What to A/B test? Ultimate guide for small businesses 

How can you find guaranteed ways to boost your business revenue, without also having to increase your budget spend? The answer is A/B testing, where you create two versions of your marketing assets, and split them among your audience evenly to see which one performs best.

That way, you’re no longer guessing what customers prefer, you have clear data to steer your decisions. A/B testing (also known as split testing) has other benefits too, like finding your pricing ‘sweet spot’, minimizing lost opportunities from abandoned carts at checkout, and building customer loyalty.

Discover more about split testing in our first article on this topic, which also tells you common mistakes to avoid: Find out Why A/B Testing is a Small Business Superpower.

This guide explains the most important areas to A/B test in your marketing content, so you don’t have to spend time figuring it out. Also find pro tips for faster results. Discover guaranteed ways to boost your revenue, without spending more.

Key test areas that boost conversions

To grow your small businesses, you’ll want every marketing asset, customer interaction, and dollar spent to work as effectively as possible. A/B testing helps you do this, while also saving you on wasted time doing things that don’t really improve your profit margins. 

Now that it’s clear why A/B testing is a must, where to start? Let’s get stuck in…

Website & Landing Pages

A website or landing page is like your shop front, so it should make the best first impression possible. After all, people are only one click away from countless other choices, so you’ll want to make sure they’re interested enough to stick around. 

As the main representation of your brand, your website or landing page should constantly be split tested to optimize conversions.

Key elements to focus on:

1. Headlines

Headlines are your first opportunity to grab a visitor's attention, so they need to communicate the value of the page in the clearest and most appealing way. A good first impression earns engagement, sparking people’s interest to know more.

Pro Tip: keep your headlines customer-centric, by focusing on benefits rather than features.

What to Test:

• Clarity vs. Curiosity – direct headlines work well for time-sensitive promotions, while intrigue-driven headlines perform better when you want to increase engagement and clicks. Example:
  
  
• Direct Version A: Get 50% Off All Winter Jackets – Limited Time
  
  
• Intriguing Version B: This One Trick Can Save You 50% on Winter Jackets

• Length & Structure – short, punchy headlines work well for ads and social media, while detailed headlines perform better on landing pages, blogs, and email subject lines where more explanation increases conversion. Example:
  
  
• Short, Punchy Version A: Boost Sales. Cut Costs. Win More.
  
  
• Detailed, Explanatory Version B: Increase Your Sales by 30% While Reducing Marketing Costs – Here’s How

• Tone & Voice – conversational headlines work great for social media and emails. Authoritative headlines drive credibility in blog posts and case studies. Professional headlines are ideal for B2B content. There are many other tones you test, from playful to concerned. Examples:
  
  
• Conversational Version A: Tired of Wasting Money on Ads? Try This Instead
  
  
• Authoritative Version B: Experts Reveal the #1 Strategy to Lower Ad Costs and Boost ROI
  
  
• Professional Version C:  Optimizing Digital Ad Spend: Proven Methods for Maximizing ROI

• Data-Driven: Numbers, Statistics, or Power Words – numbers provide structure, statistics build credibility, and power words drive emotional engagement. Examples:
  
  
• Number-Based Version A: 10 Proven Ways to Increase Your Website Conversions
  
  
• Statistic-Based Version B: Boost Your Conversions by 37% with This Simple Change
  
  
• Power Words Version C: Unlock Explosive Growth with This Game-Changing Strategy

2. CTA Buttons 

Think of call-to-action buttons as a gateway to conversions. They are one of the most critical elements of your marketing, getting people to take action. That’s why it’s worth the time to test out their color, placement, and wording.

Pro Tip: use verbs that create a sense of instant action, like “Try” or “Start” or “Download” or “Get”.

What to Test:

• Button Color & Contrast – button color, and how it stands out in contrast to the rest of the colors on the page, play a crucial role in drawing attention and driving clicks.
  
  
• Text – try out action-oriented text like “Get Started” vs. benefit-driven  like “Claim Your Free Trial”.
  
  
• Button Size & Placement – do one version that’s above the fold (what a user sees when they land on the page without scrolling), and one that has the CTA after they first see some introductory or descriptive content.
  
  
• Urgency & Social Proof – people tend to convert more if they feel they’ll miss out, or get a sense that your business is in high demand. Try CTA text that says “Limited Spots Available” vs. something like “Join the 10,000+ Community”.

3. Images & Videos 

People process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so these are important tools for conversion. The right visual elements increase conversions, build credibility, and give people the right feel so they want to keep coming back. 

Pro Tip: think about your audience, what type of people and emotion would they most relate to? For example, if your business sells cooking products, an image or video of a smiling group of diverse people enjoying a meal at a large table would appeal to everyone, versus a couple having a formal dinner.

What to Test:

• Product vs. Lifestyle Images – try close-up product shots vs. real-world usage photos.
  
