Landing Page Split Testing: Benefits & Best Practices

You've spent hours creating your landing page from scratch.

Changing the headline a hundred times.

Nitpicking the perfect image while debating with your designer.

Coming up with punchy copy that sounds convincing.

Then, you finally hit publish, send enough traffic to your landing page, and wait for conversions to roll in.

And what do you hear? Well, not the “Ka-ching” sound of a purchase made on Shopify, but crickets!

Now you're scratching your head, and thinking what actually went wrong. Was it my headline? Was it the placement of the CTA button? Maybe the offer wasn’t on point? You’re guessing, guessing, and just guessing. And believe it or not, it costs money.

Landing page split testing eliminates that guesswork. It gives you the data that tells you what works and what doesn’t.

And that is the exact purpose of today’s blog. So without further ado, let’s get straight into it.

What is landing page split testing?

Landing page split testing is when you create multiple different versions of your landing page (for testing purposes) and show them to different segments of your audience.

The goal here is to figure out which landing page version gets more successful in achieving your desired result. It could be more signups, more engagement, etc.

For example, let’s say you've created a landing page for your new fitness app. Now, for split testing purposes, you will create two versions slightly different from each other based on your understanding of audience segments.

Version A has a green "Start Free Trial" button at the top. Version B has the same button, but it's orange and sits below a customer testimonial. You split your traffic between both versions and track which one gets more sign-ups.

The whole point of split testing landing pages is to eliminate the guesses and take action based on real data.

Instead of spending precious hours on Google Meet debating with your team whether your headline should say "Transform Your Body" or "Get Fit in 30 Days," you allow real website visitors to decide for you through their actions.

When we talk about split testing, you can literally test anything:

• Headlines
• Images
• Form fields
• Button colors
• Page layouts
• Copy length

Now, you may be wondering how long does it take? Well, honestly, the test runs until you have enough data to call a winner.

Once you figure out which landing page variation is performing better, you keep the better performer and ditch the other(s).

Why bother with landing page split testing?

A simple answer to this “Why” is that your assumptions about what works can be wrong. And there’s nothing wrong with being wrong, but your time and money also get wasted.

Don’t get me wrong here. I get that it's natural to think you know your audience inside out. You've read the analytics, surveyed target customers, studied competitor pages, and whatnot.

But it is a fact that what people say they want and what they actually respond to are often two different things. This is a classic example of the say/do gap that exists in human or user behavior.

So in this case, split testing kind of removes the blind spots and lets you see with clarity. It shows you what actually moves the needle instead of what you think should move it. Effective landing page split testing will help you no matter the situation, but you will also benefit from it if:

You're already losing money

It’s quite evident that every visitor who lands on your page and doesn't convert is a lost opportunity.

If your landing page converts at 2% and your competitor's converts at 4%, they're doubling your results with the same traffic, which basically means that there is potential you’re missing on grabbing.

And believe me, that gap compounds faster than you think. Over a year, it's the difference between 200 conversions and 400 conversions from 10,000 visitors. Same ad spend, same effort, but totally different outcomes.

So learning how to split test landing pages helps you reduce, if not close, that gap. Even small improvements can get you tremendous results. If you manage to bump your conversion rate from 2% to 2.5%, you can increase your revenue by 25% without spending an extra $ on paid ads or conversion rate optimization.

Your market keeps changing

I think we can agree that what used to work six months or a year ago does not necessarily mean it will work today as well.

We are aware that design trends change frequently, user interaction along with expectations evolve, and your audience's priorities move in other directions based on economic situation, seasons, or industry developments.

For example, a landing page that performed great during the last holiday season might be a total fail in February. Similarly, the headline that brought in tons of leads and hooked your audience last summer can make you hear crickets.

In cases like these, frequent split testing gives adaptability to your test pages. I mentioned the word “frequent” because split testing is not a one-time task and shouldn’t be treated as such.

You should run split tests frequently (of course, when the need arises) to stay in line with where the market is heading.

Benefits of split testing landing pages

Most people think that split testing is just picking a resonating button color or an actionable CTA. It surely is that as well, but not just that.

When you do it the right way, it gives you an edge over your competitors, and that edge compounds over time and impacts almost every part of your marketing.

Here are some of the top benefits you get from performing split tests on your landing pages.

1. Get a good hold of your target audience

Split testing takes data into consideration and reveals what your audience actually cares about (and is interested in), not what you think they care about.

