How to Run A/B Tests on Links in useclick.io

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing (also called split testing) allows you to test different destination URLs using a single short link to determine which version performs better. Instead of guessing which landing page, offer, or design converts best, you can make data-driven decisions by splitting traffic between multiple variations and measuring real performance.

UseClick's A/B testing feature automatically rotates traffic between your test variations based on the distribution percentages you set, then provides detailed analytics for each variation so you can identify the clear winner.

Why A/B Test Your Links?

Plan Requirements

A/B testing is available on Growth, Pro, and Business plans. The number of variations you can test depends on your plan:

Plan	A/B Testing	Max Variations
Free	Not available	1 (single destination)
Starter	Not available	1 (single destination)
Growth	A/B/C/D testing	4 variations
Pro	A/B/C/D testing	4 variations
Business	A/B/C/D testing	4 variations

How A/B Testing Works in UseClick

UseClick's A/B testing system works by rotating traffic between multiple destination URLs based on the weight (percentage) you assign to each variation:

1. Create a link with multiple destination URLs (variants A, B, C, D)
2. Set traffic distribution percentages for each variant (e.g., 50/50 for A/B, or 40/30/20/10 for A/B/C/D)
3. Share the single short link - UseClick automatically distributes traffic based on your settings
4. Monitor analytics for each variant to see which performs best
5. Choose the winner and update your link to send 100% of traffic to the winning variation

Step-by-Step: Set Up Your First A/B Test

Step 1: Create a New Link

1. Go to Dashboard → Links
2. Click "Create Link"
3. You'll see the link creation modal

Step 2: Add Your First Destination URL (Variant A)

1. In the "Destination URL" field, paste your first variation
2. Example: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-a
3. This is your control or baseline variant

Step 3: Enable A/B Testing

1. Look for the "A/B Testing" section in the link creation modal
2. Toggle "Enable A/B Testing"
3. Additional destination URL fields will appear

Step 4: Add Additional Variations (B, C, D)

1. Click "Add Variation" to add Variant B
2. Enter the second destination URL: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-b
3. Repeat for Variant C and D if desired (up to 4 total variations)

Example 4-way split test:

• Variant A: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-original
• Variant B: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-new-headline
• Variant C: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-video-hero
• Variant D: https://yoursite.com/landing-page-testimonials

Step 5: Set Traffic Distribution (Weights)

Assign what percentage of traffic goes to each variant. The total must equal 100%.

Common Distribution Strategies:

Test Type	Distribution	Use Case
50/50 A/B Split	A: 50%, B: 50%	Standard A/B test with equal traffic
70/30 Cautious Test	A: 70%, B: 30%	Test new variant while minimizing risk
25/25/25/25 Equal 4-way	A: 25%, B: 25%, C: 25%, D: 25%	Test 4 variations equally
40/30/20/10 Weighted	A: 40%, B: 30%, C: 20%, D: 10%	Control gets most traffic, test risky variants with less

1. For each variant, set the traffic percentage using the slider or number input
2. UseClick automatically validates that the total equals 100%
3. If percentages don't add up to 100%, you'll see an error message

Step 6: Customize Your Link (Optional)

Set up your short link settings as normal:

• Custom Slug: e.g., landing-page-test
• Branded Domain: Select your custom domain if available
• UTM Parameters: Add campaign tracking (same UTMs for all variants)

Step 7: Create and Share Your Link

1. Click "Create Link"
2. Your A/B test link is now live!
3. Copy the short link (e.g., useclick.io/landing-page-test)
4. Share it in your marketing campaigns

Viewing A/B Test Analytics

Once your A/B test is running, monitor performance for each variant:

1. Go to Dashboard → Links
2. Click on your A/B test link
3. In the analytics view, you'll see a breakdown by variant:
   • Variant A: X clicks (X% click-through rate)
   • Variant B: Y clicks (Y% click-through rate)
   • Variant C: Z clicks (Z% click-through rate)
   • Variant D: W clicks (W% click-through rate)
4. Track conversions externally in your analytics platform (Google Analytics, etc.)

Metrics to Monitor:

• Total clicks per variant: How much traffic each version receives
• Conversion rate: (Track in Google Analytics) Which variant converts best
• Bounce rate: Which variant keeps visitors engaged
• Time on page: Which variant holds attention longer
• Revenue per visitor: Which variant generates more revenue

Best Practices for A/B Testing

1. Test One Variable at a Time

For clearest results, change only one element between variants:

• Good: Test headline A vs. headline B (same layout, same CTA)
• Bad: Test different headline + different layout + different CTA (can't tell what caused the difference)

Elements to Test Individually:

• Headlines and subheadlines
• Call-to-action button text or color
• Hero images or videos
• Page layout (long-form vs. short-form)
• Pricing displays
• Social proof placement (testimonials, reviews)
• Form length (number of fields)

2. Run Tests for Sufficient Time

Don't declare a winner too early. Allow tests to run until you have statistical significance:

Traffic Level	Minimum Test Duration	Minimum Clicks
Low Traffic (<100 clicks/day)	2-4 weeks	500+ clicks per variant
Medium Traffic (100-1000 clicks/day)	1-2 weeks	1,000+ clicks per variant
High Traffic (>1000 clicks/day)	3-7 days	2,000+ clicks per variant

3. Account for External Factors

Test results can be influenced by external variables:

• Time of day/week: Run tests for full weeks to account for weekday vs. weekend behavior
• Seasonality: Black Friday results won't match January performance
• Traffic source: Results from Facebook ads may differ from Google Ads
• Current events: News, holidays, or viral trends can skew results

4. Document Your Tests

Keep a testing log to track what you've learned:

• Hypothesis: What do you expect to happen?
• Variations tested: What exactly changed between A and B?
• Results: Which variant won? By what margin?
• Insights: What did you learn about your audience?
• Next steps: What will you test next based on these results?

