If you’re interested in optimizing your Prestashop store or website, you’ve heard of a/b testing. These consist of testing different versions of your web pages to see which ones achieve the best results for a given objective (in ecommerce: the best conversion rate). The devil being in the detail, let’s see how this can make a significant difference between a visitor who registers and one who doesn’t, and between one who makes a purchase and one who leaves your store “empty-handed”.
Images, a double-edged sword
On your site, beautiful photos are essential if you want to showcase the goods or services you sell. Unfortunately, photos also slow down page loading times, so you need to optimize them carefully. Since you can’t afford not to use them, why not take advantage of a/b testing to check which ones are the most effective from your customers’ point of view? Although a/b testing is generally used to optimize the ergonomics of specific pages, you can also use it in this simpler context.
- When visitors arrive at your store via the home page, what do they see?
- As they browse your catalog, which photos will entice them to click more than others?
- While they’re browsing product sheets, how do you convince them that you’re offering a good or service they need?
- How can you prevent your customers from changing their minds and abandoning their shopping carts?
As you can see, a/b testing can be used at any stage of your customer journey. Visuals, page ergonomics and text can make all the difference between a prospect who converts to a customer and one who abandons his shopping cart and may never return.
a/b testing on wording
As advertisers know, copy needs to be both punchy and convincing. It must leave no room for doubt, and above all it must not make you look like an amateur. Spelling goes without saying, but it’s not the only thing that counts. So don’t hesitate to try out different turns of phrase, different texts on your buttons. For example, you could ask yourself which punchline is most effective on the following button:
- 2 _ _ _ for the price of one!
- 1 _ _ _ bought, 1 free!
- Free ! your 2nd _ _ _ !
- 50% off if you buy 2 _ _ _ !
- Buy 1 _ _ _, get a 2nd one free!
We could go on and on with examples, but as you can see, to increase your chances of conversion, you can’t just guess. Experimentation is the only solution, and a/b testing enables you to do it effectively.
Which Prestashop module for my a/b testing needs?
To perform a/b testing, you don’t necessarily need to use a Prestashop module, as it all depends on what you already have. However, there are simple and effective solutions for most a/b testing needs. So, what will be your first a/b test for your store?