Let's say that you have built a project management software and want to market it on your website.

Your first instinct would be that your audience wants to hear about features like Gantt charts and time tracking. And when they learn about these cool features, they will eventually sign up for your product.

So what do you do? You create a landing page around those features and make it live.

Then you hear crickets. Why? Because, as good as it may sound, it does not target the pain points of your audience and hence, doesn’t convert.

But then, when you split test it against the original version focused on "less chaos, more clarity," the modified version one wins by a huge margin.

It gives you a signal. A signal that your audience isn't looking for more cool features. They're looking for relief from the project management mess they have to deal with every day.

And the amazing thing is that the insights you gather from split testing are not limited to making your most landing pages better. Using these insights, you can tweak your:

• Email campaigns
• Ad copy
• Sales conversations
• And also product positioning

You can start speaking your audience’s language across the board because you've learned what resonates.

2. Allows you to multiply your conversion rate

Small changes in your landing page can lead to big jumps in conversions, and those jumps translate directly into more revenue.

According to Invesp, companies that run structured split testing programs should have conversion rate improvements of 20% to 30% on average. Some might see even higher lifts depending on how broken their original landing page was.

Let’s try to understand what it looks like in practice.

Suppose you're running an ecommerce store to sell outdoor gear for travellers.

Previously, your product landing page was converting at 3%. You then decide to test a new version of that landing page with clear and light product images, more refined copy, and a simple checkout process. After making these tweaks, you find out that the new version converts at 4.2%.

That's a 40% increase in conversions!

If you were getting 100 sales a month, let’s say, you're now getting 140. The traffic is the same, and even the ad budget is the same, but you get 40 additional sales.

Now, do that math over a year, and you’ll find out that you've added some serious revenue without forking out more bucks to acquire customers.

3. Squeeze more roi from your paid traffic

You're already spending hard earned money to drive people to your landing pages, aren’t you? Google Ads, Facebook campaigns, SEO, heck, some people even run LinkedIn ads (depending on their niche), which is expensive out of all.

Now, if your landing page isn't converting well, you're basically wasting those thousands of dollars. But if you optimize the page using split testing, every dollar you spend matters and could create an impact.

Let's understand this also with an example.

Suppose you’re running a $10,000 PPC campaign and currently, your landing page converts at 2%, which gives you 200 conversions.

You then split-test the page and boost the conversion rate to 3%. Now you're getting 300 conversions from the same $10,000 spend.

Again, as I mentioned in the last section, that's 100 more conversions without increasing your ad budget. Your cost per conversion just dropped by 33%. The total ROI on your entire campaign will go up just because your landing page is doing its job better.

And this applies to every traffic source out there. SEO, email, social media, referrals, you name it. It seriously doesn't matter where visitors come from. An effective landing page converts more of them.

4. Reduces risk when making big changes

There are times when you would want to completely change your landing page. I am talking about the whole new design, new messaging (for personalization’s sake), a completely different layout.

However, making these kinds of big changes without testing them first is, let’s be honest, a gamble.

It’s the exact situation where split testing allows you to be sure of big testing ideas before you commit. You can test a radical redesign against your current page and see how real users interact with it.

If it doesn’t perform, you don’t lose anything. If it does perform, congrats, you've just upgraded your entire funnel with confidence.

And do you know when it comes in real handy? When stakeholders or executives want to make changes based on gut feeling. Instead of indulging in a debate on whether it should happen or not, just test it. The user behavior data will settle the debate once and for all.

5. Helps you spot problems you didn't know existed

Sometimes split tests reveal issues you weren't even looking for.

Maybe your mobile version is converting at half the rate of desktop, and you only notice because you're tracking results closely during a test.

Or maybe one headline performs great with cold traffic but poorly with warm traffic, which tells you your messaging needs to shift based on audience awareness.

These discoveries will come before your eyes when you're paying close attention to the data. Split testing forces you to look closely at how different segments behave, and that often reveals problems hiding right in front of your eyes.

How to split test landing pages: A step by step guide

I know that you might think split testing is complicated and takes time, but it is simply not true, especially when you have modern tools like Personizely at your disposal.

Now, it might not be complicated, but there sure is an ongoing process that you need to follow to get real results. Here’s how you can get from A to Z when it comes to landing page split testing.

