What to Test

Shoplift is a comprehensive A/B testing platform that leverages the power of Shopify templates and themes. With template testing, you can test any individual page on your Shopify store, as well as test groups of similar pages (like product pages for a grouping of products). With theme testing, you can test global elements (such as your header or mini-cart) and entire themes.

If you're having trouble determining if you can set up your specific test with Shoplift, please reach out to customer support. We'd love to help!

Test Ideas

What you decide to test with Shoplift depends on the overall business strategy, key objectives, and goals for your Shopify store. While the below ideas don't replace a comprehensive testing plan, they can help to identify key areas that tend to drive high impact.

Shoplift provides a dynamic test recommendation engine, called Lift Assist™, which provides test suggestions as well as the theme assets and functionality required to test them. The feature is available on Advanced and Pro plans.

Test your homepage

Homepages often have the most traffic on e-commerce stores, and because of this, homepage tests are a great way to start small and get results quickly.

Headline copy

• Your headline copy should concisely explain the unique value proposition your product or service provides.

• In general, when shoppers land on your homepage, they should not have to scroll beyond your hero section to understand what exactly it is that you sell, why it's valuable, why it's unique, and why they should care or be interested.

Subheadline copy

• Subheadlines are a great opportunity for expanding upon your headline to provide more detail.

• Your subheadline copy should explain how or why the value your product or service provides is unique and worthwhile. Is it easy? Is it cheap? Is it high quality?

• Highly-effective subheadlines also contain a verb to prime shoppers to take action. For example, if you offer subscriptions or a membership, you could say "Join now to receive high-quality goods delivered to your door."

Hero image

• Images are a powerful, visual way to instantly describe, without words, what it is that you sell, the type of person that it's intended for, and how it's useful.

• Make sure that your hero image contains the actual product or category of products that you sell, so that shoppers don't need to do any mental gymnastics to interpret or assume what your actual product is.

Hero call-to-action copy

• Call-to-action text on your hero button(s) should be brief and specific, and give shoppers an idea of what they can expect when they click.

• Avoid passive copy like "Learn More" or generic copy like "Shop Now". Instead, opt for active, specific copy like "Shop the Sale" or "Get Your First Box".

Hero call-to-action link

• The page that your call to action links to should not surprise shoppers when they click.

• Make sure that whatever copy is described in your headline, subheadline, and call-to-action directly primes shoppers for where they can expect to end up when they click.

Hero concepts: copy, media, and action

• In addition to testing specific hero elements, testing complete hero concepts - combinations of copy, media, and calls-to-action - can be a powerful way to learn over time which specific offerings your shoppers care about most and what drives them to purchase most often.

• Your headline, subheadline, image, and call-to-action should all relate to a shared concept, goal, or action you want shoppers to take.

Hero targeting: new or returning visitors

• Depending on the type of business or products provided, ecommerce traffic will typically have strong leanings toward either new or returning visitors that compose the majority of shoppers.

• If you run a lot of paid ads and the majority of your shoppers are new, craft your homepage around clearly describing what is offered so that shoppers unfamiliar with your product or business can understand the value you are providing at a glance.

• If much of your acquisition is organic, because shoppers are already familiar with and are searching for your brand, or if a lot of your traffic is driven by remarketing or retention (email) campaigns, your homepage can take more liberties with how you present your core offerings. For example, shoppers might be less interested in seeing a generic message about what your store provides, and more interested in specific sales, new products, new collections, or new purchase or delivery options.

Test your collection pages

Collection pages serve as the gateway to a variety of products, making them a vital part of the user journey within the conversion funnel. These pages can significantly influence a shopper's browsing experience, discovery of products, and decision-making process. Optimizing collection pages can enhance user engagement, improve navigation, and ultimately lead to higher conversions.

Collection page navigation

• If you have several collection pages, and shoppers often need to jump back and forth between pages to shop the full scope of your catalogue, consider testing improved navigation, like tabs that link between related collections, at the top of your collection pages.

Lift Assist™ offers several popular navigation tests for collection pages, which have proven to drive high value tests for many merchants.

Test your product pages

Testing product pages is crucial because they are pivotal points in the conversion funnel where potential customers make decisions about purchasing. Optimizing these pages can lead to higher engagement, increased conversions, and improved overall user experience.

Call-to-action placement

• Depending on the amount of information required on your product pages, key action elements like your Add to Cart or Buy Now buttons may not always be presented above the fold (visible when shoppers first land on the page).

• Test the placement and positioning of your call-to-action elements to ensure that they are highly visible.

• If there is peripheral information related to your products, like expanded product details or shipping or return information, place this below the action buttons.

Social proof

• Experiment with displaying reviews prominently, varying the number of reviews shown, and incorporating review summaries.

• Test the impact of displaying customer testimonials, user-generated content, or trust badges on conversions.

Related products

• Test showing related products, cross-selling, or upselling options to encourage additional purchases.

Information on delivery and returns

• Experiment with different ways of presenting shipping costs, delivery times, and return policies.

Test your landing pages

Landing pages serve as focused entry points designed to convert visitors into customers, subscribers, or leads. Landing pages are often designed for specific campaigns, promotions, or offers and play a critical role in the conversion funnel. Optimizing these pages can significantly impact conversion rates, lead generation, and overall campaign success.

Headlines and messaging

• Test different headlines, subheadings, and value propositions to see which resonates best with specific audiences that you are driving to each landing page.

• Test the impact of including customer testimonials, ratings, or trust badges to build credibility.

• Test different offers, discounts, or incentives to determine which resonates most with your audience.

Page layout

• Experiment with the arrangement of content elements, such as images, benefits, and forms.

• Experiment with different images, videos, or graphics to enhance visual appeal and reinforce your message.

• Test the design, color, placement, and wording of your call to action buttons to maximize click-through rates.

• Test long-form vs. short-form landing pages to see which provides better engagement and conversions.

Test your theme

Theme testing, or testing two themes against one another, allows for a variety of insightful tests to be run. You might want to test changes to elements that appear across your entire website, like navigation menus and mini carts, or test entirely new themes that introduce major design or functionality overhauls to your online store's core experience.

Navigation Menus

• To make things easier for your users, try simplifying your menu. Fewer items and submenus mean less hassle in finding what they need. Plus, if there's a page not getting much love, consider moving it to a different spot. It could just be in the wrong place!

• Test whether a sticky navigation menu (one that remains fixed at the top of the screen as the user scrolls) improves navigation and accessibility, especially on long product pages. This can keep users motivated as they explore your site.

• Try showcasing your latest deals or fresh arrivals in your nav bar. It's a great way to get items noticed and boost your traffic and sales.

Mini Carts

• Try adding various call-to-action (CTA) buttons to prompt user behavior. Experiment with "View Cart," "Checkout," "Continue Shopping," or even go for custom options like "Add More" or "Upgrade to Premium" to see what works best for your customers.

• Experiment with how product information is displayed in the mini cart, such as showing product names, prices, quantities, and variations (like size or color) in different formats or styles.

• Test up-selling and cross-selling. Your mini cart is a great place to promote additional products or upgrades, such as displaying related items, offering bundle deals, suggesting complementary products, or showcasing items frequently bought together.

If you're having trouble setting up a specific type of test with Shoplift, please reach out to customer support. We would love to help!