What to A/B test: 10 A/B testing ideas to inspire your experiments
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
It’s an optimization game. Once you can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, you can pour more gasoline on the fire and get better results from more investment. That’s the long game we’re playing here.
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
More clicks from the same ad spend.
More leads from the same amount of site visitors.
More sales from the same number of carts created.
More bottom-line profits from the same overall investment.
It’s an optimization game. Once you can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, you can pour more gasoline on the fire and get better results from more investment. That’s the long game we’re playing here.
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
The overarching objective of A/B testing is to find ways to get more results from the same (or less) investment.
More clicks from the same ad spend.
More leads from the same amount of site visitors.
More sales from the same number of carts created.
More bottom-line profits from the same overall investment.
It’s an optimization game. Once you can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, you can pour more gasoline on the fire and get better results from more investment. That’s the long game we’re playing here.
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
Before we get into the specific elements in your marketing funnels that you should A/B test, let’s take the 10,000-foot view approach first.
The overarching objective of A/B testing is to find ways to get more results from the same (or less) investment.
More clicks from the same ad spend.
More leads from the same amount of site visitors.
More sales from the same number of carts created.
More bottom-line profits from the same overall investment.
It’s an optimization game. Once you can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, you can pour more gasoline on the fire and get better results from more investment. That’s the long game we’re playing here.
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
Landing pages
Conversion optimization
Digital marketing
Lead generation
What to A/B test: 10 A/B testing ideas to inspire your experiments
By Josh Gallant
and Oli Gardner
.
Updated on June 26, 2024
.
13 min read
So your conversion rate isn’t where you want it to be.
It happens to the best of us.
The big question is, what can you do to right the ship? Should you just tweak the headline? Maybe you need to change your pricing? Do you need to start from scratch with an entirely new landing page layout?
There’s only one way to find out what’ll actually move the needle:
A/B testing.
That’s right—it’s possible to incrementally boost your conversion rate (while simultaneously learning a ton about your audience) without just throwing spaghetti at the wall.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What should you A/B test?
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
SHARE
Josh Gallant
Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth firm that helps SaaS companies capture demand. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach on weekends, and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.
» More blog posts by
Josh Gallant
Oli Gardner
Unbounce co-founder Oli Gardner has seen more landing pages than anyone on the planet. He’s obsessed with identifying and reversing bad marketing practices, and his disdain for marketers who send campaign traffic to their homepage is legendary, resulting in landing page rants that can peel paint off an unpainted wall. A prolific international keynote speaker, Oli is on a mission to rid the world of marketing mediocrity by using data-informed copywriting, design, interaction, and psychology to create a more delightful experience for marketers and customers alike.
He was recently named the “The 2018 Marketer to Watch,” in the under 46 category, by his mother.
» More blog posts by
Oli Gardner
What should you A/B test?
Before we get into the specific elements in your marketing funnels that you should A/B test, let’s take the 10,000-foot view approach first.
The overarching objective of A/B testing is to find ways to get more results from the same (or less) investment.
More clicks from the same ad spend.
More leads from the same amount of site visitors.
More sales from the same number of carts created.
More bottom-line profits from the same overall investment.
It’s an optimization game. Once you can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, you can pour more gasoline on the fire and get better results from more investment. That’s the long game we’re playing here.
So with that in mind—strategically speaking, what should you be A/B testing?
It rolls up to two main things:
1. Positioning and marketing messaging (the what)
Messaging is all about how you present your products or services to the market. You likely have plenty of ideas and hunches about what will resonate, but the best way to answer that question explicitly is to run A/B tests.
Try different angles. Test different value propositions. Experiment with different concepts.
If you can determine what messages and positioning are most likely to pique the interest of potential buyers, you can apply (and benefit from) those findings across the board.
2. Customer touchpoints throughout the user journey (the how)
Alongside the messaging itself is how the messaging is presented.
A typical customer journey will have dozens of touchpoints—some predictable, most fairly random and unique. Throughout this journey, though, there will be critical touchpoints that most buyers pass through. These are the places you want to nail over time. Think core landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, etc.
Every lesson you learn from testing how you deliver key messages to potential customers can also be cascaded throughout your marketing engine—even things as simple as color schemes and types of imagery.
Why landing pages are the best place to run A/B tests
The single best vehicles for A/B testing both messaging and touchpoint design are your landing pages.