1. Figure out what you're trying to fix

Are you split testing for the sake of testing? Or maybe an ecommerce guru has suggested it on LinkedIn, and you are doing it half-heartedly. Well, you can’t do it just for the sake of it because you have to put in some effort, like noting down your numbers.

You can start with seeing where your landing page is losing conversions.

Pull up your analytics from the analytics tool you use.

Identify and note your metrics, like your:

• Bounce rate
• Time on page
• Scroll depth
• And where people are dropping off

If, let’s assume, 70% of your visitors leave without scrolling past the fold, your headline or hero image might be the problem.

But if people scroll all the way down but don't click your CTA, the main issue might be with your button placement, or simply your copy could be weak.

While compiling metrics, remember that you're looking for audience friction points. These are the spots where people lose interest or get confused and eventually bounce away. And that’s what you have to test first.

For instance, you have a SaaS landing page, and you notice that most visitors spend time reading your features section, but then bounce before reaching the signup form. That tells you something's not connecting between your value prop and the action you want them to take.

2. Build a strategy worth testing

Once you identify what’s causing the problem on your landing page, you should form a crystal clear test hypothesis or strategy about how to fix it.

Your strategy should be nuanced and specific.

Don’t just say, “Well, let’s try changing the headline.” Instead, think clearly about what to replace in place of your current headline so that it performs better. Many a time, it’s the job of a conversion copywriter, so in this case, your job would be to communicate exactly what your findings are with them.

A good copywriter will make an informed decision based on the findings, like changing the headline from “Manage Projects Faster” to “Stop Missing Deadlines.”

Such a change will increase signups because it speaks directly to the pain point your audience is currently facing.

You must ground your hypothesis in something real, like:

• Customer feedback
• Heatmap data
• User interviews
• Support conversations

Bad hypothesis: "A green button might convert better."

Good hypothesis: "Changing the CTA button from blue to green will increase click through rate because green buttons outperformed blue in our last email campaign, and our brand already uses green as an accent color."

3. Create your page variations

Now, in this third step, you have to build the versions you want to test. Generally, most split tests run two variations simultaneously, but you can test more if your traffic supports it.

Version A is your control page. That's your current page that is live on your site. You have to keep it as the baseline to measure everything else against.

Version B is where you make your change. If you're testing a headline, this is the version with the new headline. Apart from what you’re testing, everything else will stay the same.

Side Note: This is one of the most common mistakes people make. Most people screw up in this step. Why? They change too many variables at once. They test a fresh headline, a different image, and a redesigned CTA all in one variation. Now, can you find out which change caused the difference in performance? Well, you can’t.

That is why it’s extremely important to test one variable instead of multiple variables at a time.

If you're using a landing page split testing software like [Personizely](https://www.personizely.net/, you can visually edit multiple elements on your page without touching code. It gives the feeling of an easy-to-use landing page builder, although it’s an all-in-one CRO suite in essence.

You can change your typography, swap button colors, and test different images. It lets you create variations quickly and see exactly what each version will look like before you make it live.

4. Set up and launch your test

Once your variations are ready, it's time to set up the test and send traffic to both versions.

Split testing tools like Personizely also handle the traffic split automatically. You just have to install a code snippet on your site (or use an app integration if you're on Shopify, WordPress, etc.), create your campaign inside the platform, and activate it. From there, the tool randomly assigns visitors to either Version A or Version B for testing purposes.

One thing to be sure of here is your sample size. It must be big enough before you select your winner.

For example, if you're only getting 50 visitors a day, you'll need to run the test longer than someone getting 5,000 visitors a day. Your goal should be to achieve statistically significant results, which usually means at least 100 conversions per variation.

Also, it’s not ideal to stop your test early just because one version is getting more results after just two days. It’s important that you get enough data to confidently say that the test results aren't a fluke.

Most tools will tell you when you've hit significance, but as a general rule of thumb, aim for at least a week of session duration and a minimum of 1,000 visitors sample size per variation.

If you don't have a paid tool, you can also try a free statistical significance calculator online.

5. Analyze the test results and pick a winner

After you have run your test for at least a week, it’s now time to pull up the analytics and analyze test results.

First, you should check your primary metric.

If you were performing landing page split testing to increase signups, compare the signup rate between Version A and Version B. Whichever one converted better is your winner.

