A/B Testing: 10 Tests to Boost Your SaaS Conversion Rate Today

We know how important it is to get high conversion rates. The more people buy your product, the better. But if your visitors aren't converting, or if there's a sudden drop in your conversion rate, it will hurt your revenue.

So, what is the secret of increasing those conversion rates? One effective method for improving conversion rates is through A/B testing. A/B testing allows businesses to experiment with different variations to see which changes lead to the most successful outcomes. With the right conditions, A/B tests can be used for almost everything – for example, your website, app, onboarding process, email newsletter or your social media posts.

In this article, you will learn what conversion rate means, what A/B testing is, when to use A/B testing, and 10 practical experiments to boost your SaaS conversion rate today.
What does conversion rate mean
Conversion rate describes how many users completed a defined action
The most common conversion types include...
Examples of conversion rate
The more people that perform the desired action, the higher your conversion rate is.
Pro tip: Make sure that these actions always have a business impact.

What does conversion rate (CR) mean?

Conversion rate is a metric that describes how many users completed a defined action and is one of the most important metrics that defines your SaaS success. The most common conversion types include form submissions, consultation bookings, product purchases, e-book downloads, pricing requests, user sign-ups, and newsletter subscriptions. The more people that perform the desired action, the higher your conversion rate is.

Make sure that these actions always have a business impact - allowing your business to grow, for example, by improving revenue or by increasing your overall reach. There are many ways customers can interact with your content, but not every activity is considered a conversion.

For example, if you run an e-mail campaign and want to see how effective your e-mails are, you can measure how many people click on the e-mail link and visit your website. However, make sure to describe the e-mail clicks as click-through-rate rather than conversion rate. See the conversion rate as the ultimate goal a customer should achieve.

Many people also refer to the conversion rate as the closing rate because this is the final action you want people to take.

If we think of the e-mail example, the conversion rate could describe the number of people who opened the e-mail, clicked on the link to your website, and downloaded the lead magnet on your website. This will give you better insights into your metrics than considering every step of the user journey as a conversion.
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Why is conversion rate important?
Conversion rate tells you how successful your SaaS website is at guiding visitors through your sales funnel
6 main reasons users abandon halfway on your website
Poorly designed landing pages
Inappropriately placed CTA buttons
Condensed text blocks
Small font size
Long copy
Broken links in your CTA

Why is conversion rate important?

The conversion rate describes how many users completed a defined action. For your website for example, the conversion rate is important because it tells you how successful your SaaS website is at guiding visitors into and through the sales funnel.

If your website has a high conversion rate, it means that your website is persuading visitors to become leads. However, if the rate is low, it may be necessary to make changes to the website to improve its effectiveness. One of the most important things a marketer can do to improve conversion rates is to understand why visitors don't take action.

The main reasons users abandon halfway on your website are:

• Poorly designed landing pages
• Inappropriately placed CTA buttons
• Condensed text blocks
• Small font size
• Long copy
• Broken links in your CTA

Just putting yourself in the shoes of your website visitors and asking yourself if you would finish the user journey is not enough. If you check your analytics and see people dropping off during their user journey, experimenting with new ideas to improve your conversion rate becomes important. One of the best methods to do so is A/B testing.
What is A/B testing
A/B testing also known as split testing means to test two or more versions of a variable
Examples
Button Color, button wording, layout, images
A/B testing example
A/B testing takes away the guesswork and shows you which version performs best

What is A/B testing and what does it mean?

A/B testing – also known as split testing - is an experiment conducted, for example, on a website or mobile application to test potential improvements compared to an original version. In the case of a website, A/B testing allows marketers to get insights into visitor behavior by creating 2 or more versions of their webpage and analyzing which version leads to a higher conversion rate. Version A refers to the original state, while version B refers to the new version of the testing variable.

For example, you added a blue “Request a Free Demo” button to your landing page. After a set amount of time or traffic volume, you can test to understand if this color and copy results in more demo sign-ups. It is possible that a button design or unfavorable color is causing a large portion of users to never complete the sign-up process.

But you can not only A/B test buttons. You can also test the headline on your website, the general layout, images, forms, navigation, or graphical elements. Ideas for testing are often a result of analyzing heat-maps, website analytics, session recordings, user tests or direct user feedback.

Based on these, hypothesis are built and then tested. During your SaaS business-journey, you should A/B test all the components that have a direct impact on your conversion rate.

