Split Testing for Bloggers: 7 A/B Testing Tools You Can Use

Would you like to try split testing?

I’ll show you the top split-testing resources available in this post.

Let me elaborate about split testing first.

What is Split Testing?

It’s possible that you have no idea what split testing is if you’re new to blogging.

Split testing, also referred as A/B testing, is the process of evaluating multiple versions of a program, advertisement, website, or individual component.

Various versions are put to the test and contrasted side by side. The time required to produce the best version is shorter.

How to Build a Split Testing Strategy?

Implementing several modifications between variants is the most practical technique to do split tests. This is so that accurate conclusions may be drawn from each split test, which requires data from thousands of visits.

You’ll likely need to wait weeks or months to see noticeable results if you make small changes at a time.

Here’s how to set it.

Assume for a moment that you wish to increase conversions and enhance reader experience on your site.

Finding your key performance indicators, or KPIs, is the first step. These are measurements or figures that indicate how well an object is operating.

You should concentrate on engagement metrics for this, such as:

• Bounce Rate
• Pages Per Session
• Average Session Duration
• Conversion Rate
• Scroll Depth

Your KPIs will be these.

Assume for the moment that you have two versions of your landing page: A and B.

You discovered through split testing that version A produced more pages in each session. Conversely, Version B had a lower bounce rate, increased scroll depth, and increased conversion rates.

To put it another way, version B increased revenue and traffic.

Version A sent more traffic to other pages while producing fewer purchases.

Which one would you choose?

It’s easy to say that version B succeeded. Conversions are, after all, the main concern for the majority of website owners.

However, what if you could obtain version B results using version A’s pages per session?

You might investigate that idea by examining the specific factors that most likely had an impact on your KPI.

The pages per session KPI in the previous instance can be raised by:

• Inline internal links
• Sidebar navigation links 
• Footer links
• Better overall website design

You saw that version A’s content had more inline links when you looked at the versions above.

With that knowledge, you can proceed by adding those links to the content of version B. As an alternative, you can conduct a second split test using version B and a variation that has new navigational features.

This can be continued until you are totally satisfied with the outcome.

All you need are the monitoring tools for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with your desired improvement.

You can A/B test emails and opt-in forms, for instance, using an email marketing platform. However, it’s unlikely that you can test WordPress landing pages or Facebook advertisements with it.

The Best Split Testing Tools

You may split test various elements of your blog using a variety of methods.

First, let’s look at a tracking tool that can do almost everything:

1. ClickMagick

Any blogger who wants to get specific marketing insights should use ClickMagick as a tracking tool.

It is intended to serve as your “single source of truth” regarding the effectiveness of your advertisements, autoresponder, affiliate links, and other features.

What does ClickMagick do?

With the help of ClickMagick, a highly potent tracker, you can see the consumer journey in crystal clear detail. It will gather useful data and show you precisely how leads proceed through the various stages of your sales funnel.

Therefore, ClickMagick can assist you in determining where to concentrate your optimization efforts. By identifying the channels and phrases that aren’t producing enough revenue, it will also help you save money.

How to use ClickMagick for Split Testing?

ClickMagick can be used to split test various versions of your webpages. All you have to do is provide the URLs for both your main page and the variations.

ClickMagick will automatically monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) such as:

• TC – The total number of clicks
• E – Number of engagements (subscription, click-through, etc.)
• S – Sales
• NET – Net profit
• ROI – Return on investment

The automatic split testing capability of ClickMagick is particularly remarkable when it comes to split testing.

You can immediately indicate what you want to optimize for while setting up your split test. It could be the quantity of interactions, sales, engagements, or earnings per click on your page.

After that, ClickMagick’s in-house algorithms will be used. These ensure that you have enough data statistically to name a clear winner among the variations.

2. ConvertBox

My preferred tool for generating leads is ConvertBox.

It’s an intelligent form builder with conditional targeting, integrated analytics, automation options, and more.

What does ConvertBox do?

You might have seen some of the content I make. It assisted me in creating visually appealing overlay opt-in forms, especially callout and center modals.

ConvertBox offers a selection of ready-made templates that you may utilize to get started more quickly. You’ll undoubtedly like the drag-and-drop interface of the form builder itself if you’d rather work with a blank template.