  
• Stock Photos vs. Authentic – test generic images vs. photos of your team and customers.
  
  
• Video vs. Static Image – see if a short introductory video works better at the top of the page than a static banner image.

4. Page Layout & Design 

Are visitors scrolling and clicking where you want them to? A well-structured layout guides users seamlessly through your site, making it easy for them to take action. On the other hand, poor design creates friction and frustration, leading to higher bounce rates.

Pro Tip: before testing layout changes, try out tools like Crazy Egg or Hotjar to get visual ‘heatmaps’ of where people are clicking and where they’re dropping off. This will save time by showing you what areas to target.

What to Test:

• Single vs. Multi-Column Layouts – having just one main column on your webpage tends to perform better than cluttered layouts where everything is in different blocks.
  
  
• Content Positioning – try versions with key sections placed in different hierarchies on the page.
  
  
• White Space Optimization – reduce clutter to improve readability and focus, by testing different degrees of spacing on web pages.

5. Navigation & User Experience

Is your website super easy and intuitive for people to use and find what they want, or do people leave in frustration? The jargon term for this is ‘reducing friction’. It’s important to make your website navigation and user experience seamless and intuitive.

Pro Tip: minimize the amount of clicks a user has to take to get to important information or to make a payment. 

What to Test:

• Sticky vs. Non-Sticky Navigation – ‘sticky navigation’ means the navigation menu remains visible as the user scrolls down a page. This is important for longer blog posts so that users can jump to the areas that interest them most. But in other cases the menu might be irritating to people because it gets in the way.
  
  
• Dropdown Menus vs. Alternate Options – too many choices can overwhelm users. Try out different ways of displaying information, like blocks within the page content linking to other pages.
  
  
• Search Bar Placement – make it easy for your audience to search for what they want. Some sites have a dedicated page for search, while others have it at the top of the page.
  
  
• Mobile vs. Desktop Optimization – make sure your site looks optimal on different devices. Mobile users behave differently to desktop users, so you want to find the right balance when your site automatically resizes for different screens. 

6. Trust Signals

Visual elements like brand logos of companies who buy from your business,  accreditation badges, and customer testimonials placed in strategic areas of your website build trust. If people feel they’re dealing with a reliable company, they’ll naturally want to shop there.

Trust signals include things like security certificates, contact information, and recognized third-party seals. They encourage users to feel comfortable providing personal details or making purchases on your site. 

Pro Tip: place trust signals near CTAs to reinforce your credibility at the decision-making moment.

What to Test:

• Customer Reviews & Ratings – test out star ratings vs. text-based testimonials. To get more positive customer feedback, try the RelateReviews tool.
  
  
• Security – add badges like your SSL certificate, money-back, website security monitoring.
  
  
• Social Proof – try out “10,000+ Happy Customers” in a heading vs. individual testimonials.
  
  
• Third-Party Certifications – see if adding logos like Trustpilot or industry awards moves the conversion needle.

Product Pages

This is your final sales pitch before someone decides to make a purchase. Even small changes can make a big difference in creating the confidence and enthusiasm to cross the finish line. 

Key elements to focus on:

1. Product Titles & Descriptions

You’ll want to strike a balance between explaining clearly what the product specifications are, and appealing to customers by emphasizing the benefits that solve their pain points, as well as why they should choose you over their competitors.

Pro Tip: keep primarily customer focused by highlighting the product benefits first, then list the specifications after. People buy solutions, not features.

What to Test:

• Length – test out short, concise descriptions versus more detailed versions.
  
  
• Tone – does a conversational style of writing work better than a tone that’s more authoritative, or more hyped?
  
  
• Feature-Focused vs. Benefit-Driven – while the general rule is to write about customer benefits before benefits, that doesn’t apply to every product or audience. Find out which converts best in the hierarchy of your page content.
  
  
• Bullet Points vs. Paragraphs – bullets are great for scannability, but sometimes more detailed storytelling works best.

2. Product Images & Videos

People rely heavily on visuals when shopping online, so make sure you use high-quality images and videos to give your business a fully professional impact. This will give people more confidence to make a purchase.

Pro Tip: if possible, use video to show the product in action. Research has found that this can massively boost conversions. 

What to Test:

• Number of Images – see if your audience prefers lots of product angles versus fewer high-quality visuals.
  
  
• Interactive vs. Static – does functionality like zooming in or rotating the product boost conversions compared to static images?
  
  
• Lifestyle vs. Studio – try using images of your product in real-world scenarios, versus a plain background.
  
  
• Video vs. Image – although videos tend to convert more, that’s not always the case. Test it out to find out for sure.
  
  
• User-Generated Content – try out photos taken by your customers, compared to professional images.

