What Is A/B Testing and Website Personalization?

Websites typically show all visitors the same pages, regardless of whether they're a first-time Instagram scroller or a repeat customer in for their fourth order. But visitors aren't alike. They don't desire the same. So why do we insist on repeatingly showing them the same pages?

If you've ever found yourself wondering how certain brands are able to make their sites feel smarter, more intuitive, and just. better, then you're not dreaming. They're likely using A/B testing and website personalization combined to create experiences that are actually representative of the way people surf and shop.

In this guide, we'll take you through what A/B testing is, why website personalization is more than a "nice to have," and how tools like CustomFit.ai enable you to make both happen, without having a developer on hand.

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing is just this:

You've got two versions of something, a headline, a button, a layout, and you try them both to see which one does better.

Version A is sent to half of your audience. Version B to the other half. You track results. The winner becomes your new default. Rinse and repeat.

what is ab testing

It sounds basic, and in theory, it is, but the implications are powerful. With A/B testing, you’re replacing assumptions with data. You’re no longer arguing in meetings about whether “Buy Now” or “Shop Now” is better. You just test it and see.

Done correctly, A/B testing enables you to:

  • Increase conversion rates over time
  • Gain insight into user behavior in context
  • Develop more informed strategies in design and marketing

Whether you're operating a Shopify store or a B2B SaaS website, the appropriate A/B Testing Platform will enable you to test and learn, without technical hurdles.

What Is Website Personalization?

While A/B testing is concerned with optimizing what, personalization is concerned with optimizing who.

Website personalization is displaying varying users varying experiences depending on who they are, where they've come from, or how they've engaged with your site.

Example:

  • A new visitor views a welcome promotion.

  • A frequent buyer views products that they viewed before.

  • Someone in Delhi may view varying delivery times compared to someone in Bangalore.


Done well, personalization doesn't feel creepy, just natural. It uses what you already know about a user to assist them in finding what they are looking for, quicker.

With CustomFit.ai and other tools, you can personalise on:

  • Location
  • Device
  • Behaviour (new vs. returning)
  • Referral source (Instagram vs. Google)
  • Purchase history

And more

website Personalisation Factors

But used together with A/B testing, personalization is a learning loop. You're not simply swapping pages, you're adapting them in real-time, driven by context.

Why A/B Testing and Personalization Go Hand-in-Hand

Many teams treat these as two different paths:

  • A/B testing = designers and marketers

  • Personalization = dev teams and large budgets

However, in reality, they're a perfect pair.

Suppose you perform an A/B test on a product page. You find out that emphasizing shipping information increases conversions. Wonderful.

Now take it one step further: Show quicker shipping to metro city users. Or show a different urgency message to mobile users.

That's personalization on top of testing, and it's where the compounding effect really starts to happen.

The Power of Personalised Testing

Real-World Scenarios Where This Combo Wins

Let's make it more real.

1. Ecommerce Landing Pages

Test:
"Flat 20% off" headline vs. "Limited Time Offer"

Personalise:
Display alternate offers by traffic source (e.g., ad click vs. email click)

2. Lead Capture Forms

Test:
Form with 6 fields vs. form with 3 fields

Personalise:
Display logged-in users a pre-populated form or skip part of the questions

3. Pricing Pages

Test:
Emphasize monthly vs. annual pricing

Personalise:
Show currency based on region or default to the best-selling plan in their category

4. Blogs and Content

Test:
CTA at article top vs. bottom

Personalise:
Display alternative CTAs depending on whether the visitor is a new subscriber or subscriber

Tools That Help You Do Both (Without Losing Your Mind)

This is where most brands falter: they know what to personalize and what to test, but they don't know how to do it without summoning the dev team.

That's where tools like CustomFit.ai fit in.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

  • Visual Editor: Update on your site without ever touching code.
  • Segmented Targeting: Target by user behavior, geography, device, or referral.

  • Flicker-Free Testing: Users don't even notice, pages load cleanly.
  • SEO Safe: Designed to shield rankings as you perform live tests.
  • No Overhead: Lightweight scripts keep page speed in tact.

Unveiling CustomFit.ai's Key Features



It's the type of tool that allows growth teams to test, learn, and adapt without waiting on weekly sprints.

How to Get Started (Even If You’re New to This)

You don’t need to start big. It’s better if you don’t.

Here’s a simple plan:

Step 1: Pick One Page That Matters

Maybe it’s your product page. Or your lead gen form. Or your homepage hero.

Step 2: Create One Variant

Change one thing. A headline, a CTA button, a value prop.

Step 3: Set a Goal

What do you want more of? Clicks? Signups? Purchases?

Step 4: Launch a 50/50 Split Test

Use an A/B Testing Platform like CustomFit.ai to split traffic.

Step 5: Wait for Significance

Let the test run long enough (typically 1–2 weeks, or until you reach statistical confidence).