In short, A/B testing is one of today’s marketer’s powerful tools, allowing them to test all their assumptions and make decisions based on statistical evidence. The biggest advantage of A/B testing is its simplicity, and marketers can easily use it to improve conversions, test hypotheses, and justify website changes.
When should you use A/B testing
If you would ask whats the best time use A/B testing, the answer would be always
If you are facing one of the following challenges, consider A/B testing
You are not happy with your CTA conversion rate
Your landing page fails to convince users to act
You lose users during the onboarding process
Your users dont understand what value your business brings
Your product page does not generate sign ups

When should you use A/B Testing?

If you’d ask what’s the best time to use A/B testing, the answer would be always. If you’re facing at least of the challenges below, consider A/B testing:

• You are not happy with your CTA conversion rate
• Your landing page fails to convince users to act
• You lose users during the onboarding process
• Your users don’t understand what value your business brings
• You have great downloadable content, but your lead capture form fails to get sign-ups
• Your product page doesn’t generate free trial sign-ups

A few minor tweaks to a CTA button, landing page, or copy can substantially affect the number of leads your SaaS business generates. As soon as you’ve identified the problems, it is time to make a hypothesis and narrow down the potential causes (and solutions) so that you don't need to examine every single element on your SaaS website.

Once your testing is completed, review the results and see if any of the tested variants bring you closer to your objective. If yes, perfect. If not, don’t worry. A/B testing is an iterative process of trial and error rather than one-and-done.

Having said that, we need to cover one of the biggest challenges in A/B testing - the amount of people your A/B test is exposed to. For example, if you just released your website and have very few visitors, your test results might be off because too little people tested it. If you have 10 people in your email newsletter, and you want to test the effectiveness of two different subject lines, there is little sense in sending one email to the first 5 people, and the second email to the second 5 people. The user group is just too little. With only a small user group, it makes more sense to do user research and talk to people to improve your website, instead of A/B testing.

When you have enough traffic, A/B testing is one of the most powerful methods to improve your business metrics and to make thought out, data-driven decisions.
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A/B test number 1: Headlines
If the headline is dull, unclear or irrelevant, it will discourage visitors from continuing and they will abandon your website.
Example A/B tests for your headline:
Headline length, headline placement, headline color, highlight benefits, integrate numbers

Test 1: Headline

The first thing visitors see on your website is the headline, so it’s crucial to make a great first impression with it and – much more important – show what value you provide. If the headline is dull, unclear, or irrelevant, it’ll discourage readers from continuing, and they will abandon your website.

When you see a high bounce rate in your analytics, A/B testing your headline makes sense. To A/B test with your landing page headline, try different title lengths, highlight the key product benefits, use limited words, or integrate numbers. One pro tip is to set yourself in your visitors’ shoes and directly address their pain point.

“Enter the conversation your customers are having in their mind. Preferably something they go to bed worrying about and wake up thinking about.” - Allan Dib, author of The 1-Page Marketing Plan.

Ask yourself why they are visiting your website, what they want to achieve and what value they are looking for. You can even ask a question. Here’s an example for you: “Struggling to create marketing emails your audience will love? Create stunning emails and build deeper relationships with your audience.”

To make your headline effective, focus on highlighting the unique benefits and value that users will gain from your product.
A/B test number 2: Copy
Your copy should act like a digital salesperson by generating interest, guiding visitors through their journey, and inspiring them to take action.
2 Pro tips when you write copy
Use language that encourages visitors to take action.
Ensure that your copy aligns with the visitors level of knowledge.

Test 2: Copy

Your landing page copy should act like a digital salesperson by communicating with multiple potential customers, generating interest, guiding visitors through the purchasing decision, and inspiring them to take action. But many SaaS landing pages fail on that. I bet you’ve seen landing pages focusing on what solution the company offers rather than on the customers’ needs.

But how can you test landing page copy? First, the purpose of a landing page is to persuade visitors to take a specific action. To achieve that, the copy on the landing page should use language that encourages and motivates the visitor to take action. Second, ensure that your copy aligns with the customer's level of knowledge about your product or service.

An effective landing page copy should reflect the level of understanding that the customer has about the problem the company is trying to solve. So keep it simple and do not use any fancy words or business jargon. Don’t be afraid to A/B test with words or phrases you don’t come across very often in your sector if you can better address the visitors problem this way.

Keep in mind that A/B testing is an iterative process. Building variants that don’t perform as well as the initial version is no failure, but an important learning on your way of improving the conversion rate.

An excellent indicator of whether your copy provides the answers your visitors are looking for is to check how many people requested more information via your customer support team.
A/B test number 3: Single vs multiple CTA
A call to action is a request for visitors to perform a specific action.
Go with one CTA if your website is focused on a single action.
If your product offers more than one route for visitors, using multiple CTA is the logical option.

