Optimize Top Performing Creatives: Best A/B Testing Tools

Published in

Trapica

7 min readAug 20, 2019

When it comes to marketing, we all know that there’s no such thing as standing still. Sure, we celebrate the successes when they come. But we’re aware that there are a handful, dozens, or even hundreds of competitors trying to surpass our efforts. Therefore, it’s important to keep moving forward to stay ahead of everybody else in the same niche.

We can do this in many ways, but none have received as much attention in recent years as A/B testing. In this guide, we want to uncover some of the very best A/B testing tools so you can optimize the top-performing creatives in your business.

What’s A/B Testing?

As a short introduction before we head into the tools themselves, we should explain what this phrase means for those who have never utilized this previously.

Sometimes called bucket testing or split testing, A/B testing is the idea of comparing two variables side by side. Whether it’s a marketing campaign, an app, or even a website, the two versions exist alongside each other and we can compare more directly. For marketers, there are a number of other benefits and uses that we’ll discover as we progress through the best industry tools.

Top A/B Testing Tools

1. Google (Analytics and Optimize)

Firstly, we have one of the biggest companies on the planet and a tool that we can all use for free. If you’ve got a particularly large team, we recommend looking into Optimize 360 and the whole Google Analytics 360 suite. Otherwise, you won’t believe all the features at your fingertips with the free platforms.

As long as you have specialists in your business able to work with advanced tracking, you’re actually likely to get more from Google Analytics and Optimize than you do with all the others we’ve included in this list.

Warning: With each of our suggestions, we’re going to provide a warning. They might not make or break your experience, but they may steer you towards a different solution. With Google, the warning is that you probably need experience with the platform or else is willing to invest time learning it. For many beginners, they find this solution too technical and need something more basic.

2. Optimizely

Another name you’ll find rather quickly while researching A/B testing is Optimizely. According to the company themselves, they have nearly one-quarter of the Fortune 100 companies as clients.

One of the advantages of choosing Optimizely is that it provides the tools to run several experiments simultaneously, all on one page. Also, you’ll enjoy testing for

Different experiment dimensions (including cookies, ad campaign, and geography)
Dynamic websites
Various segmentation parameters (including browser, device, and campaign)

Warning: In terms of drawbacks, some dislike the heavy user interface while others have complained that the reporting tool needs to be more expansive — these are both opinions and may not be an issue for you.

**See how your Ads performance convert in 60 seconds!**

3. Evergage

Next up, we have a tool that utilizes machine learning and has an emphasis on personalization. With Evergage, we love that all the data we need is just a click away. Once you combine this with the advanced A/B testing features and the ability to track user actions, you can really get involved in the process and create an experience that’s unique and enjoyable for the customer.

Regardless of the platform, Evergage is one of the best testing tools for meeting the needs of consumers. Using data, it provides full tracking and automated optimizations.

Warning: Do you really need all of these advanced features for your business? This is something you’re going to have to consider with your team. For personalization, experimentation, and even optimization, Evergage is extremely advanced.

4. Adobe Target

Much like Evergage, this is a platform that centers around the personalization idea. As well as A/B testing, you’ll have access to mobile app optimization, automation, and more. In particular, we enjoy the recommendations feature since it bases these off the behavior and data of consumers.

Additionally, Adobe has clearly attempted to make Target easier to use. They offer a three-step system

Create the variant
Target a specific segment of the audience
Customize the settings and goals

Warning: Unfortunately, they haven’t completely succeeded in making Target easy to use. This being said, many users can push past this for the fantastic self-learning algorithms. Over time, to keep results high, this system will automatically adapt content after making connections between content and visitor behavior.

5. VWO

If you’re looking for a service trusted by the likes of Target and eBay, look no further than VWO. Designed for enterprise brands, their fantastic suite is one of the easiest to use and offers a number of useful features. For example, as well as A/B testing, you can use the split URL tests and even multivariate testing. Just when you thought it couldn’t get easier to use, this last feature has a drag-and-drop editor.

Of course, analysis is just as important as the testing itself. With VWO, the dashboard is popular among users. With the addition of SmartStats, tests are faster, and you also have more control as a result of the Bayesian statistics. We should also note that the pricing model is much easier with VWO compared to Target and other tools.

Warning: Although this platform is perfect for those getting started with A/B testing, those more advanced might find some optimization features lacking. Also, buying the whole package can run up a hefty price tag.

6. AB Tasty

In the market, AB Tasty is considered a CRO software and this stands for ‘conversion rate optimization’. With data insights, personalization tools, and multivariate testing, it’s certainly worthy of a place on this list. Features include

Funnel testing (using a visual editor)
Advanced targeting
Opportunities to test against geolocation, URL, and even weather
Real-time reporting

With everything considered, we recommend AB Tasty for medium-sized companies who want to take the next step in the market. There are now a number of editors using the drag-and-drop style, but AB Tasty seems to achieve simplicity without disrupting the workflow or causing frustration.

Warning: Compared to others, AB Tasty is expensive. When reviewing your options, you’ll have to decide whether or not the extra cost is worthwhile for your business.

7. Unbounce

When it comes to improving landing pages, Unbounce is perhaps the most well-known solution. As we know, landing pages are essential for our conversion rate. With Unbounce, we can test two landing pages side by side.

After visiting their website, it’s clear that Unbounce wants to help us to convert more leads. Rather than allowing visitors to wander freely around our website, Unbounce says we should prompt visitors with a goal. Fortunately, their tools allow us to achieve exactly this. Whether an agency, e-commerce business, or SaaS, Unbounce say they can help.

Warning: Rather than a foundation in A/B testing, platforms like Unbounce are widely considered landing page builders. What does this mean? They make it easier to build effective landing pages, but they won’t have the same level of features as others on this list.

8. Leadformly

What if you need assistance with web forms? With most of the solutions we’ve provided so far, they fall short in this area. Therefore, we wanted to include Leadformly on our list. They may seem simple on the surface, but there could be specific fields in your web form causing people to click away and abandon their attempt to get in touch…Leadformly can assist.

Offering A/B testing and in-depth analytics, it’s easy to compare and improve web forms. Since forms play such an important role in acquiring leads, this isn’t something that should be neglected. Don’t let your form let you down; use Leadformly and optimize performance in this area.

Warning: On the other hand, one warning would be that they don’t offer a free plan. You can’t test the features without paying out for a plan.

Summary

With these eight tools, you have a great starting point for your A/B testing needs. Whether you want an all-round tool, one that focuses on web forms, or one for landing pages, this is up to you. Take advantage of free trials, keep researching online, and choose a solution that matches YOUR needs.

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