3. Pricing & Discounts

Pricing psychology plays a huge role in whether customers convert or abandon their cart. Regular testing is needed to find that sweet spot between perceived value for money and profit. 

Pro Tip: a small wording change on how your pricing is framed (not the actual pricing itself) can work wonders on your conversion levels.

What to Test:

• Charm Pricing – try out does “.99” pricing e.g. $49.99 vs. $50.
  
  
• Discount Display – does a percentage work better than a dollar amount? E.g.“Save 20%” vs. “Save $10”.
  
  
• Price Anchoring – test your original price crossed out next to or below the discounted price.
  
  
• Bundle Pricing – do people buy more when you sell your products in a package, like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free”, compared to individual pricing?
  
  
• Payment Plan Options – how does one-time payment vs. installment financing change your metrics?

4. Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons

Never stop testing your CTA buttons, since this is the final click before the user commits to a purchase. Placement, color, and wording can make all the difference between someone on the fence and someone ready to buy.

Pro Tip: make your CTA button a color that stands out clearly (but not clashingly), and use clear, active wording.

What to Test:

• Messaging – the text in your CTA button should be short, no more than two to five words, although there can be exceptions that work well. These are the most popular options you can try, depending on whether the tone of your website is formal or informal:
  
• Buy Now
  
  
• Add to Cart
  
  
• Get Yours Today
  
  
• Grab Your Discount
  
  
• Start Free Trial
  
  
• Unlock Your Offer
  
  
• Buy & Save
  
  
• Compare Pricing
  

• Button Color – there’s no hard and fast rule with button color, because it all depends on your brand colors and type of audience. Just make sure it really pops on the page.
  
  
• Size & Placement – try placing your CTAs at different places on the page hierarchy, from right at the top, to further below after people read some introductory information. Also try different sized buttons, but make sure they balance with the rest of the page.
  
  
• One-Step Checkout Option – if possible, try instant checkout (“Buy Now”) vs. “Add to Cart” where users are asked to view their cart or continue shopping
  
  
• Urgency Messaging – for some audiences a sense of urgency works well, other times it feels too pushy e.g. “Only 3 Left in Stock” or “Don’t Miss Out”

5. Customer Reviews & Ratings

People have become used to relying on the social proof of product reviews from existing customers to decide whether to move ahead with a purchase. Building trust is a powerful way of boosting conversions. 

Pro Tip: use tools like RelateReviews which make it easy to gather fresh positive reviews, as well as reply to customers quickly to boost your approval ratings.  Even negative reviews build trust if you show you care.

What to Test:

• Placement – try placing star ratings above vs. below the product title.
  
  
• Displaying Review Count – see if displaying your review count moves the needle e.g.  “Rated 4.8/5 by 3,500+ Customers”.
  
  
• Photo & Video Reviews – test text-only reviews vs. customer-uploaded images.
  
  
• Negative Reviews Displayed – see if showing 1 and 2 star reviews transparently builds trust, or whether your conversions are higher by only showing the positive reviews.
  
  
• Testimonials vs. Ratings – do customer quotes work better than just displaying your total review scores?

6. Shipping Information & Return Policies

UIt’s important on product pages to do everything you can to remove uncertainty. Unclear shipping costs or complicated return policies can cause cart abandonment.

Pro Tip: make your shipping and return details visible, or at least link to them.

What to Test:

• Free vs. Discounted – does “Free Shipping” convert better than lowering the product price?
  
  
• Delivery Estimation – test something like “Arrives by Tuesday” vs. “Ships in 3-5 Days”.
  
  
• Return Policy – try out a 30-day return window vs. 60-days.
  
  
• Messaging – does a hassle-free affirmation like “Easy Returns – No Questions Asked” boost conversions?

7. Upselling & Cross-Selling

Increasing your average order value using upsells and related product recommendations can be an effective revenue booster, and it doesn’t cost you anything on marketing to drive more traffic.  

Pro Tip: test placement of your related products, to see which location drives the most sales.

What to Test:

• Upsell Placement – try displaying them in the sidebar, below the CTA, and post-checkout.
  
  
• Product Bundling – test “Frequently Bought Together” vs. separate related product listings.
  
  
• Discount Add-Ons – try out things like “Buy 1, Get 2nd at 20% Off.”
  
  
• Personalized Recommendations – test extension functionality that displays related products based on the users’ browsing history vs. static suggestions that you choose.

Checkout Process

Did you know the average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%? This shows that the checkout process is one of the biggest friction points for online shoppers. And it’s a huge missed opportunity. That’s why it’s important to regularly A/B test and streamline this area.  

Key elements to focus on:

1. Account Creation vs Guest Checkout

Making customers take the extra step of creating an account could be the thing that puts them off, while other audiences might be fine with it to show brand loyalty. Find out for sure.

Pro Tip: if you go for account creation on your website, offer incentives like a discount, or faster future checkouts.