Aside from that, you need to look into your secondary metrics too. Maybe Version B got more clicks on the CTA, but the actual signup count is low. An insight like this will tell you that the button worked, but something downstream in your funnel is creating problems.

Last but not least, keep an eye on segment differences. Sometimes a variation performs better for mobile users but worse for desktop users, or better for new visitors but worse for returning ones.

If that happens, you might need to run different versions for different audiences. Once you've confirmed a winner, roll out the same version as your new control version and abandon the one that was not performing up to the mark.

6. Your testing should never stop

Just because you have conducted one successful test and found out your winner page doesn’t mean your testing is finished.

The winning page variant is actually the new baseline that will allow you to test other future variations.

In your test, maybe you proved that a new headline works better. Wonderful! Now test the CTA button. After that, test the form length. Then test your hero image. Then test the social proof section. You see the pattern?

While the saying “Don’t fix it if it’s not broken,” holds its place in certain situations, there's always something to improve when it comes to a landing page.

No matter what, every page has weak points, and every intended audience shifts over time. And as I mentioned earlier in the blog, what works today might not work in six months.

If you take optimization seriously and implement it as a continuous multivariate testing process, you will see a compounding increase in your desired metrics.

One successful split test can bump landing page conversion rates by 15%. The next might make it jump another 10%. And a year later, you might be converting at double the rate you started with, all that from consistent A/B testing.

What should you test in your split testing campaign?

Technically speaking, you can test anything on your landing page and measure performance.

But some elements are more worthy of your attention than others. Here are ten must-test elements of your landing page.

1. Your headline

I am certain you might be tired of hearing everywhere that “Your headline is the first thing people see”, but it is nevertheless true. And it’s highly important because it is the deciding factor in whether they stick around or bounce away in the first few seconds.

That is the very reason you should test different angles of your headline.

An example I gave before is apt here. A feature-focused headline like:

• Project Management Software with Gantt Charts and Time Tracking

might lose to a benefit-focused one like:

• Stop Missing Deadlines and Losing Track of Tasks

Do you see the difference here? The second one speaks directly to a user about their pain point rather than informing them about features.

Another thing you can test is specificity.

"Lose Weight Fast" sounds generic and vague. How much weight? What’s the timeline? And most importantly, lose weight how?

But if your headline says "Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days With Our Customized Military Diet," it makes a specific and solid promise.

2. CTA button copy

The words on your CTA button, although concise, can make or break your conversion game.

If you’re still using generic text like "Submit" or "Click Here," you will likely see nothing happen on your conversion dashboard because they tend to underperform compared to action-oriented and value-driven copy.

Who do I mean by that?

Well, by action-oriented, I mean you should test "Get My Free Guide" against "Download Now" and by value-driven, I mean you should go with "Try It Free for 30 Days" instead of "Start Your Free Trial."

Yes, small changes like these do impact user engagement and help in driving conversions!

3. Button color and size

I know that to a lot of people, this sounds made up, but button visibility directly impacts clicks.

As Neil Patel, a digital marketing expert, author, and the owner of an SEO tool, Uber Suggest, puts it:

You’re losing clicks because your CTA button is the wrong color.

The color of your CTA button matters. Colors trigger emotions; red creates urgency and green builds trust. But the real key? Make sure your button stands out. Test different colors and see what gets the most clicks!

If your CTA button is the same colour as your landing page background, users will not be able to clearly see it, let alone take action.

That’s exactly why you should test high-contrast colors (depending on your branding) that stand out.

For example, a green button on a white background with blue accents is a good combination and generally gets noticed. But a light gray button on a white background is a bad idea.

The same way, size matters too (of the button). A small button at the end of a long page gets ignored. A larger, bolder button placed prominently above the fold usually gets more clicks. You can test different button dimensions before finalizing one for your page layout.

4. Form length

You must understand that every additional form field you add increases friction for users and drops your conversion rate.

If you're asking for it all in your form submissions like first name, last name, email, phone number, company name, job title, and company size, you're probably losing people right there.

Try testing a simple and shorter version with just the name and email address. Don’t worry about more info because you can always collect it later once they're in your funnel.

5. Hero image or video

There’s a reason it is called the “Hero Image.” It’s the largest and most prominent element of your page, appearing at the very top, that either grabs attention or gets ignored.

You can perform landing page split testing on a product screenshot against a lifestyle image showing your product in use.