With the right tools, A/B testing landing pages lets you control most of the variables that could otherwise clutter up your results. The more variables you have control over, the more conviction you’ll have in the winning variants in your tests.
Think about it like this:
You run an A/B test on a landing page where the only thing you change is the color scheme from light mode to dark mode. After a few thousand visitors to build statistical significance, the dark mode variant outperforms the light mode variant by a wide margin. You now get to walk away with complete conviction that light text on dark backgrounds is the ideal design style for your audience.
What elements can you A/B test on landing pages?
The short and sweet answer is this:
Whatever your heart desires.
As long as you’re using a landing page builder that makes A/B testing easy, that is (and we just so happen to know one). Otherwise, every test becomes a major ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity.
No bueno.
Anyway, sometimes the wheels (aka your heart’s desires) need a little jumpstart to start spinning. So we’re here to share some inspo and give you a few concrete ideas to run with.
1. Headline testing ideas
Your headline is your first impression. Its success is dictated by how closely it matches what your viewers expected when they decided to visit your page—whether clicking an ad, banner, email link, etc.
You can test positive versus negative language in how you express your value in the headline, for example: “Save Time By Downloading Now” vs. “Stop Wasting Time, Download Now.” You may be able to guess which will work better, but testing lets you know for sure.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product-focused vs. outcome-focused positioning
Short and punchy vs. detailed headlines
Question-based headlines vs. non-questions
Numbered lists vs. no lists
Using specific statistics vs. general statements
Directly addressing your visitor vs. third-person
Fear of missing out (FOMO) vs. positive reinforcement
Dynamic personalization vs. static and more generic headlines
Seasonal vs. evergreen
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal
Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
2. Form testing ideas
Many landing pages include some kind of form to capture data from your visitors. To make them effective, you need to offer something in exchange for the data. Examples would be an ebook, whitepaper, or webinar registration. But what do you test on the form? You’re trying to balance your need for data with the “size of the prize” (what you’re giving away) to find the optimal point of conversion.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single-step form vs. multi-step form
Forms with placeholders vs. forms without placeholders
Button color tests (e.g., red vs. blue)
Form field labels above vs. beside the input fields
Required fields vs. optional fields
Forms with progress bars vs. forms without progress bars
Position of the form on the page (left vs. right vs. center)
Forms with social sign-in options vs. traditional email sign-up
Long forms vs. short forms
Forms with CAPTCHAs vs. forms without CAPTCHAs
Recommended reading: 5 types of forms that will improve your landing page (with examples)
3. Call to action button (CTA) testing ideas
Your call to action is your conversion. It’s what you want your visitors to do (and nothing else). If people aren’t converting, your call to action may need an update. CTAs should describe exactly what will happen when clicked. A good tip when writing your CTA is to finish the phrase “I want to…”.
For example, I want to:
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Download the ebook
Get Free Shipping
Upgrade Now
Strong CTAs should reinforce the thinking introduced in your headline, content, and imagery, effectively ending your page’s story with a solid “what to do next.”
A/B test ideas to run with:
Button text using “learn more” vs. “discover now”
Large vs. small button sizes
Rounded corners vs. sharp corners for button shape
Button placement above the fold vs. below the fold
Bright CTA button colors like yellow vs. muted colors like gray
Uppercase vs. lowercase text on buttons
Static buttons vs. buttons with animations like hover effects
Short phrases vs. longer descriptive sentences for calls to action
Buttons with shadow vs. buttons without shadow
Gradient background vs. solid color background on buttons
Recommended reading: 15 irresistible call to action examples that’ll get results Recommended reading: How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert
4. Above-the-fold testing ideas
Everything above the fold will represent your true first impression to visitors. Before they’ve even read a single word, they’ll subconsciously scan what’s in front of them. Is it text-heavy or is there breathing room? Is there a video, images, or just words?
Your first goal with your above-the-fold section is simple—avoid the back button. If a visitor isn’t bouncing, your first impression is good enough to keep them intrigued.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Full-width background image vs. solid color background
Hero section with a video vs. hero section with an image
Minimalist design vs. information-rich design
Slideshow vs. static hero image
High contrast text vs. low contrast text
Product video vs. static image as the focal point
CTA button at the top vs. CTA button after scrolling
Navigation bar fixed at the top vs. navigation hidden until scroll
Interactive elements (like hover effects) vs. static elements
Text-heavy vs. image-heavy layout
5. Color scheme testing ideas
Choosing the right color scheme for your landing page is more than aesthetics; it’s about psychology and strategy.
