A/B Testing Best Practices

Learn how to design, run, and analyze A/B tests to optimize your social proof messaging for maximum impact.

Test Planning

What to Test

Message Content
  • • Message length (short vs. detailed)
  • • Action verbs and tone
  • • Numerical formats (exact vs. rounded)
Visual Elements
  • • Message position on page
  • • Animation styles
  • • Color schemes and contrast
Timing Parameters
  • • Display duration
  • • Frequency of messages
  • • Delay before first message

Test Setup Guidelines

Statistical Significance

Run tests for at least 2 weeks or 1,000 visitors per variant to ensure reliable results.

Traffic Split

Split traffic evenly between variants (50/50 for two variants, 33/33/33 for three).

Test Isolation

Test one variable at a time to clearly identify what drives improvements.

Measuring Results

Key Metrics

Primary Metrics

  • • Conversion rate
  • • Click-through rate
  • • Average order value
  • • Revenue per visitor

Secondary Metrics

  • • Time on site
  • • Bounce rate
  • • Pages per session
  • • Return visitor rate

Analysis Best Practices

  • Wait for statistical significance before drawing conclusions
  • Consider seasonal factors and external events
  • Segment results by user type and device

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Testing Too Many Variables

Focus on one variable at a time to clearly identify what drives improvements.

Ending Tests Too Early

Allow sufficient time to gather statistically significant data.

Ignoring Segment Differences

Different user segments may respond differently to variations.