A/B test

American  

[ey-bee test] / ˈeɪˈbi ˌtɛst /

noun

1. Digital Technology. a comparison of two or more versions of a web page or app in simultaneous use to assess which is the optimized version for achieving a specified design goal or performance metric.

2. an experiment that compares two or more versions of a product or strategy to determine empirically which version is superior.

   The A/B test showed a more positive customer response to email marketing with short subject lines.

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verb (used with object)

1. to subject (a website, app, product, or strategy) to a comparison of two or more versions in simultaneous use to assess which is the optimized version for achieving a specified design goal or performance metric.

Etymology

Origin of A/B test

First recorded in 1980–85, from the use of A ³ ( def. ) and B ³ ( def. ) to indicate the first and second elements in a series

Example Sentences

The bill has the potential to dramatically affect how platforms A/B test, essentially outlawing the practice unless it’s routinely disclosed to users.

From The Verge • Apr. 9, 2019

“One underpublicized A/B test run by Facebook during the 2012 U.S. presidential election caused users to be exposed to more ‘hard news’ from established sources, with effects on political knowledge, preferences, and voter turnout.”

From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2019

Essays from transgender writers such as Anna Anthropy and Squinky show that it is possible to A/B test gender in tech, with some unsurprising, but moving, conclusions.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 28, 2015

Around the same time, Randi the Magician, famous for exposing frauds, was offering $1 million to anyone who could identify a particularly expensive brand of speaker cable in an A/B test.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2015

In early 2000 the search giant ran its first A/B test, randomly showing millions of users versions of a results page with 10, 20 or 30 links.

From Forbes • Jan. 21, 2015