What to Test:

• Guest Checkout Option – first see if you get higher conversions by allowing people to make a purchase without supplying their details.
  
  
• Social vs. Manual Signup –  does logging in using existing social network accounts like Google or Facebook move the needle?
  
  
• Post-Purchase –  test out having users create an account after they make a purchase, instead of before.

2. Checkout Form Design

Too many fields to fill out can make checkout feel too time-consuming, leading people to abandon the cart because they have more important things to do.

Pro Tip: use progress indicators (“Step 1 of 3”) to reduce the perceived effort, and keep users engaged.

What to Test:

• Length – test out your conversion metrics when you have shorter compared to longer checkout forms.
  
  
• Single-Page vs. Multi-Step – try one continuous page vs. breaking the checkout process into steps with different windows.
  
  
• Auto-Fill – does Google Auto-Fill of things like address details reduce cart abandonment?
  
  
• Optional vs. Required Fields – see if removing unnecessary fields to speed up checkout moves the needle.

3. Payment Options

Limited payment options can frustrate customers and lead them to abandon their cart at checkout. Find out if offering more flexibility reduces drop-offs.

Pro Tip: display the icons of accepted payment methods early in your checkout process to reassure users.

What to Test:

• Added Payment Methods – if possible, expand payment options, such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and even cryptocurrency.
  
  
• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) – see whether adding credit options like Klarna, Afterpay, or Affirm boosts your sales.
  
  
• One-Click Payment – does storing customer payment info for a faster checkout increase conversions?
  
  
• Security Highlight – try adding security messaging like “100% Secure Payment”, or a trust badge such as an SSL padlock icon near payment fields. 

4. Trust Signals & Security Badges

Customers will hesitate to enter payment details if they don’t fully trust your site. Adding trust signals removes any doubt.

Pro Tip: place trust symbols or messaging near the payment button, for maximum impact.

What to Test:

• Refund – try messaging highlighting your refund policies and warranties, like “30-day Money-Back Guarantee”. This is a good way to boost trust.
  
  
• Security Badges – add the logo of the website security you use, they should have a Trust Badge you can use which let’s users know you have 25/7 automated protection. Other options to test are  VeriSign for domains, and Better Business Bureau Accreditation.
  
  
• SSL Encryption – display messaging like “Secure Checkout – Encrypted Transaction.” to let people know your site has an SSL Certificate.
  
  
• Social Proof – test out something like “Trusted by 50,000+ customers” near the payment button.

5. Shipping Information

Research has found that the the #1 reason for cart abandonment is unexpected shipping costs. So you'll want to simplify this as much as possible.

Pro Tip: use psychology-based pricing, like “Free shipping on orders over $50”. This has been shown to encourage customers to spend more.

What to Test:

• Display Timing – try showing the total cost upfront on your product page, rather than. revealing it at checkout.
  
  
• Free vs. Discounted – does offering free shipping increase your conversions a lot more than a 10% discount?
  
  
• Estimated Delivery Date – try showing the estimated delivery times, to improve trust.
  
  
• Express vs. Standard – find out whether faster (but more expensive) delivery costs lead to more completed checkouts, or if people prefer cheaper (but longer) shipping.

6. Exit Popup or Email

Exit-intent pop-up messages appear when a customer is about to leave the checkout page, often offering incentives like free shipping, discounts, or reminders about items in their cart. This can encourage people to complete their purchase. As does setting up an automated email letting the customer know they have items waiting in their cart. Find out if either of these strategies recover lost sales.

Pro Tip: create a sense of urgency with FOMO-based (Fear Of Missing Out) messaging, like “Your cart will expire in 24 hours”. But take care not to be too pushy.

What to Test:

• Discount – test out a discount offer compared to just a reminder to complete checkout.
  
  
• Email Messaging – try a personalized reminder (softer) vs. an urgency-driven email  like “Limited Stock Left!”.
  
  
• Email Timing – does sending an email reminder immediately after cart abandonment work better than a follow-up after 24 hours?

7. Mobile vs. Desktop 

With half of online traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s important to make sure your website looks and works as well on these small screens and it does on larger computer screens. 

Pro Tip: analyze ‘session recordings’ using tools like Crazy Egg or Hotjar to see how mobile users interact with your checkout page.

What to Test:

• One-Page vs. Multi-Step – which format is best for mobile users?
  
  
• Auto-Fill – does enabling address auto-fill improve checkout speed and conversions?
  
  
• Design – try making it easier for mobile users to enter their details using larger buttons and input fields.
  
  
• One-Click Payment – test adding one-click mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay to see if that boosts conversions.

Emails & Newsletters

With a $42 return in revenue on average for every $1 spent, email marketing is one of the most profitable marketing channels for small businesses. But if your emails aren’t being opened, read, or acted on, you’re potentially missing out on large profits.

