Keeping up with consumer expectations is one of the most important aspects of managing a successful online store, as you may already know if you’ve been scrambling to optimize your site for the influx of mobile shoppers. Millions of browsers visit stores on their mobile devices, and experts predict that mobile retail sales will contribute over half of the total eCommerce sales by 2021.
However, despite the popularity and convenience of mobile retail, overall mobile conversion rates are still incredibly low. The truth is, there’s still a lot to figure out when it comes to the best mobile practices: which is where A/B testing and the Mobile Optimization Initiative (MOI) can make a world of difference.
What is Mobile A/B Testing?
A/B testing is a fancier way of saying “split testing” or “comparing and contrasting.” All it entails is setting up two different options and then analyzing the results to see which option performed better. A/B testing can be used for pretty much anything, from optimizing your landing page to improving your mobile app. For example, you might simply change the color of your CTA button from red to green to see if it has any impact on your conversion rate.
How Mobile A/B Testing Works
Just like with any other experiment, A/B testing begins once a hypothesis is formed. All of the experiments outlined on the MOI site clearly state the reason why the tester thinks the change will benefit retailers. For instance, in a test where retailers suppress product-level breadcrumbs, the hypothesis states that doing this may reduce distractions and improve mobile RPV.
After coming up with your hypothesis, it’s time to put the experiment into action. You’ll set up a page with a single changed variant, such as a different layout, larger button, or fewer selections, and keep the original page unchanged. Then, all your site visitors should be randomly distributed to the two different pages for a set amount of time. If one page performs significantly better than the other, then you should make that change to your site.
It’s a pretty straightforward process, but since there are so many different elements that can affect mobile users, you shouldn’t have to figure it all out on your own. If you want to see live experiment results, compare data, take part in experiments, and collaborate with a global network of retailers, joining the MOI could be an excellent opportunity for your business.
Benefits of Joining the MOI
“Experiments are key to innovation because they rarely turn out as you expect and you learn so much,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once said during an interview. “If you can increase the number of experiments you try from a hundred to a thousand, you dramatically increase the number of innovations you produce.”
With the MOI, you can access so much more data, information, and advice than you could on your own. By joining the MOI, you’ll have the chance to experience:
- Higher conversion rates.
- Live experiment data and results.
- Improved insights on customer behaviors.
- Shared, anonymized data.
- Support from several partners, including Wagento, PayPal, HiConversion, Something Digital, Redstage, Classy Llama, and more!
To start boosting your own mobile conversions and sales, get involved with the initiative!