Test 3: Single vs. multiple CTA

A Call To Action is a request for visitors to perform a specific action. Every customer journey comprises distinct phases and touch points. Typical Call To Action elements are buttons, because of their high visibility. However, a Call To Action can be anything that motivates users to move further down the funnel.

The goal of every Call To Action is to take the user by the hand and help them reach their goal. The better you understand what your customers want to achieve, the better you can craft your Call To Action and the better your conversion rate will be.

You may see SaaS landing pages containing two or more different CTA buttons, whereas some landing pages stick with only one kind of CTA button. Here’s what you need to consider. Go with one CTA if your website is focused on a single action and a visitor doesn’t require any extra information about your product or service.

For example, when you want your visitors to download your lead magnet, your CTA should always prompt your users to do that. Don’t add a second Call To Action that asks people to get in contact with your sales team since this would dilute your message and will end in a lower conversion rate for your main Call To Action.

That said, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experiment with multiple CTAs, even though your landing page revolves around a single action. But keep in mind that your main Call To Action should always focus on the action that has the most business impact.

If your product offers more than one route to the visitor (and both routes have a business impact), then using multiple CTAs would be the logical option. For example, one potential CTA you can use is “Start your free trial”, and the other option can be “View demo”.
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A/B test number 4: FAQ section
Even if your website is well designed and easy to navigate, users may still need additional information to be ready to buy.
Pro tip: Try to directly answer the questions and objections your visitors have, without them having to visit an extra FAQ section.

Test 4: FAQ section

Even if your website is well-designed and easy to navigate, users may still need additional information to be ready to buy. One way to answer these questions is a distinct FAQ section.

Pro tip: If possible, always try to answer the questions and objections your visitors have, without them having to visit an extra FAQ section. As mentioned earlier, your website should have a logical flow and should guide people through it via a specific user journey. Through their journey, questions will arise at different points. Addressing those questions directly where they pop up is the best way to provide value and to give visitors the certainty that they are in good hands.

Nonetheless, having an extra FAQ section has no downside. It even has advantages. When you incorporate long-tail keywords that your users are likely searching for in your FAQs, not only the quality of the FAQ section will be enhanced but also your SEO will improve.
A/B test number 5: Countdown timer
A countdown timer is a useful way to create a sense of urgency, which can encourage more visitors to buy your product.
Offering a free trial for your product for a limited period of time

Test 5: Countdown timer

Have you ever thought about harnessing the power of urgency on your landing pages? A countdown timer is a useful way to create a sense of urgency on a landing page, which can encourage more visitors to buy your product before the offer expires.

Example: Let’s imagine the regular monthly price of the lowest-tier option of your product is €17, and you offer that subscription for only €8 per month, but for only a limited time frame (for example, during holiday season).

Yet, A/B testing with a countdown timer comes with its own challenges. For instance, such an approach may persuade users who aren’t the ideal fit for your business growth to buy your product. To avoid big retention drops after they have bought your product, make sure that you show - with your copy - what problem your product solves and what value you provide.
A/B test number 6: Video
Video is just as effective or even more effective at converting viewers than other forms of content
2 Excellent ways of using videos on your website
Using explainer videos for your service
Using testimonial videos that show your customers excitement

Test 6: Video

A hefty 93% of companies believe that video is just as effective or more effective at converting viewers than other forms of content. The reason is simple. Adding video to your landing page creates trust, helps you to capture the attention of potential customers, provides visitors with additional educational information, and encourages them to take action.

There’re several use cases for videos on a landing page. One of the best recommendations is to use an explainer video to explain your SaaS product. Explainer videos have superb storytelling power that engages visitors and creates a lasting impression about the company. Especially in high-priced B2B industries, this can have a significant impact on your conversion rate.

Another recommended way of using videos on your landing page is to use testimonial videos that capture your customers' genuine excitement in a way that written testimonials can’t. If you’re targeting more than one persona, create several video testimonials that you can use on each landing page to cater to each persona.
A/B test number 7: Chatbot
A chatbot is a digital tool that can hold human-like conversations with users to complete certain tasks.
Only A/B test with chatbots once you have done the basic A/B tests.

Test 7: Chatbot

A chatbot is a digital tool that can hold a human-like conversation with users to complete certain tasks, such as answering questions or facilitating product purchases. Using chatbots to communicate with users on your landing page can result in better engagement and higher conversions.