Different colors can evoke various emotions and actions from your visitors, impacting your conversion rates. For example, using blue might communicate trust and dependability, which is perfect for finance or healthcare sites, while red could create a sense of urgency, increasing click-throughs for sales or special offers.
When you’re planning color scheme tests for landing pages in particular, don’t be afraid to veer from your traditional brand tones. We’re not saying to throw your entire brand guidelines out the window, of course, but landing pages are one of the best places to experiment with ways color can change visitor emotions.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Monochromatic vs. complementary color schemes
Bright vs. pastel color palettes
High contrast vs. low contrast color schemes
Warm colors vs. cool colors
Neutral backgrounds vs. bold backgrounds
Text color with light on dark vs. dark on light
Color psychology (e.g. using blue for trust vs. red for urgency)
Gradients vs. solid colors
Seasonal color themes vs. standard color themes
Recommended reading: Color palette trends to inspire your marketing strategy
6. Ecommerce product page testing ideas
Optimizing ecommerce product pages is crucial for reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing sales. With A/B testing, you can uncover which elements—detailed product descriptions, the placement of customer reviews, or even the color of your “Add to Cart” button—resonate best with visitors and shoppers.
Just remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Identify the metric that matters for your product pages and relentlessly optimize toward it.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Product images with models vs. standalone product images
Short product descriptions vs. detailed product descriptions
Price display at the top vs. price display after product details
Customer reviews featured prominently vs. customer reviews below fold
Vibrant vs. neutral “Add to Cart” button color
Product videos vs. product image galleries
Product features as bullets vs. paragraphs
Tabbed product information vs. single long page information
Recommended products at the bottom vs. recommended products on the side
Product badges (like “Best Seller” or “New”) vs. no badges
Social share buttons visible vs. social share buttons hidden
Social proof can dramatically influence purchasing decisions on your site. In fact, 92% of consumers feel hesitant to buy when no customer reviews are available.
You can boost credibility and trust by incorporating customer testimonials, star ratings, or real-time purchase notifications. Testing different forms of social proof allows you to see which methods are most effective in engaging your audience and encouraging conversions. For instance, does displaying many positive reviews at the top of a product page increase confidence and decrease hesitations? Does embedding real Amazon reviews or X (formerly known as Twitter) testimonials help boost conversions or just cause clutter on the page?
A/B test ideas to run with:
Customer testimonials vs. case studies
Star ratings displayed prominently vs. more subtle star ratings
Social media follower count highlighted vs. not displayed
Real-time purchase notifications vs. no notifications
“Featured in” media logos at the top vs. at the bottom
User-generated content vs. professionally produced content
Customer quotes vs. customer video testimonials
Trust badges near CTA vs. trust badges in the footer
Endorsements from celebrities or influencers vs. endorsements from regular customers
Customer success stories integrated vs. linked as separate case studies
8. Messaging and body copy testing ideas
The words you choose and how you present them can significantly impact your site’s effectiveness. A compelling narrative or clear, benefit-driven bullet points might resonate differently with your audience.
When you can make the copy on your landing page feel like it was written solely for one person—your visitor—your likelihood of converting can skyrocket. For example, personalized calls to action can improve conversion rates by over 202% compared to default versions. Test different tones, from conversational to formal, and structures, from detailed storytelling to straightforward facts, to discover the optimal way to communicate with your visitors.
Testing messaging on landing pages can also give you the cheat codes for what you should say on other key pages. The stakes are low on landing pages compared to rolling out brand-new positioning on the homepage.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Conversational tone vs. formal tone
Bullet points vs. paragraph format
First-person (“We offer”) vs. second-person (“You’ll receive”) narrative
Feature-focused copy vs. benefit-focused copy
Short, succinct messages vs. long, detailed descriptions
Copy with technical jargon vs. jargon-free copy
Urgency-creating language (“Limited offer”) vs. no urgency
Copy with emotional appeals vs. copy with rational appeals
Storytelling elements vs. straightforward facts
CTA within the body copy vs. CTA after the body copy
9. Pricing and offer testing ideas
Pricing strategies can directly influence the perceived value of your products and impact purchasing decisions. Experiment with different pricing formats like straightforward pricing vs. tiered options or monthly vs. annual billing. For example, offering a discount for annual billing might entice longer customer commitment, while a limited-time promotional price could boost immediate sales. Over time, you’ll ideally see trends that maximize revenue long-term.
