How Should I Proritize My AB Test Ideas?

Strategic Models for Prioritizing A/B Tests

Not all test ideas are created equal, and it certainly can be challenging to predict which test ideas will perform best until you try them. However, there are strategic methods for prioritizing A/B test ideas, and it’s not just based on personal preference.  To effectively prioritize, start by examining where your ideas come from and their potential for success. Here’s the best hierarchy I’ve found for coming up with test ideas, ranked by safety and reliability.

1. Meta-Analysis: These test ideas come from data-driven insights aggregated from multiple observational sources. For example, you may compare multiple A/B tests to see what types of tests do best, or where on the site you can uncover the most incremental revenue. Or, you can compare qualitative research you’ve done with other completed tests to find bottlenecks in your customer journey.
1. These test ideas offer the highest level of safety and reliability.
2. Qualitative Research: User feedback is invaluable but can vary based on sample size and context. In these cases, multiple types of qualitative research are needed to validate patterns and sticking points you’ve identified, such as heatmaps, customer surveys, user testing, and more.
1. These offer a high level of safety and reliability.
3. Statistical Analyses: These provide medium safety, uncovering ‘what’ occurs, but lack behavioral insights to uncover ‘why’ something occurs. Run statistical analyses on events and conversion rates on your pages and page groups, in addition to your customer-level lifecycle data.
4. Best Practices: While helpful, best practices are broad, non-user-centric, and may not align with your audience. This is all unknowable without the methods listed above.
1. This method has medium safety and low reliability
5. Competitor Analysis: What works for others might not work for you
1. This is the least reliable method and potentially most expensive way of finding and setting up test ideas.

Use the PIE Model

Another popular framework for prioritizing CRO tests is the PIE model, which evaluates ideas based on three factors:

1. Potential 
1. Ask, “How big of an improvement can this test deliver?” 
2. Answer this by leveraging analytics, customer feedback, and heuristic analysis to gauge potential impact.
3. For instance, if users abandon the funnel at the checkout or registration process, optimizing up to either experience in your customer journey likely holds significant potential.

1. Importance 
1. Determine the relevance of the test to your business goals. 
2. Do this by collaborating with other departments and specialties in your organization to identify problems in the customer experience that they are already aware of and giving each one a priority.
3. Pages or design template groups with high traffic or critical conversion points, like product pages or lead forms, should rank higher in importance.
2. Ease Consider how simple the test is to implement. 
1. Depending on the resources and support you have to implement an idea, a change requiring backend updates may rank lower than a quick modification to a CTA button color.
2. Balancing potential impact with ease of implementation ensures you maintain momentum between complex test builds.

Creating a CRO Roadmap: Aligning Tests with Business Goals

1. Define Business Goals and KPIs Start by identifying your high-level objectives, such as increasing revenue, boosting lead generation, or improving retention. Your CRO efforts should directly support these goals. For example, if lead generation is your focus, prioritize tests that optimize form submissions or sign-up processes. KPIs should reflect each of the micro-steps your users take to make a purchase.
2. Conduct a Comprehensive Audit Use tools like Google Analytics, built-in reporting, or other data tools to identify bottlenecks. Focus on pages with high traffic but low conversions or areas where users drop off. For instance, if your payment page has a high exit rate, it’s a prime candidate for testing.
3. Prioritize Testing Opportunities Apply frameworks like PIE or ICE (Impact, Confidence, Ease) to rank testing opportunities. Focus on initiatives with the greatest potential impact, such as high-traffic product pages or critical conversion points.

Develop Hypotheses Each test should have a clear, actionable hypothesis. For example, “By reducing the number of form fields, as suggested by participants in our user research, we’ll see an increase in the form submission rate.” This ensures every test ties back to a valid problem in the customer journey and speaks to the business goals you support.

Agile Methodologies for Managing CRO Workflows

1. Work in Sprints Agile teams operate in short sprints, typically one to two weeks. Each sprint includes defining tests, implementing them, collecting data, and analyzing results. For example, a sprint might focus on optimizing email sign-ups by testing CTA designs and form layouts.
2. Emphasize Iterations Even after a test is successful, there’s room for further refinement. For instance, if a new checkout design boosts conversions, follow up by testing variations in CTA wording or layout for additional improvements.

