Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Download PDFDownload PDF
Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Ashley Alexander
/
July 15, 2015
Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

MIN
/
July 15, 2015
About the Episode
Episode Highlights
Meet our Guest
Episode Transcript

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Get the Report

Not a valid e-mail address

Great, thank ya!

You can now access the content.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Blog

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

Panelists
No items found.
Introduction
Introduction

Great, thank ya!

You can now access the content.
Download NowDownload Now
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Panelists
No items found.
Infographic

Do You Really Need a Form A/B Testing Strategy?

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms.
Download InfographicDownload Infographic

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Collecting payments with online forms is easy, but first, you have to choose the right payment gateway. Browse the providers in our gateway credit card processing comparison chart to find the best option for your business. Then sign up for Formstack Forms, customize your payment forms, and start collecting profits in minutes.

Online Payment Gateway Comparison Chart

NOTE: These amounts reflect the monthly subscription for the payment provider. Formstack does not charge a fee to integrate with any of our payment partners.

FEATURES
Authorize.Net
Bambora
Chargify
First Data
PayPal
PayPal Pro
PayPal Payflow
Stripe
WePay
Monthly Fees
$25
$25
$149+
Contact First Data
$0
$25
$0-$25
$0
$0
Transaction Fees
$2.9% + 30¢
$2.9% + 30¢
N/A
Contact First Data
$2.9% + 30¢
$2.9% + 30¢
10¢
$2.9% + 30¢
$2.9% + 30¢
Countries
5
8
Based on payment gateway
50+
203
3
4
25
USA
Currencies
11
2
23
140
25
23
25
135+
1
Card Types
6
13
Based on payment gateway
5
9
9
5
6
4
Limits
None
None
Based on payment gateway
None
$10,000
None
None
None
None
Form Payments
Recurring Billing
Mobile Payments
PSD2 Compliant

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Conversion optimization is all about strategy, and A/B testing is no exception. If you try to tackle your A/B tests without defined goals and a solid plan, you will end up wasting time and money when you could be optimizing and making a profit.

Form A/B testing involves measuring different form elements against each other to see what converts better. And if you do it right, you can see some big results. According to the Form Conversion Report, just adding one word after “Submit” in your submit button copy can increase conversions up to 250%!

To ensure you get such stellar results, here are 7 steps you can take to build a successful A/B testing strategy for your online forms:

1) Analyze your situation.

You know the old saying “Look before you leap”? Well, take a look at your data before you leap into A/B testing. Determine your current conversion rates, measure them against the averages in your industry, and look for possible problem areas. Attacking your A/B testing goals with an optimized approach will ultimately heighten your chances of getting results that matter.

2) Remember that many factors can affect form conversions.

Don’t become too focused on one aspect of your form and forget all the other little bits that can make or break your conversion goals. Many elements can dramatically impact conversions, including design, copy, social media hacks like Facebook Tab Embed, and peak submission times. A/B testing all of these elements over time can greatly enhance your lead capture, but don’t forget that elements can be interconnected—so changing one can affect the others.

3) Test only one form element at a time.

Testing too many elements at once can muddle your results. Focus on one at a time so you can really narrow down on that element and see exactly how specific changes influence customer behavior.Important form elements to test include:

  • Length
  • Copy
  • Color
  • Fonts
  • Field type
  • Submit button

4) Create a clear hypothesis.

A well-formulated hypothesis is the key to a good A/B test. Decide what change you want to make and think about what impact that change might have. This will ensure you can tackle your A/B test with a clear focus and an understanding of the results you are pursuing. And always remember, even if your hypothesis is disproven, you still learned something valuable about your test element.

5) Distinguish between different user segments.

Don’t be too quick to disregard a test if it didn’t pan out. Some elements may test well with one segment of your customers, while other elements may fall flat. Make sure you know your user segments, and if possible, try to test those specific segments separately in your A/B tests.At the very least, you should be analyzing your results to see if your testing element fared better in certain segments versus others. This way, you can find special strategic messaging opportunities for different users in your audience base.

6) Evaluate your results.

A good benchmark for the length of an A/B test is when you get at least 100 people to both versions of your form. Only tests with a 99.9% statistical significance are valid, so you’ll want to check your test two weeks in to make sure this is so.Once your test has run long enough, it’s time to look at your results. If the new variation of your form won, then congratulations! It’s time to make that version live and watch the leads pour in. However, if the new variation didn’t test well, don’t fret. You can take that knowledge and use it in future A/B tests.

7) Be aware of possible side effects.

When switching to a new version of your form after a successful A/B test, remember that there could be consequences. Tweaking one element for a higher conversion rate may lower the performance of another. It’s up to you to analyze the different elements of your form and decide which can be sacrificed for more submissions.

For more form A/B testing tips, click below to check out our free guide, “How to A/B Test Your Forms for Maximum Conversion.” You’ll get A/B testing ideas, design tips, and proven ways to create copy that converts.

Ashley Alexander
Ashley is the Senior Copywriter at Formstack. She spends most of her time writing, reviewing, and editing copy for web pages, emails, sales docs, and other promotional content. Before joining the Formstack team, she studied Professional Writing, Creative Writing, and Anthropology at Purdue University. She currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
More Articles
Meet The Host
Content Marketing Manager
Connect
Lindsay is a writer with a background in journalism and loves getting to flex her interview skills as host of Practically Genius. She manages Formstack's blog and long-form reports, like the 2022 State of Digital Maturity: Advancing Workflow Automation.