How to Do A/B Split Testing in WordPress (Step by Step)

Launching a new landing page only to see low conversions can feel discouraging. You may find yourself wondering if a different headline, layout, or button color would work better. But without testing, it’s impossible to know for sure.

That’s where A/B split testing comes in. 🙌

By comparing two versions of a page, you can see exactly which one your visitors respond to best. It’s a reliable way to take the guesswork out of design choices, boost engagement, and increase conversions.

At WPBeginner, we also use A/B split testing to make data-driven decisions that consistently improve our results. And in this guide, we’ll show you step by step how to set up A/B split testing on your WordPress site.

What Is A/B Split Testing?

A/B split testing is a technique that allows you to compare two versions of the same web page against each other so that you can determine which one performs better and produces the best results.

Marketers often use A/B split testing for their landing pages to find out which one gets them more conversions and sales.

Split testing can be used to test any element on the page, including call-to-action buttons, color schemes, layout changes, marketing text, images, and more.

Basically, you show different variations of a page to your audience. After that, you track user engagement and conversions to find out which variation gives you the best results.

How to Do A/B Split Testing in WordPress

Previously, many people used the free Google Optimize tool for split testing. However, this service was discontinued on September 30, 2023, with Google now investing in A/B testing features within Google Analytics 4.

This means that if you were using Google Optimize before, then you can no longer access your experiments, personalizations, and historical data. When you open your account, you will see a message at the top showing that the tool is now sunset.

Fortunately, there are some other simple ways to do A/B testing in WordPress. Here’s a quick breakdown of the methods we’re going to share:

• Method 1 (Thrive Optimize) is a powerful premium solution with a visual drag-and-drop editor. It’s the best choice for creating and testing different landing page designs.
• Method 2 (Nelio AB Testing) is a fantastic free plugin that’s perfect for beginners who want to test simpler elements like page titles or headlines.

These are great Google Optimize alternatives, as they are easier to use and help you conduct experiments in WordPress.

Ready? Simply click the links below to jump ahead to your preferred method:

Let’s get started.

Method 1: A/B Testing in WordPress Using Thrive Optimize

Thrive Optimize is part of the Thrive Suite and lets you run experiments and split tests in WordPress.

Since Google Optimize is no longer available, Thrive Optimize is a great alternative to conduct A/B tests. It’s fully integrated into your WordPress dashboard, so you can set up tests without needing to manually add any tracking scripts to your site.

Just keep in mind that you will only be able to use Thrive Optimize if you are also using the Thrive Architect page builder plugin.

Don’t worry, though. We have tested both Thrive Architect and Thrive Optimize thoroughly to learn about all their features. For an in-depth breakdown, you can head over to our comprehensive Thrive Themes Suite review.

To start, you’ll need to visit the Thrive Themes website and sign up for an account.

After creating an account, you can download the Thrive Product Manager plugin from your account area.

Next, you’ll need to install and activate the Thrive Product Manager plugin. For more details, please see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

From here, you can go to ‘Product Manager’ from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Log into my account’ button.

On the next screen, you’ll see different Thrive Theme products.

From here, you’ll need to install Thrive Optimize and Thrive Architect. Simply check the ‘Install Product’ options and click the ‘Install selected products’ button at the bottom.

If the products don’t automatically activate, then you will need to head back to the ‘Product Manager’ page from your WordPress dashboard and activate Thrive Architect and Thrive Optimize.

You should now see a success message once the plugin is installed.

Next, you’ll need to navigate to Thrive Dashboard » Thrive Optimize from your WordPress admin panel.

After that, you can add a new page by going to Pages » Add New from your WordPress admin panel. Once you are in the content editor, simply click the ‘Launch Thrive Architect’ button.

Next, Thrive Architect will ask you what type of page you would like to create.

You can create a normal page, a blank page with a header and footer, a completely blank page, or select a pre-built landing page. For this tutorial, we will select the ‘Pre-built Landing Page’ option.

There are many pre-built landing page templates to choose from. Simply select one and edit your page.

For more details on how to edit your page with Thrive Architect, you can see our guide on how to design landing pages in WordPress.

In the Thrive Architect page builder, you will see an A/B testing option in the right panel.

Go ahead and click the ‘A/B’ icon.

Next, you can create different variants for your page for split testing.

We recommend clicking the ‘Duplicate this variation’ button for your control page. This will create a clone of your main page, so you won’t have to create the landing page all over again from scratch.

You will now see a duplicate variant of your landing page.

Go ahead and click the ‘Edit Variation’ button to make changes.

Next, you can edit the landing page to split-test different elements.

For example, we will change the color of the call to action (CTA) button. Once you are done, just click the ‘Save Work’ button at the bottom.

Now, you can click the ‘A/B’ button from the panel on the left to go back to the A/B testing dashboard.

Next, Thrive Architect also lets you split traffic for each variation. Simply use the toggles at the bottom to allocate the amount of traffic to each page.

Once you are done, go ahead and click the ‘Set Up & Start A/B Test’ option.

A popup window will now open.

Go ahead and enter a name and a short description for your split test. You can also toggle on the ‘Enable Automatic Winner Settings’ option and set conditions to pick a clear winner, as well as the duration for Thrive Optimize will run the A/B test.

After that, simply click the ‘Next’ button.

