TESTING
Things to remember when we are testing
• Min. 2000 visitors
• Min. a few hundred conversions
• At least one full cycle > 2 week
• >99% statistical significance
• Keep a backlog of test hypothesis
• Build next tests as the current one is running
*More info at http://kiss.ly/1vF4wUc and http://kiss.ly/1Q4vTm0

36.
Tooltips
AND BURGERS

37.
How I like my testing burger
Tooltips for your testing framework

38.
Tool Company Why do I like it?
Analytics Kissmetrics
Shows me my actual
customers and their
behavior
Surveys
Qualaroo and/or
SurveyMonkey
Easy to use/Deep
qualitative insights
Project Management Trello
Manage my time +
communicate with
collaborators

39.
Tool Company Why do I like it?
Company Wiki Confluence
Document initial
thoughts for everyone
Testing platform*
Optimizely, Pardot,
Adwords
Easily build tests and
get data
Analytics Kissmetrics
Let’s me confirm and
verify down my funnel
Company Wiki Confluence
Documentation and
learnings for
everyone
*Includes actual testing platform and tools that have testing capabilities

40.
Not everyone likes their
burger the same way
How do you take yours?

41.
Trust the process
Share your leanings
Stack your results
A/B TESTING FOR SUCCESS

42.
KISSMETRICS IS ANALYTICS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR MARKETING
www.kissmetrics.com

43.
JUSTIN THORP
Senior Marketing Operations Manager, AddThis
@thorpus
thorp@addthis.com
THUE MADSEN
Marketing Operations Manager, Kissmetrics
@ThueLMadsen
tmadsen@kissmetrics.com
Questions?

44.
Appsumo reveals its A/B testing secret: only 1 out of 8 tests produce results
MORE RESOURCES…
A Beginner’s Guide To A/B Testing: An Introduction
How to Run AB Tests that Get REAL Results
Statistical Significance Does Not Equal Validity (or Why You Get Imaginary Lifts)
How Big is the Difference Between Being 90% and 99% Certain?
My 7 Rules for A/B Testing That Triple Conversion Rates
Optimizely: What is A/B Testing
How To Determine The Statistical Significance Of An A/B Test – Basic Introduction