That said, not all emails convert the same way, there are lots of factors which determine how well they perform. A/B testing will help you fine-tune their email strategy to improve open rates, click-throughs, and ultimately conversions.

Key elements to focus on:

1. Subject Lines

This is the key to whether your email gets read or ignored. Even tiny tweaks can lead to double-digit increases in your open rates.

Pro Tip: question-based subject lines like “Want 25% Off? Here’s How” often perform well because they peak people’s curiosity.

What to Test:

• Personalization – see how much inserting the customer's name moves the needle, compared to being generic e.g. “John, Your Exclusive Discount Inside” vs. “Exclusive Discount Just for You”.
  
  
• Curiosity vs. Clarity – test out messaging that’s intriguing like “You Won’t Believe What’s Inside!”, compared to simply being clear e.g. “Get 20% Off Today Only”.
  
  
• Length – try short and punchy (under 5 words) messaging, versus something more detailed. Bear in mind though that 6 to 10 words (40 to 60 characters) is the limit most people use since anything longer will be chopped off.
  
  
• Urgency & FOMO – an example of this is “Last Chance! 50% Off Ends Tonight” vs. “New Collection, Shop Now”.
  
  
• Emojis – see whether adding icons like a rocket or smiley face in your subject line boosts your open rate. 

2. Send Time & Frequency

It’s been proven time and again that even if you write great marketing emails, the amount of people that open it, read it, and go on to make a purchase is significantly impacted by when and how often you send them. 

Pro Tip: marketing emails sent on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays typically yield the best results. But it also depends on your type of audience.

What to Test:

• Timing – most marketers send emails between 9 and 11am, or even schedule them to go out at 4am so that people see them first thing in the morning. Alternatively you could try out sending them from 12 to 1pm during lunch hour. Also try sending them when people are getting home from work at around 6pm.
  
  
• Weekday vs. Weekend – while the consensus is that Tuesday to Thursday is best, it also depends on your type of audience. Try a weekend email too, that way you’ll know for sure.
  
  
• Frequency – does weekly vs. bi-weekly newsletters get more engagement and less unsubscribes? You want to find that balance between being perceived as providing value without being annoying. 

3. Design & Layout

The layout of your email and colors make a big difference in how important things stand out to grab the reader's attention. Finding the right balance will improve the readability and click conversions.

Pro Tip: test mobile-friendly designs first, because 70% of emails are opened on mobile devices.

What to Test:

• Plain Text vs. HTML – does a simple, text-only email feel more personal than a branded, image-heavy one?
  
  
• Single vs. Multi-Column – one-column emails often work better for mobile users, but test it to make sure which type of layout gives you higher conversion rates.
  
  
• CTA Placement – does placing the CTA higher up in your email increase move the needle?
  
  
• Images – test out email with lots of  images vs. a more minimalistic design.
  
  
• Dark Mode – some users prefer emails designed for dark mode because they find it easier on their eyes, whereas others find dark mode too heavy. See what works with your audience. 

4. CTA Buttons 

Your Call-to-Action buttons are arguably the biggest driver of clicks and conversions. That’s why you’ll want the primary focus of your email to focus on click throughs.

Pro Tip: create specific, benefit-driven CTAs rather than generic ones like Learn More.

What to Test:

• Wording – test active messaging, versus a discount offer e.g. “Shop Now” vs. “Get 20% Off”.
  
  
• Color – do high-contrast buttons that really pop (like red or orange) convert better than  your brand colors?
  
  
• Placement – try adding the CTA after the first paragraph, compared to the bottom of the email.
  
  
• Hyperlinked Text vs. Button – some audiences prefer clicking linked text links, instead of buttons. See what works with your customers.
  
  
• Single vs. Multiple – test whether having a single, focused CTA button works better than multiple ones. But take care not to come across too pushy.

5. Personalization & Segmentation 

Studies have shown that personalized emails tend to work better than generic, one-size-fits-all emails. Also try to target different audience types. Remember that emails are a great opportunity to establish a relationship with your customers. 

Pro Tip: segment your email list based on user behavior, such as paying customers versus newsletter subscribers.

What to Test:

• Personalization – see if adding the subscribers first name into the heading increases click throughs compared to an informative heading e.g. ‘Hey Sarah, Your VIP Offer Is Inside’ vs. ‘Grab Your 20% Discount Today’.
  
  
• Segmented vs. Bulk – try tailoring your email content for different customer groups, compared to sending out a bulk email to larger chunks of your subscriber list.
  
  
• Recommendations – see whether you get higher conversions by setting up a dynamic display of products based on the subscribers past purchases.

6. Urgency & Scarcity

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) works really well on some audiences. By a sense of adding urgency, it may nudge users to act quickly. But take care not to be aggressive, as this can make people feel pushed or shouted at, which is a turn off.

