At ConversionLab we often start by testing the overall messaging, or unique selling proposition, as our basis for optimization before moving on to test single elements such as call wording and layout. KISSmetrics explains this very well in this article.
kissmetrics.com “Change one thing at a time so you know exactly how each change affects conversion rates.”
Maybe you’ve heard that. It kind of makes sense, too.
But it’s hopelessly slow and ineffective. Yet, many “experts” say it’s the right way to do A/B testing.
Sure, if you’re writing a doctoral dissertation, you might want to stick to single changes to get scientifically accurate data. And to be fair, changing just one thing on a page is sometimes the right choice.
But assuming you’re after concrete business results—sales, prospects, leads, contacts—you should usually stay away from the “test one thing at a time” idea.
Instead, test the message.