You can also test how your pricing or offers are presented using strategies like price anchoring where you “anchor” the price with a higher number or reference point, only to then present your offer as a better value afterward to tap into buyer psychology and improve revenue per visitor.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Single pricing vs. tiered pricing options
Monthly vs. annual billing (with a discount for annual)
Discounts for first-time buyers vs. no initial discount
Money-back guarantee vs. no money-back guarantee
Free trial vs. no free trial
Bundle offers vs. single product offers
Cross-sell recommendations vs. no recommendations
Price anchoring (showing higher price first) vs. straightforward pricing
Early bird pricing vs. standard pricing
Limited-time offers vs. always available offers
10. Landing page layout testing ideas
Testing different layout elements like the placement of customer testimonials, the visibility of pricing options, or the arrangement of features and benefits can help you squeeze more juice out of the same orange. (In this case, the orange is all of the copy and media already on the page).
You don’t always need to change the words or the visuals on the page to run an A/B test. Sometimes, testing how those words and visuals are presented and organized can unlock a few more percentage points on the conversion rate scale.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Video at the top vs. video further down
Customer testimonials at the top vs. before the CTA
Social proof early on vs. near pricing or contact details
Immediate CTA at the top vs. CTA after detailed content
Features right after the hero section vs. after an introduction
Pricing options early vs. at the end of the page
Lead generation form immediately visible vs. after content
FAQ section near the top vs. near the bottom
Comparative analysis early vs. after context is built
Interactive elements at the beginning vs. later to emphasize points
Recommended reading: The 7 principles of conversion-centered design
What can you A/B test beyond your landing pages?
Of course, landing pages aren’t the only place you can run experiments. You can also run A/B tests that target both the pre- and post-conversion phase.
Pre-conversion tests: Ad creatives, ad placements, etc.
Post-conversion tests: Email campaigns, nurture sequences, etc.
Email campaign testing ideas
After your landing page has done its job and captured an email—the testing doesn’t have to stop. You can A/B test your email marketing campaigns, including automated follow-ups and nurture sequences, to maximize the value per lead. If you can get more leads to take the next action (i.e. make a purchase, request a demo, etc.) the value of each lead will likely increase.
By A/B testing elements of your email campaigns like subject lines, length, and the sender name you can potentially boost open rates, click-through rates, and overall results.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Email subject line with a question vs. subject line with a call to action
Personalized greeting vs. no personalization in the greeting
Long-form content vs. short and concise messages
Sending emails in the morning vs. evening
Inclusion of images vs. text-only emails
Discount offers vs. informational content
Single CTA vs. multiple CTAs
Weekly frequency vs. biweekly frequency
Emotional appeal vs. practical appeal in the content
Series of nurture emails vs. standalone promotional emails
Ad creative and targeting A/B testing ideas
Exploring different ad creatives and targeting options can make a big difference in how well your ads work together with your landing pages.
For example, test image-based ads against video ads to see which type draws more visitors to your site and how those visitors interact with your page. You could also compare how ads for a broad audience perform versus those targeted to specific groups. Perhaps a straightforward, bold headline brings in more clicks than a subtle one. Matching the look and message of your ads to your landing pages can help create a smooth experience for users, encouraging them to stick around and take action.
A/B test ideas to run with:
Image-based ads vs. video ads
Dynamic retargeting ads vs. general audience ads
Ads with bold, attention-grabbing headlines vs. subtle headlines
Use of testimonials in ads vs. product features
Geographic targeting vs. behavior-based targeting
Ads optimized for mobile vs. desktop formats
Seasonal-themed ads vs. evergreen ads
Direct purchase link calls to action vs. learn more link
High saturation color schemes vs. minimalist color schemes
Specific audience segment targeting vs. broad audience targeting
How to prioritize A/B testing ideas
As great as it would be to literally run every single one of these tests (or every idea you come up with), the reality is this:
Resources are limited.