If you're selling accounting software, a screenshot of the dashboard might work for a technical audience. But if your audience is small business owners, a photo of a relieved business owner shutting their laptop after finishing their taxes might work better.

The same is the case with the video. If you’re using a video at the top of your landing web page, make sure it aligns perfectly with the messaging. For an accounting software, a tool walkthrough would be the way forward instead of an image.

Videos can also outperform static images, but only if the video is good. A low-quality explainer video with bad audio will do you no good at all. You may test a high-quality 60-second demo in place of your current image and monitor if the engagement is enough to justify the production cost.

6. Social proof placement and type

Testimonials, reviews, case studies, client logos, they all build trust with your target audience, but where you place them on your landing page decides thier effectiveness.

You can test placing customer testimonials near your CTA button Vs higher up on the page.

Sometimes, social proof works better early on the page to build credibility before you ask for action. And sometimes, it works better right before the conversion point to push hesitant visitors over the edge.

Again, something that depends on your business and industry.

Not to mention, you can also test the type of social proof. A short quote from a happy/satisfied customer might perform differently than a full blown case study with metrics.

7. Kind of offer

What you're giving away, or in other words, “selling” influences who converts. User preferences/audience's preferences vary.

If you're offering, let’s say, a free ebook, you can test it against a free email course or a video training series. Since people's learning styles are different, different formats appeal to them. Some people prefer reading from a PDF while others want bite-sized lessons delivered over email.

As the saying goes:

“Make an offer so good that people feel stupid saying no.”

If you have paid products, you should also test different pricing structures. A $99/month subscription might convert worse than $29/month for three months, even though the second option costs more upfront. The lower the monthly number, the less sticker shock.

8. Page length

Should your original landing page be short and punchy or long and detailed? Well, it totally depends on your target audience and the complexity of your offer.

If you have a simple, low-cost offer, a short/concise page usually performs better. There’s no need to write 2,000 words to convince someone to download a checklist that is free. You can get to the point as quickly as you can, show the real value, and ask readers to opt in.

But if you have an expensive or complex product, you need a long page simply because people need more information before committing. Nobody will opt in for a $5,000 enterprise software course with a 100-word copy. They would want details, objections handled, and proof that it works.

You can test a long-form page with FAQs, detailed benefits, and case studies against a relatively shorter version.

9. Trust signals

Landing page elements that reduce anxiety and build confidence are:

• Security badges
• Certifications
• Guarantees
• Privacy statements

And you should definitely have them listed on your landing page.

For instance, you can test adding a money-back guarantee near your CTA.

A line that says "30-Day Money-Back Guarantee" helps in driving conversions by toning down the fear of purchase risk. If your target audience knows they can get a full refund, they will be more inclined to buy.

If it’s a lead gen landing page forms, test adding a privacy statement that says something along the lines of "We'll never share your email" right below the form.

10. Mobile layout

You might be happy with your desktop version if it converts great, but what about the mobile enhanced user experience? Or vice versa. If either is clunky, you’re leaving revenue on the table.

If you’re satisfied with your desktop version of the landing page, you can test mobile-specific layouts. Buttons that work on desktop might be too small on mobile. Forms that look fine on a laptop might feel overwhelming on a phone screen. Hero images that look stunning on desktop might load slowly or get cropped badly on mobile devices.

Keeping all these factors in kind, run separate tests for mobile users. Oftentimes, a completely different page structure works better on smaller screens.

Try the best landing page split testing software

Split landing page testing works, it really does, but only if you actually do it. Most businesses deep down know they should be testing landing page elements, but they get stuck on setup, struggle with clunky tools, or just can't make sense of their visitor data.

That's exactly where the right landing page split testing software, like Personizely, comes to the rescue.

Personizely gives you all you need to run a landing page split test without needing a developer or a data science degree.

You can test landing page headlines, buttons, images, forms, pricing, basically everything, using a visual editor that literally takes just a few clicks to set up. No code required except for CSS/JS advanced customizations.

It:

• Tracks everything, including your results
• Shows you which landing page variation is performing better, aka the winning variation
• Integrates directly with Google Analytics so you can see exactly how tests impact revenue

It is an all-in-one testing tool for split testing for ecommerce and other high-converting websites, and starts at just $47/month when billed annually.

Try it free for 14 days and see what happens when you stop guessing and start testing.

Frequently Asked Questions