Once your author website is up and running, don’t assume you can sit back and relax. It’s important to keep your website updated and engaging so that visitors return again and again. But how do you determine which website elements your audience finds most interesting? Do they prefer green “buy now” buttons, or would more fans press red? Will they interact more with a hamburger menu or a navigation bar across the top of your page? The best way to discover the answers to your questions is to perform A/B testing (aka split testing). The tech experts at Web Design Relief have some great tips on how to use A/B testing on your author website pages to learn what works—and what doesn’t.

A/B Testing For Website Pages

What Exactly Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing is a way to compare two things to see which one is better. Website owners can use this method (also called split testing) to determine how their web pages perform before and after changes. The experiment involves changing one or more variables on a web page, such as rearranging content or modifying design elements, to see which performs better with your website’s audience. To do a split test, you’ll create two different versions of the content you want to test. Then, you’ll show these two versions to your visitors and analyze which one performed better.

You might love your author website’s current design and see no reason to change it after the initial build. But it’s important to make sure your web pages are performing in ways that lead your audience to interact with the elements you want them to.

Website Elements You Can Check With A/B Testing

Menu Bar Style

Your menu bar will be one of the most-clicked elements on your website. An A/B test will show you which variations get the best results. Based on what you learn, you may want to change the size and location of your menu bar, or reorganize the menu options so that your audience can find things more easily.

Newsletter Sign-up Form

If you offer an author newsletter, you should have a sign-up form on your homepage so visitors can subscribe. Initially, you may have decided your newsletter sign-up form looked best at the bottom of the page—but is it getting results? Try placing it next to your main content in a sidebar, then A/B test your conversion rate (how often you convert visitors to subscribers).

“Buy Now” Buttons

If you’ve written a book, your author website should act as a book-selling machine. You’ll definitely want to put some thought into the design and placement of your “buy now” buttons, and A/B testing can help you determine which button style and location is most effective.

Blog Comments

Many authors have a blog on their websites and regularly add posts and updates. But even if your content is fresh and engaging, getting readers to comment can be a struggle. A/B testing different blog formats or changes to the comment section may provide insights on how you can increase engagement.

Contact Form

While most contact forms utilize a standard design, there are several A/B tests you can perform to see if you can encourage visitors to use it more. The most common is changing where the form is placed. Does it work as an add-on to an existing page, or does it need its own page?

Another good A/B test for your contact form is to experiment with the form’s field selections. Requesting too much information may be cumbersome for visitors (do you really need their home address?), while asking too little may not generate the information you need to correspond effectively with your visitors.

It’s important to track your website’s performance. A/B testing can show you what works on your author website—and what needs improvement. If the test results reveal that your website needs more than a few easy, minor changes, schedule a free consultation with the experts at Web Design Relief to discuss a complete redesign today!

Question: What would you A/B test on your author website?