Your team only has so much bandwidth, budget, and time to work with. Sometimes you need to trim a big list of A/B test ideas down to a more feasible and prioritized list. The good news is that you can actually take a “scientific” approach to the list-trimming process so you don’t just have to guess blindly.
Let’s break down a few common A/B test prioritization frameworks—PIE, ICE, and PXL.
PIE framework
The PIE framework is a simple three-part scoring system to measure the potential gains, relative importance, and overall ease of an A/B test. If a test idea could generate huge returns on an important page, and is relatively easy to implement—it’ll score well.
P = Potential: How much improvement can be gained from the test?
I = Importance: How critical is the element or page you’re testing to the business?
E = Ease: How easy is it to implement this test?
ICE framework
The ICE framework is similar to the PIE framework, just with a focus on confidence rather than the page’s importance. You’re still measuring impact and ease, but now instead of weighting a test based on the page, you’re weighting it based on how confident you are in your impact estimates. If you’re certain that a test will have a huge impact, you should prioritize that test over another where your confidence in the impact is lower.
I = Impact: How significantly could this test affect the key metrics?
C = Confidence: How confident are you in the test’s success?
E = Ease: How straightforward is the test to execute?
PXL framework
The PXL framework was developed by Peep Laja and CXL. It’s a more detailed scoring system that gets you to answer and score 10 questions. From there, you sum up the scores and the highest scoring ideas are where you should start.
Building a culture of marketing experimentation
Hopefully, the ideas in this post help give you some inspo for your next wave of A/B tests, but the most important thing to keep in mind is this:
It’s not what you test that matters—it’s that you’re testing.
The best growth and marketing teams constantly experiment, develop new hypotheses to test, and learn from the data. A/B testing isn’t just a box they check because their favorite marketing podcast called it a good idea—testing has become part of their entire culture.
And you can do the same.
The key to successful conversion rate optimization isn’t which elements on the page you decide to test—it’s the belief that you should always be testing.
Recommended reading: A/B testing for better results (with less)
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on the latest industry trends, best practices, and insider tips for your marketing campaigns
Start testing today with Unbounce
Of course, if you want to always be testing, the CRO tools in your toolkit will make or break you.
Running growth experiments around the clock is tough if every single test takes an entire village to build and launch. If you need to tap into dev resources just to launch a headline A/B test, it’s time to make some changes.
With Unbounce, you can run A/B tests without a developer, designer, or expensive marketing agency slowing you down. Here’s what a 14-day free trial of the Unbounce platform will give you:
Landing pages: Build high-performing pages that get more sales and signups.
Popups and sticky bars: Create popups that grab attention and boost conversion.
AI optimization: Automatically send visitors to the best landing page for them.
AI copywriting: Quickly generate copy for your pages, ads, emails, and more with AI.
Templates: Avoid the “blank page” scaries with hundreds of optimized templates.
And if you’ve skimmed all the way to the bottom of this post and only read one thing, let it be this:
Always be testing.
Related articles
A/B Testing
How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth
March 5, 2024.7 minute read
Landing page optimization
How to score double-digit conversion rates—A marketing hero’s journey
May 27, 2021.9 minute read
Landing page optimization
Are you getting the most out of landing page testing? Here’s the best way to get results
March 18, 2024.28 minute read
Conversion optimization
12 must-read CRO case studies to inspire your next campaign
April 19, 2024.20 minute read
A/B Testing
10 A/B testing examples and case studies to inspire your next test
May 1, 2024.17 minute read
Landing page optimization
Mastering ecommerce conversion rate optimization
December 7, 2023.17 min read
Conversion optimization
What is CRO testing? A step-by-step guide to running efficient tests
April 16, 2024.17 minute read
A/B Testing
The 16 best A/B testing tools and software alternatives to Google Optimize
March 19, 2024.23 minute read
Landing pages
How to create a landing page in 10 easy steps
September 1, 2023.12 minute read
Landing page examples
15 high-converting landing pages (that’ll make you wish you built ‘em)
March 6, 2023.20 minute read
Landing page optimization
101 landing page optimization tips
October 20, 2023.39 minute read
Explore our resource library
Get actionable insights, expert advice, and practical tips that can help you create high-converting landing pages, improve your PPC campaigns, and grow your business online.