Now, you can select a goal for your test. There are 3 options, which include revenue, visiting the goal page, and subscription. After picking a goal, you can click the ‘Start A/B Test’ button.

For this tutorial, we will select ‘Subscription’ as a goal for our test.

Next, you’ll be redirected to the WordPress content editor. You can scroll down to the ‘Thrive Optimize – A/B Test Overview’ meta box to see the 2 variations.

You don’t have to do anything else. The plugin will now test both variations and show the winner.

To view how the variations perform, you can click the ‘View Test Details’ option in the meta box.

Here, you can see the conversions over time for each variant and also see which is the control variant. There’s also an option to stop the test and choose a winner.

Method 2: A/B Testing in WordPress Using Nelio AB Testing (Free)

If you are looking for a free solution for running A/B tests on your WordPress site, then you can use Nelio AB Testing.

While the free version isn’t as powerful as Thrive Optimize, you will get basic features to conduct experiments on your website. For example, you can test headlines, create two different versions of a page to test them, and more.

However, if you are looking for a visual builder and additional options like assigning weights to each variant in the experiment, then we recommend using the first method instead.

To start, you’ll need to install and activate the Nelio AB Testing plugin. If you need help, then please see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you can head to ‘Nelio A/B Testing’ from your WordPress dashboard. From here, click the checkbox to accept the terms of service and privacy policy of the plugin, and then click the ‘Continue’ button.

After that, you’ll arrive on the Nelio A/B Testing » Tests page in the WordPress admin panel.

Go ahead and click the ‘Add Test’ button.

Next, you’ll see options to test on your website. For example, the plugin lets you split test pages, posts, headlines, widgets, menus, themes, JavaScript, CSS, and more.

For this tutorial, we will select the ‘Headline’ option and split-test some titles for a blog post.

After that, you can enter a title for your test at the top.

From here, you will see the ‘Control Version and Variants’ section.

First, you can click the dropdown menu and choose a post title. This will be the control version (labeled A).

Next, you can scroll down and enter details of a variant (labeled B).

This will be the new headline you will be testing against the one that’s already live.

After that, you can scroll down to the ‘Conversion Goals and Actions’ section.

You will notice that the plugin will use the default goal for this experiment type. In this case, it will measure views for your page with a new headline.

However, you can define your own goals for other experiment types.

For example, if you want to test a page, then you can select whether you’d like to measure page views, clicks, clicks on external links, YouTube video playback, or choose a custom event.

The plugin also lets you create segmentation and narrow your test audience. However, this feature is only available for premium users, and you’d need to subscribe to a paid plan.

After setting your conversion goals, you can click the ‘Start’ button at the top to start A/B testing.

Nelio A/B Testing plugin will now conduct the experiment.

To stop the experiment, you can go to the Nelio A/B Testing » Tests page and click the ‘Stop’ link under the test.

You can also click the ‘View Results’ option to see which variant is performing the best.

The plugin will help you select a winner and show conversions for each variant.

Bonus Tips for Running A/B Tests in WordPress

When it comes to doing split tests on your website, here are some tips for running your experiments the right way:

• Decide on a Goal – You can start by choosing what you want to test and what result you’re aiming for. Look at your audience’s needs and even ask for feedback to figure out what matters most. Then, you can test those elements on your site to increase conversions.
• Keep Your Experiments Simple – It’s generally a good idea to just create 2 versions of your landing pages, ads, text, and other elements. This makes it easier to compare which variant is performing the best.
• Test Your Popups and Forms – Don’t forget to test your lead generation campaigns. We use OptinMonster because its built-in A/B testing lets us easily experiment with different headlines, images, and calls to action to see what grows our email list faster.
• Track Your Results Carefully – A good analytics tool helps you understand the full impact of your changes. For example, does the winning page also have a lower bounce rate or more time on page? At WPBeginner, we use MonsterInsights to see these deeper metrics right in our dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions About A/B Testing

What is the difference between A/B testing and multivariate testing?

A/B testing, or split testing, compares two versions of a page (Version A vs. Version B) to see which performs better. Multivariate testing is more complex and tests multiple combinations of changes at once.

For example, you might test two headlines and two button colors simultaneously to find the best combination. For most users, A/B testing is the simpler and more effective place to start.

How long should I run an A/B test?

The ideal duration depends on your website traffic. You need to run the test long enough to get a statistically significant result. This means you have enough data to be confident the outcome is a direct result of your changes, not just random chance.

This could be a week for a high-traffic site or several weeks for a smaller one. Most testing tools will tell you when you have enough data.

What kind of things can I test on my website?

You can test almost any element on your site. Some of the most common things to test include headlines, call-to-action button text and color, images, page layouts, form fields, and even pricing.

It’s best to test one significant change at a time to clearly understand its impact.

Additional Resources: More WordPress Tracking Guides

We hope this article helped you learn how to do A/B split testing in WordPress. Next up, you may also want to see our other helpful guides on:

• WordPress Conversion Tracking Made Simple
• Website Marketing Data You Must Track on Every WordPress Site
• How to Track SEO Track Changes on Your WordPress Site
• How to Track User Engagement in WordPress with Google Analytics
• How to Track Outbound Links in WordPress
• How to Track User Journey on WordPress Lead Forms
• How to Track and Reduce Form Abandonment in WordPress

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.