5. Act on Results

Once you have a clear winner:

1. Update your link: Edit the A/B test link to send 100% of traffic to the winner
2. Implement globally: Apply winning insights to other campaigns and pages
3. Iterate: Use the winner as your new control and test a new variation

Common A/B Testing Use Cases

1. Landing Page Optimization

What to Test:

• Long-form vs. short-form landing pages
• Video hero section vs. static image
• Different value propositions in the headline
• Placement of social proof (above vs. below the fold)

Example Test: yoursite.com/demo (long-form) vs. yoursite.com/demo-short (short-form)

2. Pricing Page Variants

What to Test:

• Monthly vs. annual pricing display
• 3-tier vs. 4-tier pricing tables
• Highlighted "most popular" plan vs. no highlighting
• Free trial CTA vs. paid signup CTA

3. E-commerce Product Pages

What to Test:

• Multiple product images vs. single hero image
• Product description placement (above vs. below images)
• "Add to Cart" button color and text
• Review placement and prominence

4. Lead Magnet Offers

What to Test:

• Ebook vs. checklist vs. template as the offer
• Form length (3 fields vs. 7 fields)
• Instant download vs. email delivery
• Different benefit statements

5. Email Campaign Destinations

What to Test:

• Direct product page vs. category page
• Homepage vs. dedicated landing page
• Blog post vs. case study
• Different promotional offers

6. Ad Campaign Landing Pages

What to Test:

• Message match (ad headline matches landing page headline)
• Different offers (10% off vs. free shipping)
• Urgency elements (countdown timer vs. no timer)
• Trust badges and security icons

Analyzing and Declaring a Winner

How to Determine the Winner

Use these criteria to evaluate which variant won:

1. Define your goal metric:
   • Conversion rate (most common)
   • Revenue per visitor
   • Sign-ups or leads
   • Add-to-cart rate
   • Time on page
2. Check statistical significance: Use tools like abtestcalculator.com to verify results
3. Look for consistent patterns: Winner should perform better across multiple days/weeks
4. Consider practical significance: Is the improvement large enough to matter? (5% lift vs. 0.5% lift)

When Results Are Inconclusive

If no clear winner emerges:

• Run the test longer: You may need more data
• Increase traffic: Send more visitors to reach significance faster
• Test a bigger change: Small tweaks may not produce measurable differences
• Accept the tie: If variants perform identically, keep the easier-to-maintain version

Advanced A/B Testing Strategies

1. Sequential Testing (Test → Win → Test Again)

Use each winning variation as the new control for the next test:

1. Test 1: Original vs. New Headline (New Headline wins)
2. Test 2: New Headline vs. New Headline + Video (Video version wins)
3. Test 3: Video version vs. Video + Social Proof (continue iterating)

2. Multivariate Testing (Test Multiple Elements)

While UseClick limits you to 4 variations, you can test combinations:

• Variant A: Headline 1 + Image 1
• Variant B: Headline 1 + Image 2
• Variant C: Headline 2 + Image 1
• Variant D: Headline 2 + Image 2

3. Holdback Testing (Controlled Rollout)

When you have a winning variant, do a final validation:

• Send 90% of traffic to the winner
• Keep 10% on the original control
• Confirm the winner continues to outperform over time

Troubleshooting A/B Tests

Uneven Traffic Distribution

Problem: Variant A gets 60% traffic instead of 50%.

Cause: Small sample sizes cause random fluctuations.

Solution: Over time (1000+ clicks), distribution will even out to your target percentages.

No Statistical Significance

Problem: Test runs for weeks but no clear winner.

Solutions:

• Increase traffic volume by promoting the link more
• Test more dramatic changes (not just button color, but entire page redesigns)
• Extend the test duration
• Accept that variants may perform equally

Variant Performance Changes Over Time

Problem: Variant B was winning, now Variant A is winning.

Causes:

• External factors (holidays, news events, seasonality)
• Different traffic sources have different preferences
• Novelty effect (new design performs well initially, then normalizes)

Solution: Run tests for full weeks/months to smooth out fluctuations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many visitors do I need for a valid A/B test?

Minimum 500 clicks per variant, ideally 1,000+. The more traffic, the faster you'll reach statistical significance.

Can I change the traffic distribution mid-test?

Yes, you can edit the link and adjust percentages anytime. However, changing distribution may affect test validity—best to set it once and let it run.

Do A/B tests affect SEO?

No. The short link is what you share; search engines see and index your actual landing pages. A/B testing through UseClick has no SEO impact.

Can I A/B test with different UTM parameters for each variant?

No. UTM parameters are applied at the short link level, not per variant. Use utm_content to differentiate variants in analytics.

What happens if I delete a variant mid-test?

You can remove a variant anytime. Traffic will redistribute to remaining variants based on their proportional weights.

Can I add more variants after creating the link?

Yes! Edit the link and add Variant C or D at any time. Adjust traffic percentages accordingly.

How do I test more than 4 variations?

UseClick limits you to 4 variations (A/B/C/D). To test more, run sequential tests: test variants A-D, then test the winner against new variants E-H.

Next Steps

Now that you understand A/B testing, explore related features:

• Use UTM parameters to track variant performance in Google Analytics
• Organize with campaigns to group A/B tests by initiative
• Combine with geo-targeting to test variants by location
• Master link creation to understand all available options