Pro Tip: use urgency but don’t fake it, since overusing it will decrease trust.

What to Test:

• Countdown – see if adding a timer works with your audience, matched with a heading like “Sale Ends in 2 Hours”.
  
  
• Limited Stock – test out messaging like “Only 3 Left in Stock”.
  
  
• Expiring Discounts – put a limitation time on your discounts to see how that affects your metrics, such as “Use Code SAVE20 – Expires Tonight”.

7. Email Details

People open emails from brands they know and trust, so having a consistent brand name with your website has an impact on open rates. 

Pro Tip: if your email comes from a real person’s name, it feels more personal and often gets higher click throughs.

What to Test:

• Brand vs. Personal Name – try out using just your brand name, versus “John from [Brand]”.
  
  
• Tone – test your opening greeting with formal compared to informal messaging, like “Hey there” vs. “Dear Customer”.
  
  
• No-Reply vs. Customer-Friendly – see how your conversions perform when you have a generic title like “support@brand.com” with a no-reply setting, compared to a personalized email address “jane@brand.com” that customers can respond to if they have any questions.

Pricing & Offers

It’s vital for the long term success of any business to find the ‘sweet spot’ between pricing that makes their products or services seem valuable, but not too expensive. A/B testing is an excellent way to do this, replacing guesswork with certainty. 

Likewise, split testing is also great for helping you figure out how much to discount your offers, so that you end up making more profit.

Key elements to focus on:

1. Pricing Format & Presentation

The way you frame your pricing has an affect on how people perceive them. This has been proven by pricing psychology studies. You won’t know the best way to present your pricing until you test out different variations with your audience.

Pro Tip: price anchoring, or showing a higher original price next to a discounted price, can increase conversions by 30%.

What to Test:

• Price Anchoring – find out just how much it moves the needle to display just the price, compared to showing an original price next to a discounted price.
  
  
• Charm Pricing vs. Rounded Numbers – lowering the price down by a cent can make it seem more affordable to some audiences e.g. $49.99 vs. $50. On the other hand, a rounded number may give the perception of luxury and prestige. It all depends on the audience, find out if this makes a difference with your customers.
  
  
• Whole Numbers vs. Decimals – try displaying prices more simply compared to adding the zero’s to see if it moves the needle e.g. $49 vs. $49.0).
  
  
• Decoy Pricing – in marketing jargon, this means adding a higher-priced item to make the middle-tier more appealing. See if this works for you.
  
  
• Strikethrough Pricing – test out showing slashed prices next to the real prices, compared to just listing the price.

2. Discount Framing

When you’re running an offer, displaying a percentage versus a dollar amount can change your conversion numbers. 

Pro Tip: if the item is under $100, a percentage discount works best e.g. "Save 20%". But for higher-priced products or services, dollar discounts make more of an impact e.g. "Save $200".

What to Test:

• Percentage vs. Dollar – find out for sure which converts better, and by how much.
  
  
• Before & After Pricing – does showing the cost before and after the discount work better than just having the discount amount?
  
  
• Limited-Time vs. Ongoing Sales – test something like “Ends Tonight!” to create urgency, compared to an always-on offer with no set limit.
  
  
• Tiered Offers – try out something like “Buy 2, Get 10% Off”, versus “Buy 3, Get 20% Off” to see what increases your order value metrics.  

3. Free Shipping vs. Discounted Pricing

Many customers abandon their carts when they see high shipping costs. Find out whether it’s better for your conversions to offer free shipping instead of higher discount offers.

Pro Tip: people often prefer spending more to qualify for free shipping rather than paying for shipping separately.

What to Test:

• Free Shipping vs. Discount – discover exactly how much it affects your bottom line to offer “Free Shipping on All Orders” compared to “X% Off Your Purchase”.
  
  
• Minimum Spend – does something like “Free Shipping on Orders Over $50” convert better than “Buy More, Save More”?
  
  
• Flat-Rate vs. Variable – see how customers respond to a set shipping cost $4.99 shipping compared to calculated shipping at checkout.

4. Subscription Pricing & Payment Plans

If your business has paid subscriptions or payment plans, testing different pricing structures is key to getting new customers, and keeping them.  

Pro Tip: if you offer subscriptions, highlight long-term savings with annual plans (e.g., “Save 20% with Annual Billing”).

What to Test:

• Monthly vs. Annual – find out whether your customers prefer a lower monthly price than a higher upfront annual price with savings.
  
  
• Discounted Price vs. Percentage – see how much it affects your conversions to display “Get 2 Months Free with Annual Billing” compared to “Save 20% with Annual Billing”.
  
  
• Installments vs. One-Time Payment – test if there’s any difference if you offer “4 Monthly Payments” using Klarna or Afterpay.