Customers are becoming increasingly demanding. They expect the brands to be accessible in all the important moments of their journey. If they aren’t, the customers become dissatisfied quickly. Even though implementing a Chatbot on your website is not the typical A/B test you want to run in the beginning (since it is a lot of work to have a good Chatbot in place), testing it once you have done the easier A/B tests and have reached a plateau, this A/B test could become interesting.
A/B test number 8: Cardless trial
A free trial allows users to use a service for a limited period of time without charge.
Up and downside of cardless free trials:
Increase number of sign-ups
Quality of leads will decrease.

Test 8: Cardless free trial

A free trial allows users to use a service for a limited period of time without charge. During this time, users can take advantage of the product's features. This allows users to try out the service and see if it meets their needs before making a purchase. Many SaaS products today request credit cards for free trials.

But how about A/B testing with cardless free trials to see how it affects conversion rates?

Requesting payment information during a free trial will decrease the number of sign-ups, however at the same time improve the quality of leads. Alternatively, offering cardless trials can increase sign-ups and facilitate the acquisition of more subscribers. This approach is ideal for SaaS products wanting to increase sign-ups or launch a beta version. Try both options and see which one brings you more towards your business goal.
A/B test number 9: Social proof
Social proof is evidence that people have experienced value from your product.
Testimonials help you to boost conversion rate...
...and build trust.

Test 9: Social proof

Credibility and social proof are vital for high-converting landing pages. Social proof is evidence that other people have experienced value from your product. Your website visitors need to trust you and your service before they sign up for a free trial or enter their email addresses to download your lead magnet. A lack of trust can have a dramatic impact on your conversion rate.

But how should you include trust indicators on your SaaS landing page? The most common forms of social proof are testimonials, quotes, interviews, and customer reviews. Why do these sources of social proof work? Instead of promoting your product and discussing its benefits yourself, let your users talk about their experience and tell others how your product solved their problems. Therefore, you should always A/B test with testimonials and see how it boosts your SaaS conversion rates.

Testimonials are essential in building trust, help you to take customers’ fears and make your service more tangible. An excellent side effect: Testimonials push your SEO.
A/B test number 10: Navigation menu
A navigation menu is a website component typically located at the top of a page that helps visitors to navigate.
Experiment with horizontal, vertical and dropdown navigation bars, depending on your style and brand

Test 10: Navigation menu

A navigation menu bar is a website component typically located at the top of a page. It allows users to navigate to different parts of the website. Without a well-organized website navigation system, visitors may become frustrated and leave without exploring the rest of your site, harming your conversion rates.

Here’s what you can A/B test with your navigation menu bar. First, when designing your site's navigation, aim to make it easy for users to access any page in two or three clicks. Second, experiment with horizontal, vertical, and dropdown navigation bars. Although a horizontal navigation bar is the most common nowadays, depending on the content and style of your brand, other types of navigation menus may provide a better user experience for visitors.

3 FAQs about A/B testing

1. Can A/B testing be applied to offline marketing strategies?

Yes, A/B testing can be applied to offline marketing strategies. But it is more difficult. For example - in digital marketing - you create 2 ads, run them in parallel and the one that performs better is automatically chosen.

In print, however, A/B testing would require you to print 2 different versions and track the conversion rate of each campaign. You can then use the learning for future campaigns. It can be done, but it takes more time and effort.

2. Is it recommended to A/B test elements that are not directly related to the conversion rate, such as blog content or information pages?

You should always focus on testing elements (and metrics) that directly affect your business success. And conversion rate is one of those metrics you want to improve. However, experimenting with blog content or information pages can provide additional, valuable insights. But only do this if you have extra capacity.

3. How do you determine the ideal duration for an A/B test and does it vary depending on the type of experiment?

It mainly depends on how quickly you can get meaningful insights. For example, if you are testing your landing page and you only get 10 views per month, you can test forever - with no clear result.

However, if you get 100,000 views per week, you can shorten the tests. If you only have a small sample size, I would recommend direct user interviews instead of A/B testing as you will get more valuable information.

Summary

Conversion rate is a metric that describes how many users completed a defined action and is one of the most important metrics that defines your SaaS success. If your visitors aren't converting, or if there's a sudden drop in your conversion rate, it will hurt your revenue.

Whether you measure how many people bought your product, how many new leads came in via your free trial or how many people downloaded your newsletter, conversion rate should always have a direct impact on your business goals.

Given the right circumstances – for example, enough traffic on your website, A/B testing comes in handy to constantly improve your conversion rate. Keep in mind that A/B testing is about experimenting. Don’t be afraid if you don’t know all the answers upfront but rather stay in a testing mindset. Use insights from heat-maps, your website analytics, session recordings, user tests or direct user feedback, create a hypothesis and quickly test new versions to see how they affect your conversion rate.
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