What Insights Can A/B Testing Reveal About User Behavior?

What Insights Can A/B Testing Reveal About User Behavior?

When it comes to understanding user behavior, A/B testing can often reveal the unexpected. Tapping into the experiences of Product Managers and E-commerce Managers, we've compiled five insightful cases. From a simple change that led to 'Free Trial Removal Boosts Pro Upgrades' to the surprising preference for 'Subtle Design Wins Over Flashy CTA,' discover how A/B testing can unlock user behavior secrets.

• Free Trial Removal Boosts Pro Upgrades
• Pill Visibility Increases Conversion Rate
• List View Outperforms Graphical Dashboard
• Users Favor Hamburger Menu Over Bottom Navigation
• Subtle Design Wins Over Flashy CTA

Free Trial Removal Boosts Pro Upgrades

In my role as a product manager at Mokkup.ai (a dashboard wireframing tool), a recent A/B testing scenario provided a remarkable revelation into user behavior. We were deliberating whether to discontinue the 14-day free trial for the premium version due to payment failure issues. Contrary to expectations, removing the trial not only addressed payment failures but also led to a surge in serious users upgrading to the Pro version. This unexpected success underscored the power of A/B testing in uncovering user insights, and challenging preconceived notions. It reinforced the significance of dynamic strategy adjustments based on empirical data, showcasing the value of adapting strategies based on real user behavior insights.

Pill Visibility Increases Conversion Rate

We're a supplement retailer. One thing we tried, which surprisingly had a huge impact, is instead of using a photo of a capsule or pill supplement bottle, we would open a bottle, spill the pills out in front of the bottle, and show that image. Shockingly to me, we saw a 28% increase in conversion rate.

This seems silly to me, as I don't really care about the color of a pill or the size of a pill; however, many people can't swallow larger pills, and for some odd reason, we get a lot of questions from people asking about the color or shape of a pill. So, for whatever reason, people do care, and it does have an impact, which surprised me.

List View Outperforms Graphical Dashboard

A digital health platform company that I advised before conducted A/B testing to determine the most effective way to increase user engagement with their health-tracking features. The platform tested two versions of its user interface: Version A highlighted a traditional list view of health metrics, while Version B used a more graphical, interactive dashboard approach.

The expectation was that the more visually engaging dashboard in Version B would lead to higher user engagement. However, the results of the A/B test were surprising. It was found that Version A, the list view, actually had a higher engagement rate. Users reported finding it simpler and more straightforward to track their health metrics, contrary to the assumption that a more graphical interface would be more appealing.

This outcome was detailed in a case study published in a digital health journal, which underscored the importance of simplicity and ease of use in user interface design, even over more visually attractive options. The study highlighted that when it comes to health information, users often prefer direct, easy-to-digest formats over more complex, albeit visually appealing, interfaces. This is because, in the visual interface, they first need to understand the graph axes and how the data is represented, which can vary from product to product. Whereas the list view is the same across the board; you just need to see the column heading.

This example of A/B testing in a digital health context shows how user preferences can sometimes defy expectations, emphasizing the importance of continuous testing and user feedback in the development of digital health tools. It serves as a reminder that in the realm of health technology, functionality and clarity often take precedence over aesthetic design.

Users Favor Hamburger Menu Over Bottom Navigation

We once designed an app where we thought a bottom menu would be the perfect fit. It was an image-heavy app, and we figured easy thumb access to navigation would enhance the user experience. But when we ran A/B tests, comparing it with a hamburger menu, the feedback was not what we expected.

Users overwhelmingly preferred the hamburger menu. They loved seeing the images unobstructed, full-screen. This was a lightbulb moment for us. It reminded us that user preferences can defy trends and our own designer instincts. A/B testing is not just a step in the process; it's a gateway to what users truly want.

Subtle Design Wins Over Flashy CTA

In a recent A/B test conducted on our website, we were expecting to see a higher click-through rate (CTR) on a particular call-to-action (CTA) button, as it had a more eye-catching design. However, to our surprise, the variant with a more subtle design actually outperformed the more attention-grabbing one in terms of conversion rate.

This unexpected insight into user behavior led us to reevaluate our assumptions and understand that our users valued a more streamlined and intuitive user experience over flashy design elements. It highlighted the importance of aligning our design decisions with the needs and preferences of our target audience.

By leveraging A/B testing, we were able to uncover valuable insights that informed our future design and user experience decisions, leading to improved conversion rates and overall user satisfaction.