5. Buy One Get One Free

Abbreviated as BOGO, a Buy One, Get One offer can create a higher perceived value. But does it convert better than a direct discount?

Pro Tip: test bundles that make sense together, like pairing a main product with a complimentary item (e.g., “Buy Sneakers, Get Socks 50% Off”), to boost your average order value.

What to Test:

• BOGO vs. Discount – discover how it affects your metrics to offer “Buy One, Get One Free” vs. “Get 50% Off”.
  
  
• Bundling – how much does it boost your conversions to bundle complementary products? e.g. “Buy Shampoo, Get 50% Off Conditioner”.
  
  
• Buy More, Save More Pricing – play around with different variations to see what works best e.g. “Buy 2, Save 10%” vs. “Buy 3, Save 15%”.

Social Media & Paid Ads

Paid ads can be expensive, especially for small businesses on a tight budget. So when advertising on Facebook, Instagram, or Google, you’ll want to make every dollar work as effectively as possible towards your goals of creating brand recognition, improving engagement, and sales. 

A/B testing gives you the data that reveals which ads reduce your cost per acquisition (CPA) and deliver the best return on investment (ROI).

And if you’re new to social media management as a business, these two guides will help get you up to speed:

• How to find your social media audience and build loyalty
  
  
• Essential guide to paid ads for small businesses

1. Images vs. Videos vs. Carousels

Your visual content is the first thing that pops out at people grabbing their eye, so it’s important to stay on top of what type of creative works best to increase engagement with your audience.

Pro Tip: add captions to your video ads, because according to Facebook, as much as 85% of videos on their platform are watched without sound.

What to Test:

• Static Images vs. Videos – some people respond best to interesting images, others to video. Test it to find out.
  
  
• Product Images – do close-ups of your product work better than showing the product in action?
  
  
• Carousel vs. Single Image Ads – discover whether your audience prefers to swipe through different images, or engage with just one?
  
  
• User-Generated vs. Professional – should you add real customer testimonials to your ads, or have sleek branded ads?

2. Headlines & Ad Copy

Bear in mind that your ad only has only a few seconds to capture someone’s attention. So you’ll want to regularly do A/B testing on your headlines and copy to find out what works best. 

Pro Tip: use power words in your marketing to boost conversions, like “Exclusive”, “Now”, “Limited Time” and “Proven”.

What to Test:

• Short vs. Long Headlines – which capture the most click throughs? E.g. “50% Off Now” vs. “Limited-Time Offer, Get 50% Off Today”.
  
  
• Urgency vs. Curiosity – some people like to feel they’re getting something before it’s gone, others simply like to be intrigued… E.g. “Hurry! Sale Ends Tonight” vs. “You Won’t Believe This Deal”
  
  
• Question vs. Statement – test out something like “Struggling to Lose Weight?” vs. “This Method Helps You Lose Weight Faster”.
  
  
• Adding Numbers – sometimes adding numbers to highlight value can make all the difference, such as “Why 10,000+ Customers Love this Product”.

3. Call-to-Action (CTA)

As we’ve mentioned many times, your CTA buttons are crucial to conversions. They need to effectively drive users to take action. Only by testing different versions will you know the strongest CTAs for your audience.  

Pro Tip: use action-driven CTAs like “Try”, “Claim”, and “Start”, instead of passive ones such as “Learn More”.

What to Test:

• Text – test out “Shop Now” vs. “Get Yours Today” vs. “Claim Your Discount”.
  
  
• Placement – do your ads convert better when you place the CTA button above or below the main image or copy?
  
  
• Personalized – see if adding a more personal touch moved the needle e.g. “Start Your Free Trial” vs. “Start My Free Trial”.
  
  
• Button Colors – try out colours like red or orange which really stand out, compared to your brand colours.

4. Audience Targeting

Paid ads are all about targeting the right people with content that resonates specifically with them. Regularly testing out different messaging for different types of people can really improve your cost-per-click (CPC), as well as boost conversions.

Pro Tip: if you have a limited ad budget, it’s best to prioritize retargeting (showing ads to people who have already interacted with your brand), because it’s cheaper and converts better than first time audiences.

What to Test:

• New vs. Retargeting – find out how how the numbers stack up with first-time visitors, compared to people who have already visited your website.
  
  
• Broad vs. Niche – does sending your ad to a broad audience (like people between the ages of 18 to 45) perform better than when you narrow it down for 25 to 34 year olds? This is just one example, the power of paid ads is being able to do all kinds of demographic targeting.
  
  
• Interest vs. Behavior – how well do your ads perform when you send them to people based on their hobbies, and based on their past purchases?
  
  
• Custom vs. Lookalike – do your ads resonate best with people on your custom email list, or do you have higher conversions when targeting people that are similar in profile to your best customers?