How to use ConvertBox for Split Testing?

You may quickly split test up to two versions of your forms with ConvertBox.

Click “Create A/B test” in the main editor to open the variants windows. You can then easily duplicate your initial form or start from scratch by selecting “Create new variation.”

After that, you can choose to conduct a standard split test or a “cookied” split test.

The version in a cookied split test will be chosen at random for each user. But even in subsequent sessions, they would always see the same version.

Users will also see a random variety in a standard split test. However, as contrast to a cookied split test, a conventional split test might present the same user with multiple variants.

3. ActiveCampaign

I may use ActiveCampaign to automate customized emails that will introduce my brand to my audience. This email marketing platform is all-inclusive, providing all the tools you need to nurture prospects and direct them through your funnels.

What does ActiveCampaign do?

A simple email builder with lots of themes for welcome emails, newsletters, abandoned cart emails, and other emails is included with ActiveCampaign.

These templates can be entirely customized, of course. To create space for all of your original ideas, you can also begin with a blank canvas if you’d like.

All of that sounds great, but those features aren’t the main reasons I adore ActiveCampaign.

Instead, ActiveCampaign features among the greatest automation workflow builders available.

It has an automated builder with visuals for almost any campaign you can imagine. More crucially, you can use intelligent contact scoring to segment your lists with each email you send.

Oh, and did I also mention that you can save a plenty of time using its email automation recipes?

How to use ActiveCampaign for Split Testing?

As one might expect, split testing emails with ActiveCampaign enables you to get the best response possible from subscribers.

Email subject lines, sender details, and individual email components can all be split tested. To activate all split testing options, just don’t forget to select “Test different email subjects, from information, and/or email contents.”

You can then construct all of the different email versions of the same message in one location using ActiveCampaign’s builder. To quickly create a new version and begin tweaking it, just click “Add new test design.”

You can adjust the “email ratios” in ActiveCampaign after creating your email versions. The percentage of your contacts that will receive each variant is determined by these values.

The winner can also be chosen automatically by ActiveCampaign depending on who has the higher open or click rate. The duration of the split testing phase is likewise under your control.

Choose “Determine (and send using) the winner” from the “Test Winner” settings to establish the parameters.

Happy with the outcome?

You can keep an eye on your emails’ performance from within ActiveCampaign during split testing. To fully utilize this site, you should also think about investigating the “education center.”

4. Google Optimize

Google Optimize allows you to split test your landing pages for free if you use WordPress.

You can conduct “experiments” using this free user experience optimization platform, which range from server-side tests to multivariate analysis.

What does Optimize do?

There are multiple justifications to involve Optimize in your collection of digital tools.

It is compatible with other Google products, such as Accelerated Mobile Pages, Google Analytics, and Google Ads, without any issues. Popular page builders like Elementor also suggest using it as a split testing tool.

The WYSIWYG editor, or “What You See Is What You Get,” is my favorite feature of Optimize.

You may easily create variations of your page with the Google Optimize plugin for Chrome.

Consider it a pocket page builder that allows you to make changes to your page without the need for coding.

How to use Optimize for Split Testing?

Split URL tests are another feature that Optimize offers in addition to standard A/B testing.

At that point, you compare two distinct pages that have completely different URLs. If you recently did a major makeover of your website, this is the perfect kind of experiment.

As with any other split testing tool, you have the ability to control each variant’s traffic share. The Optimize dashboard’s “Targeting and Variants” section is where you may do this.

To make sure you receive data from relevant visitors, you may additionally configure advanced audience targeting options.

Locate the “Audience Targeting” area and select “Customize” to accomplish this. This will display a list of rule types that you can use to specify the target traffic for your experiment.

Impressed?

Remember that we have just touched the surface of Optimize’s capabilities.

It’s also important to remember that setting up Optimize and its integrations takes some setup. You can refer to this detailed tutorial, provided by Elementor, for that.

5. Nelio A/B Testing

Nelio A/B Testing is a turnkey solution that demonstrates that split testing need not be difficult.

It’s a specialized A/B testing platform for WordPress that allows you to test website elements, as the name implies. Pages, headers, menus, CSS styles, and more are all included in this.

