Multivariate Testing vs. A/B Testing: A Short Overview

There are several different ways to test marketing campaigns and track their effectiveness. When it comes to testing, marketers usually face a singular doubt between two of the most popular methods: multivariate testing vs. A/B testing. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to understand their differences before deciding which one to use.

• A/B Testing
  • Best Used For
  • Pros and Cons
• Multivariate Testing
  • Best Used For
  • Pros and Cons
• Key Differences
• Multivariate vs. A/B Testing Example

What Is A/B Testing

The best way to define A/B testing is as a method of comparing two versions of a web page to see which one performs better. Version A is the control, while version B is the variant. To conduct an A/B test, businesses will send traffic to both versions of the page and then measure a conversion goal, such as clicks, sign-ups, or purchases.

The version that performs better is then implemented as the new standard. A/B testing is an essential tool for businesses because it allows them to optimize their website for better results constantly.

Here are some useful tools and practices for A/B testing in WordPress, if that’s your CMS of choice.

Best Used For

A/B testing is best used for testing individual elements on a page, such as a headline, call-to-action, or images. It’s also an excellent idea to A/B test pages that are not converting well to improve their performance.

While A/B testing can be used for any marketing campaign, it is beneficial for campaigns aimed at increasing conversion rates or clicks.

Pros and Cons

A/B testing can be an effective way to improve the performance of your content, but it also has some potential drawbacks.

Pros

• A/B testing can help you identify which version of your content is more effective and make informed decisions about how to improve your content going forward.
• It can be a relatively quick and easy way to test small changes to your content.
• A/B testing can be used to test a wide range of different types of content, from website pages to email subject lines.

Cons

• A/B testing only provides limited information about why one version of your content performed better than another.
• It can be time-consuming and expensive to carry out large-scale A/B tests.
• There is always the risk that the results of an A/B test may not be statistically significant.

What Is Multivariate Testing

Multivariate testing is a method of testing multiple versions of a web page or product simultaneously—one of the best alternatives to A/B testing.

This allows businesses to see which version of the page or product performs best with their target audience. Multivariate experiments can be used to test anything from the layout of a page to the color of a button.

By understanding which elements of the page or product are most successful, businesses can optimize their online presence for maximum impact. Multivariate testing is an essential tool for any business that wants to stay ahead of the competition.

Best Used For

Multivariate testing—A/B/n testing being one of the versions of it—is best used for testing multiple elements on a page or product simultaneously. This type of testing can be particularly useful for testing the overall layout of a page or the design of a product.

Multivariate testing can also test different combinations of products or services. For example, a business might want to try various features to see which customers prefer.

Pros and Cons

Multivariate testing can be a powerful tool for content or product optimization, but it also has some potential liabilities that should be considered.

Pros

• Multivariate testing can help you identify which combination of elements works best for your target audience.
• It can be a quick and efficient way to simultaneously test multiple versions of a page or product.
• MVT testing can be used to test a wide range of different types of content, from website pages to email subject lines.

Cons

• Multivariate testing can be time-consuming and expensive to carry out.
• As with A/B testing, there’s always the risk that the results may not be statistically significant.

A/B Testing Vs. Multivariate Testing: Key Differences

A/B tests and multivariate tests are both methods of online experimentation that help marketers improve the performance of their campaigns. Both types of testing allow you to compare two or more web page versions to see which performs better. However, there are some key differences between MVT and A/B testing.

With MVT, you test multiple elements on a single page at the same time. This allows you to see how different combinations of elements impact conversion rates. For example, you might test other headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons to see which combination results in the most clicks.

A/B testing, on the other hand, tests one element at a time. So, if you want to test two different headlines, you would create two separate versions of the page, with each headline being displayed to a different group of visitors. This type of testing can be less complex than MVT, but it can take longer to reach conclusions because you are only testing one element at a time.

Multivariate vs. A/B Testing Example

Let’s consider an example to better understand the difference between multivariate testing and A/B testing.

Suppose you want to test two different headlines for your blog post: 10 Ways to Make Money and How to Earn an Extra $500 per Month.

As a multivariate test example, you would test both headlines simultaneously. This means that some visitors would see the first headline while others would see the second headline. The headline that results in the most clicks is the winner.

With an A/B test example, you would test the headlines one at a time. Half of your visitors would see the first headline, while the other half would see the second headline. The headline that results in the most clicks is the winner.

Multivariate Testing vs. A/B Testing: The Takeaway

So, multivariate testing vs. A/B testing—which method should you use?

The answer depends on your goals and objectives. If you want to test multiple elements on a single page quickly, then MVT may be the better option. However, if you’re going to test one element at a time or you have limited resources, then A/B testing may be the better option.