Marketing · business glossary
What is A/B testing?
By Shivam Bhandari · Reviewed 31 October 2026 · How we write
definition
Showing two versions of something (an ad, a page, a price) to different groups at the same time to see which performs better.
A/B testing explained
A/B testing compares two versions of something — an ad, a web page, a price — by showing each to similar groups and measuring which performs better.
example
Testing two headlines on a landing page: version B gets 3.1% conversion against 2.4% for A.
why it matters
It replaces opinions with evidence and compounds small improvements.
common mistake
Stopping tests too early, before enough people have seen each version.
Frequently asked questions
What is A/B testing?
Showing two versions of something (an ad, a page, a price) to different groups at the same time to see which performs better. A/B testing compares two versions of something — an ad, a web page, a price — by showing each to similar groups and measuring which performs better.
Why does A/B testing matter?
It replaces opinions with evidence and compounds small improvements.
What is a common mistake with A/B testing?
Stopping tests too early, before enough people have seen each version.
Related terms
Conversion rate
The percentage of people who take a desired action (buying, signing up) out of everyone who saw the opportunity to.
CTR (click-through rate)
The percentage of people who saw an ad or link and actually clicked on it.
MVP (minimum viable product)
The simplest version of a product that can still be released to real customers to test whether the underlying idea has value.