What does Nelio A/B Testing do?

Installing the official plugin on your WordPress website is required in order to use Nelio A/B Testing.

After that, split tests may be set up directly from your WordPress dashboard. Simply navigate to the plugin page, choose “Tests,” and press “Add Test.”

You can test anything with Nelio A/B Testing, including WooCommerce product summaries and individual pages.

You may then use your native page builder to create and update variants. This could be a third-party platform like Elementor, Divi, or Thrive Architect, or it could be the built-in WordPress page editor.

Please feel free to use the WordPress plugin repository to obtain and install their official plugin. Just keep in mind that, unless you purchase the premium edition, you can only test pages and heatmaps.

How to use Nelio A/B Testing for Split Testing?

You can define the precise conversion action you’re optimizing for using Nelio A/B testing. This could be a custom trackable event, page view, click, or visit to an external link.

Split test variations will be displayed to all visitors to your website by default. If you purchased the premium version, you can modify this to just apply to a particular set of people.

A premium subscription will additionally enable the following options in addition to segmentation:

• Enable A/B testing for up multiple websites
• Custom test scheduling
• Participant quota control
• Testing for posts, headlines, templates, themes, widgets, menus, products, and CSS
• Email notifications

6. Hotjar

With the help of a heatmap platform called Hotjar, you may examine user experience without doing any math by using just visual observation.

A heatmap is essentially a graphic depiction of the “hot” and “cold” areas of your website.

Hot zones include the items that your audience clicks on the most. Conversely, cold zones are parts of your website that are rarely visited.

What does Hotjar do?

Heatmaps may be set up in four easy steps with Hotjar. All you need to do is select the target page, give your heatmap a name, and save your settings.

You may monitor particular user actions, such as clicks, mouse movements, and scrolls, once your heatmap is prepared. You can also see information gathered from a certain category of devices, such as tablets, smartphones, or PCs.

In addition to heatmaps, Hotjar can record full screen sessions so you can see your website as your visitors do. This enables you to track users’ precise interactions with any element you add to your website.

Hotjar can assist you in improving the user experience on your blog in two more ways.

By utilizing the “Incoming Feedback” function, you may allow readers to leave comments on your blog.

If you prefer a more conventional approach, you may conduct a poll right on your blog using Hotjar.

You can do anything from creating the survey form to reviewing the answers right from your Hotjar dashboard.

How to use Hotjar for Split Testing?

Hotjar allows you to divide test pages by allowing you to place heatmaps or recordings on the URL of each variation.

This is fantastic as you can see exactly how your users respond to the changes you make to the design. In addition, you can split test pages with different URLs without purchasing Hotjar.

You can split test pages with the same URL using JavaScript if you have a Hotjar Business plan. Additionally, it provides access to split testing tools from third parties, such as Optimizely and Google Optimize.

7. Optimizely

Optimizely is a digital experience platform of enterprise grade that offers developers and enterprises optimization solutions.

Optimizely provides website owners with a graphical user interface for personalization campaigns, split testing, and multivariate testing.

What does Optimizely do?

Firstly, not every individual is an appropriate match for Optimizely.

Either a full stack developer or a website owner with a development team working for them internally is required.

If any of these scenarios describes you, Optimizely is a long-term investment that will increase the output you receive. Just know that it won’t be inexpensive.

Beyond split testing, Optimizely offers extensive optimization options. They offer feature flagging, optimization as a service, AI-driven recommendations, and more.

The Optimizely Digital Experience Platform, which comprises the following, is their main product which includes:

• Content Cloud: By producing, integrating, and repurposing distinct content components, content modeling may be used to create amazing content. Tools for media management, project collaboration, and split testing are also included in Optimizely’s Content Cloud to speed up content creation.
• Commerce Cloud: Utilize a single platform to manage numerous eCommerce campaigns, visitor segments, and websites. Without knowing how to write code, you can make full use of Optimizely’s visual interface to implement changes in your eCommerce campaigns.
• Intelligence Cloud: With the help of Optimizely’s superior analytics, you can combine consumer information, link your platform with other platforms, and design audience-specific experiences. Testing, content strategy, brand messaging, marketing, and conversion rate optimization are all accelerated by AI automation.

