A/B Testing: Picking the Winner for Your Small Business Marketing

Being a small business owner means juggling everything from accounting, to social media, to finding the perfect GIF for your email campaign (hot tip: it usually involves a cat). As a result, you probably walk around feeling at least a little frazzled 90% of the time. Even though marketing sometimes feels like throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks, don’t get your noodles all tangled up just yet, because there’s a way you can know (almost) exactly which strand of spaghetti is working. How? Enter stage left: A/B testing.

A/B testing is a neat little lifehack for small business marketing. It’s like science, but no lab coat or complicated jargon needed — unless you're trying extra hard to sound fancy at your next networking event. So, join us as we break down what A/B testing is, why it matters, and how you can start using it today to get more bang for your small business’s marketing buck.

A/B Testing in Plain English

Think of the last time you made a big-ticket electronics purchase. You probably looked over a chart made by the manufacturer that laid out the performance of the different models offered. A/B testing is the same idea – comparing different versions of something to see what performs better. In the case of small business marketing, it’s typically something like an email subject line, social media ad, a website headline – you get the idea.

Sometimes tough decisions need to be made.

Version A is your control (what you think will be the best) and Version B is your challenger (the alternate idea). You then take these versions and show them to different groups of people and review results to see which is the winner. For social media posts this might be the most Likes or for email subject lines it might be the open rate – your goals determine which variable you’re most interested in using for judging how effective something is.

Why A/B Testing Matters in Small Businesses

In case you need a reminder, we’re a small business ourselves. We know that small businesses typically don’t have a big marketing budget. So, throwing money at something that might work isn’t always the wisest financial decision. Giving that waitress a 30% tip doesn’t mean you’ll get her number, does it? Through the A/B testing process, you can make better informed, data-driven decisions instead of just trusting your gut.

It’s cost-effective, provides insight on your audience, and demonstrates how small tweaks can lead to big results. For example, switching one word in an email subject line could get you more opens than you ever thought possible. Who knew "Try Our New Cinnamon Rolls!" would get steamrolled by "Warning: Our New Cinnamon Rolls Are Addictive 🍔"? It's like finding common ground with that waitress and having a conversation about them instead of hoping if you tip enough waitresses that it will eventually work out.

We'll Make an Example Out of You

Just to drive the point home, here are some real-life examples of A/B tests a small business might use to determine their most effective content. We'll keep it pretty basic, so don't expect any REAL winners from this, just something to demonstrate a point. On the other hand, sometimes basic is best - so feel free to "steal" any of these. ;)

• Email subject lines: Simple vs. intriguing. Would you open "Join Our Sale" or "This Deal is So Good, It's Basically a Gift"? I think we both know which one would instantly get sent to your Trash folder.

• Social media ads: Polished product photo vs. a picture of someone using your product and smiling. 9 times out of 10, real life wins, folks.

• Website Calls to Action (CTA): Switch up your generic "Sign Up" buttons for more engaging lines like, "Get Started for FREE!".

Small tweaks that will make a big difference.

Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Getting the Most Out of A/B Testing

While we know A/B testing can work wonders for your business, it's all about how you approach things. Start out pretty simple and keep these 5 things in mind:

1. One variable at a time - If you're testing multiple email subject lines, for example, don't tweak the body of the email too. Keep your samples clean so you know what's actually driving the results.

2. Start small - begin simply with subject lines, headlines, or ad images before jumping into bigger campaigns. You can't cook a Thanksgiving feast if you can't even make yourself breakfast.

3. Let it ride - run your campaign to the end. Don't cut it short. Emails need 24-48 hours and ads need at least a week to gather enough meaningful data.

4. Measure what matters - Whatever your goal is, that's what matters. Don't get caught up in the other statistics of the campaign when you're focusing on one specific variable. If you're interested in the open rates of email, clicks and conversions mean squat to your test.

5. Keep testing - A/B testing isn't just a one and done deal. As the behavior of your audience evolves, so should your tests and campaigns.

Small Changes, Big Results

A/B testing isn't some crazy complex idea nor does it require a massive budget, and that makes it a no-brainer for small businesses to get the most from their marketing efforts (and dollars). You may not have a huge marketing team or years of expertise, but your brand can still punch above its weight when you strategize.

Testing what works, and what doesn't, let's you strategize effectively, save money, and get better results. If you're wondering why ads aren't as effective as you hoped, it might be time to implement some testing and figure out, for real, what's working well for your small business. You don't have to guess - you can test!