Foster Collaboration Agile thrives on teamwork. Regular feedback loops between marketing, development, and design ensure alignment and efficiency. Daily stand-ups or sprint reviews help resolve issues quickly and keep everyone focused.

Tools for Tracking and Managing Tests

Google Sheets – Personally, I don’t think there’s anything better than a free spreadsheet tool. Here, you can keep track of completed tests, KPI data, and lessons learned for future CRO efforts, all in categorical columns for future reference. Trello If you need something to track the process of taking a test ideo through the digital production process with other departments like development or engineering, Trello’s visual interface makes it easy to track these details. You can use boards and cards to organize tests into stages like “Backlog,” “In Progress,” “Completed,” and “Analysis.” Its drag-and-drop functionality simplifies status updates, while checklists and attachments streamline collaboration. Jira For more complex workflows, Jira offers advanced features like sprint planning, backlog management, and reporting. It integrates seamlessly with analytics tools to help you collect and interpret results efficiently. You can make this all as simple or as complex as you like. My last recommendation here is to make sure other departments can reference the problems you’re trying to solve in the customer journey on a regular basis, either in a collaboration meeting, or in a shared document.

Post-Test Analysis and Iteration

Review Hypotheses Start by evaluating whether the test confirmed or rejected your hypothesis. For instance, if changing a CTA color was expected to boost click-through rates, analyze the data to see if the outcome aligns with your assumption. Use the incremental revenue calculation to guide this decision-making. If it solves a customer problem and helps the business earn more money, this meets everyone’s needs. Perform Segment Analysis Look beyond overall results to examine specific user segments. For example, mobile users might respond differently than desktop users, offering insights for future tests. Iterate on Results Both winning and losing tests provide opportunities for improvement. A winning CTA design might be applied to other pages, while a failed test can lead to new hypotheses and refined strategies. Continuous Testing for Long-Term Success CRO is an ongoing process. Each test—whether a success or failure—offers valuable insights to inform your next steps. By adopting an Agile approach and leveraging tools like Trello and Jira, you can maintain an efficient and iterative workflow that continuously drives better results.

The Role of Customer Lifetime Value

When deciding which A/B test ideas should get top priority, one factor often overlooked is Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). While incremental revenue and conversions are essential, CLV expands the lens to capture the entire revenue potential a single customer can bring over their relationship with your brand. Here’s how to incorporate CLV into your CRO prioritization:

1. Identify High-Value Segments
   Not all visitors or customers carry the same value potential. Look at historical data to determine which segments bring in the highest repeat purchases or subscription renewals. If you have a clear sense of which groups drive long-term revenue, you can tailor A/B tests specifically to those segments to maximize returns.
2. Tailor Tests to Retain and Upsell
   CLV is often driven by retention and upselling opportunities. When developing test ideas, consider what prompts existing customers to keep engaging with your product or service. For instance, you might test new loyalty program features, additional support touchpoints, or personalized product recommendations that encourage repeat business. Even if immediate conversion rates don’t spike, the long-term value can be significant.
3. Balance Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Goals
   A test that yields a quick revenue increase might look fantastic in the short run but could fall flat if it hurts long-term retention. Conversely, a test that improves the user experience or deepens engagement may not show dramatic immediate revenue gains but can significantly increase CLV. Weigh both factors as you decide how to sequence your tests.
4. Use Customer Feedback to Identify CLV Drivers
   CLV doesn’t just appear out of thin air—it’s a byproduct of meeting and exceeding customer needs consistently. Use surveys, interviews, and user testing to uncover the motivations and friction points of your highest-value customers. Then, craft experiments aimed at further enhancing what already resonates with them.
5. Monitor and Iterate
   Just as you track incremental revenue for individual A/B tests, monitor longer-term metrics like subscription renewals, repeat purchases, and retention rates for the segments or journeys you’re optimizing. Incorporating CLV into your analytics framework helps you see the bigger picture and refine your test priorities over time.

By factoring in Customer Lifetime Value, you ensure that your CRO efforts go beyond short-term gains and align with sustaining and enhancing customer relationships. This holistic approach can guide you toward the test ideas and user experience improvements that produce the greatest value over the lifespan of each customer.

Conclusion 

Effective prioritization and workflow management are the backbone of successful CRO strategies. By using frameworks like PIE, aligning tests with business goals, and adopting Agile methodologies, you can maximize the impact of your efforts. Start prioritizing, testing, and iterating today to unlock your site’s full potential.