5. Ad Placement

Where your ads appear will have a major impact on your engagement and conversion rates. It’s vital to figure out where your audience hangs out, and are most likely to want to engage. That way you can prioritize more time and resources on those platforms.

Pro Tip: ads for mobile devices often perform better, so test vertical videos for platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

What to Test:

• Facebook vs. Instagram Ads – which platform delivers better results?
  
  
• Feed vs. Stories vs. Reels – on Instagram, Feed posts are permanent, Stories are highlighted for 24 hours, and Reels are short-form videos. Test out which format is the winner for your business in the long run.
  
  
• Desktop vs. Mobile – what are your conversions on large desktop screens compared to smaller mobile devices? If you’re getting most of your success on mobile, you’ll want to invest more time on the layout to make it as easy as possible to navigate.
  
  
• Display vs. Search – when advertising on Google, do image-based ads work better than keyword-targeted ads?

6. Landing Page Optimization

If people click your ad but don’t convert, the problem might be the landing page you’re sending them to. Test the following points for troubleshooting, so you can achieve a seamless customer experience that makes people want to buy what you’re offering.

Pro Tip: your ad and landing page must match—if users click an ad for “50% Off Shoes,” they should see that immediately on the landing page.

What to Test:

• Single vs. Multi-Step – does shortening the navigation for people to make a purchase increase conversions, or does the extra content to explain things more work best?
  
  
• Headline Consistency – try matching the landing page headline to your ad copy to see if that boosts your numbers.
  
  
• Short vs. Long – testing out a single-field email opt-in vs. a detailed signup form.
  
  
• Page Speed & Load Time – faster pages convert better, so you’ll want to try optimizing your images so they load faster on your website.

Wrap up

A/B testing done regularly is one of the best strategies to boost your profit margins, without having to spend more. And what small business doesn’t want that? 

It also has a number of other key benefits, like not wasting time doing things that don’t really move the needle, and getting data insights on what delivers better results. In other words, A/B testing replaces guesswork with proof of what your customers like best. 

Once you test the key areas we’ve highlighted in this guide, keep trying fresh variations against the new baseline, so you can keep improving. You’ll also naturally start to get a feel for other things you want to test. 

Get a recap on the step-by-step process of how to slit test like a pro, along with common mistakes to avoid and free tools that can help, by reading our first guide on this topic: Find out Why A/B Testing is a Small Business Superpower.

Whether you use software tools or a spreadsheet, the main thing is to keep a clear record of test results. That way you get insights on customer behaviour. Growing your small business over the long run is all about having the curiosity to try new things, plus the willingness to learn and pivot.

For more ways to boost your success levels, and affordable tool recommendations that make marketing easier, check out the Build & Grow Hub.

Frequently asked questions

What is A/B testing in marketing?

Also called split testing, this involves choosing a specific marketing element, like a heading or price, and creating two different versions. You then split your audience evenly and randomly, to find out which version gets the best conversions.

Why is A/B testing important?

Split testing empowers you to continuously strengthen your marketing based on proven data, instead of guesswork.

How to conduct A/B testing?

Doing it the pro way involves eight steps, which we outline fully in this guide: Find out Why A/B Testing is a Small Business Superpower. But here’s a shortened summary:

1. Define Your Goal
2. Choose Test Elements 
3. Create Two Variations
4. Split Your Audience 
5. Track the Right Metrics 
6. Test for 2 Weeks Minimum
7. Analyze & Implement
8. Rinse & Repeat

How to use AI like ChatGPT for A/B testing?

The same principle applies of having a baseline version and an alternative version. AI can be really helpful with creating a number of different versions of your marketing content to test, from headlines and product descriptions, to ad copy.

Larger organizations pay for AI models to analyze and run constant split testing across their entire funnels, but this is not really needed for a small businesses. It may be that in the future an AI program will automates split testing for any sized company.

How to split traffic for A/B testing?

Evenly and randomly and evenly assign your visitors to different versions of the webpage or app. All of these come with a free trial, so you can try them out so see which one works best for you:

• Zoho PageSense
• VWO Testing
• Convertize

What is A/B testing in email marketing?

The same applies as with your other marketing assets. You have a baseline version, and a second version with a focused change. Then split these two versions evenly between your audience to see which one performs better. The only difference is that with email marketing, your audience is the subscriber list you’ve built from signups through your website.

How A/B testing can save you money

Split testing is a small business superpower because it delivers proven data that tells you what your customers prefer. This means your marketing gets more effective, because you’re not guessing what people want. It also leads to better resource allocation, and prevents wasted time enhancing areas of your marketing that don’t improve conversions.

How to A/B test websites and landing pages?

No matter what type of marketing asset you’re split testing, the main things to remember is to choose a single focused element to compare with your baseline version, like a heading or the placement of a CTA button. Then you split the two versions evenly amongst your audience. 

This guide walks you through the How To steps.