How to use Optimizely for Split Testing?

Optimizely’s visual editor allows you to quickly generate variations of any page when you first start an experiment. With a few clicks, you can precisely adjust the copy, arrangement, and visibility of each individual element.

Cross-browser testing is supported via experiments, which let you simultaneously see how your page appears in 18 different browsers. Additionally, you may use advanced targeting to focus on visitors based on their IP address, device, language, browser, and more.

Optimizely has the ability to conduct multi-page or funnel tests in addition to split and multivariate testing.

These are experiments in which complete multi-page experiences are tested. It might be the whole checkout process, the onboarding procedure for an online course, registering for a webinar, and so on.

Additional Tips For Successful Split Testing

With a look at the platforms above, you can make the best decision, regardless of your budget.

Here are some more pointers to help you maximize the benefits of split testing:

1. Always Start with a Hypothesis

Be sure you understand precisely what you want to improve before doing a split test.

It is necessary to formulate a hypothesis, which is essentially a prediction or concept you wish to investigate.

For instance, you may have considered altering the color of your CTA button after noticing that the conversion rate on your landing page was poor. Maybe it just doesn’t pop as much as you had hoped for the current one.

There are three phases you can take to create your hypothesis from there:

• Define the Problem: What exactly are you trying to solve? Can you measure and provide data that prove the problem exists?
• Offer the Solution: What are the specific changes you propose? Specify the logical basis on how it can fix the problem.
• Plan How to Measure Results: What KPIs should you track to determine the success of the test? Set the target values that will help differentiate success from failure.

2. Calculate Your Sample Size

For your split test findings to be validated, your data needs to reach statistical significance.

This will guarantee that the findings of your split test are accurate.

It is usually necessary to reach a statistical significance of 95% before drawing any conclusions from your data. This basically indicates that the modifications you made to the winning variation account for 95% of your outcomes.

By determining the right sample size for your split test, you can guarantee statistical significance.

Use Optimizely’s A/B Test Sample Size Calculator to simplify your analysis if conversion rate is your primary KPI.

Just enter your intended minimal detectable effect, desired statistical significance, and baseline conversion rate to get started.

3. Research the Best Practices

It’s usually a good idea to use data-backed adjustments when constructing variants.

Don’t let instincts guide your decisions. Instead, to develop your redesign strategy, study about trends, examine case studies, and conduct competitive analysis.

SpyFu, a competitor research tool, is highly effective, particularly when examining the best-performing content produced by your rivals.

4. Don’t Split Test for the sake of Split Testing

There is no denying the greatness of split testing.

If you want to make the best use of your blog, this is a good approach to have.

But keep in mind that split testing requires resources like time, money, and knowledge.

Split testing will merely overcomplicate your marketing and burn a hole in your wallet if there is no clear reason to do so.

“Clear reason” refers to a quantifiable evidence that there are issues with your blog.

Here are my suggestions:

• Listen To User Feedback: Are you receiving a lot of criticism on your blog over the experience? Split testing is usually a fantastic technique to address usability issues.
• Look for Leaks in Your Funnels: One page in a sales funnel can make a big difference to your revenue. Google Analytics may be used to identify high exit rate pages and seal gaps in your sales funnel.
• Use a Heatmap Tool: With heatmaps, you can see exactly which parts of your website are being overlooked. Use split testing to make necessary improvements if important components, such as forms and CTAs, are overlooked.

5. Time Your Split Testing Period Right

Being aware of any external influences that may affect the results might help you make your split test as accurate as possible.

Schedule a testing period as far away from events that could impact the volume and quality of your traffic as you can. If that isn’t possible, either postpone your test or take such occurrences into consideration when interpreting the outcomes.

Here are some examples of such events:

• Major Google Algorithm Updates
• Press Releases
• Influencer Posts Mentioning Your Brand
• New Product Launches
• Server-Side Crashes and Prolonged Downtimes
• New Marketing Campaigns
• Publicized Events (Speaking Engagements)

Conclusion

A/B split testing is now a skill you can use when blogging.

Split testing, when done correctly, is a guaranteed method to maximize the potential of your blog. The only things left to worry about are when and how you will use sufficient data.