How to Use A/B Testing to Increase App Conversion Rates (CRO)

Find out how to incorporate A/B testing into your app growth using Google and Apple features.

In this episode of ASKyH, ASO Specialist Mike Hemi introduces the advantages and disadvantages of AB testing in the Android and iOS app stores.

Within the Google Play Console, you can test different aspects of your store listing for free.

For iOS, the process is not quite the same. Although there is now a new feature on Apple Search ads that allows the developer to test different screenshots and videos, it is quite limited.

You can also use third party companies, but this option has its downsides. Tune in to find out more!

Following our last video about graphics, we’ve been getting asked “We changed our graphics, but we’re still not seeing much improvement. What can we do to improve our CvR?” This episode, we help you get to the bottom of this.

A/B Testing

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to another episode of ASKyH, where I offer you ASO tips and terrible punchlines. I’m Mike and I’ll be your ASO specialist for whatever reason they keep letting me do these things.

A/B testing is a crucial part of the ASO process, specifically when thinking of how to increase conversion rate. When talking about A/B testing, we must be very clear about the significant differences about the two main platforms – Google Play and the App Store.

Google Play A/B Testing

Testing on Google Play is so easy that your pet monkey can do it. It should be done on a regular basis and should be part of your long-term ASO strategy.

Within the Google Play console, you are able to test different aspects of your store listing, while choosing between a global test and a local test.

That’s right – you, yes YOU, you can decide the audience percentage you would like to send each variant to. The best part about it is that it’s absolutely FREE.

For example, me and my friend Doug are sitting in the same room and we’re running a test for the icon color. There’s a potential that Doug will get a different colored icon than myself. The cool thing about it all is that’s happening live within the Google Play Store.

App Store A/B Testing

Until recently, there was no option to directly A/B test in the App Store. Apple simply did not allow it. However, there is now a new feature on Apple Search Ads that allows the developer to test different screenshots and videos.

The testing is limited to factors such as videos, screenshots, orientation (horizontal or vertical) and order.

A/B Testing with Third Parties

Another option could be using third-party companies that have developed a method of imitating the A/B testing process and could potentially help provide you with the results you need.

These companies create what we in the industry like to call a “squeeze page”. This is page between the user and the app store page. This page is identical to the App Store page so the user thinks that they have reached the app store page.

However, when the user decides to click ‘install’ on the squeeze page, they’ll be redirected to the App Store page. This will create some friction in the user’s install funnel, due to the fact that the user will be surprised to see the app has not begun to download. Instead, they will be redirected to the app store page to click install again.

Not only is this not the optimal way to A/B test, it’s also not free. When doing an A/B test on iOS, you need to pay twice – once for the A/B test itself, which could go up to thousands of dollars just for one test, and the second time for a unique paid traffic source to direct to your squeeze your page’s URL.

To be fair, A/B testing on iOS has an advantage over Google Play because you will get much more insights into your tests from these third-party companies. Ultimately, the decision is in your hands.

Well, that’s all the time we have for today, guys. Let us know if you have any more questions or check out our top ASO tips.

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Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you next time on ASKyH!