Step 6: Apply the Winner

Update the live page with the winning variant.

Step 7: Consider Adding Personalization

Now that you know what works overall, try tailoring that experience to different user groups.

Rinse. Repeat.

The SEO Angle: Is A/B Testing Safe for Rankings?

This comes up often, and it’s a fair question.

Search engines like Google are totally fine with AB testing for SEO, provided you don’t try to manipulate results.

Here’s how to stay safe:

  • Don’t show bots a different version than users (no cloaking)

  • Don’t use permanent redirects for test variants

  • Don’t keep tests live forever, finalise a winner

Most modern A/B Testing Platforms (like CustomFit.ai) handle this well and are built with SEO in mind.

Bonus: When your landing pages perform better, your SEO metrics often improve too (think bounce rate, time on page, conversion signals).

Final Thoughts

A/B testing and website personalization aren’t just for massive teams or technical power users anymore.

They’re for anyone who wants their website to be less of a billboard, and more of a conversation.

You don’t need 100 tests or 50 segments. You just need to start.

Start with one change. One insight. One small win.

Journey to Transformation ab testing and webste personalizaton

And when you’re ready to scale that learning across users, segments, and goals, platforms like CustomFit.ai give you the space to experiment without the chaos.

Testing helps you learn what works. Personalization helps you deliver it to the right people. Put together, they help your site feel smarter and sell better.

FAQs: A/B Testing and Website Personalization

Q: What is A/B testing in website optimisation?

A: A/B testing compares two versions of a webpage or element to see which one performs better based on user behavior. It’s used to improve conversion rates and user experience.

Q: What’s the best A/B Testing Platform for marketers?

A: That depends on your needs. For no-code editing, fast deployment, and easy personalization, CustomFit.ai is a strong choice. Other options include Optimizely, VWO, and Adobe Target.

Q: How does website personalization improve conversion?

A: Personalization shows users what’s most relevant to them, based on their location, device, behaviour, or history, leading to better engagement and higher conversion rates.

Q: Is A/B Testing safe for SEO?

A: Yes, as long as you avoid cloaking and follow best practices. Most A/B testing platforms, including CustomFit.ai, are built to be SEO-compliant.

Q: Can I use A/B testing and personalization together?

A: Absolutely. Test first to learn what works overall. Then use personalization to deliver that winning experience to specific user segments more effectively.

Sapna Johar
CRO Engineer at Customfit.ai

Websites typically show all visitors the same pages, regardless of whether they're a first-time Instagram scroller or a repeat customer in for their fourth order. But visitors aren't alike. They don't desire the same. So why do we insist on repeatingly showing them the same pages?

If you've ever found yourself wondering how certain brands are able to make their sites feel smarter, more intuitive, and just. better, then you're not dreaming. They're likely using A/B testing and website personalization combined to create experiences that are actually representative of the way people surf and shop.

In this guide, we'll take you through what A/B testing is, why website personalization is more than a "nice to have," and how tools like CustomFit.ai enable you to make both happen, without having a developer on hand.

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing is just this:

You've got two versions of something, a headline, a button, a layout, and you try them both to see which one does better.

Version A is sent to half of your audience. Version B to the other half. You track results. The winner becomes your new default. Rinse and repeat.

what is ab testing

It sounds basic, and in theory, it is, but the implications are powerful. With A/B testing, you’re replacing assumptions with data. You’re no longer arguing in meetings about whether “Buy Now” or “Shop Now” is better. You just test it and see.

Done correctly, A/B testing enables you to:

  • Increase conversion rates over time
  • Gain insight into user behavior in context
  • Develop more informed strategies in design and marketing

Whether you're operating a Shopify store or a B2B SaaS website, the appropriate A/B Testing Platform will enable you to test and learn, without technical hurdles.

What Is Website Personalization?

While A/B testing is concerned with optimizing what, personalization is concerned with optimizing who.

Website personalization is displaying varying users varying experiences depending on who they are, where they've come from, or how they've engaged with your site.

Example:

  • A new visitor views a welcome promotion.

  • A frequent buyer views products that they viewed before.

  • Someone in Delhi may view varying delivery times compared to someone in Bangalore.


Done well, personalization doesn't feel creepy, just natural. It uses what you already know about a user to assist them in finding what they are looking for, quicker.

With CustomFit.ai and other tools, you can personalise on:

  • Location
  • Device
  • Behaviour (new vs. returning)
  • Referral source (Instagram vs. Google)
  • Purchase history

And more

website Personalisation Factors

But used together with A/B testing, personalization is a learning loop. You're not simply swapping pages, you're adapting them in real-time, driven by context.

Why A/B Testing and Personalization Go Hand-in-Hand

Many teams treat these as two different paths:

  • A/B testing = designers and marketers

  • Personalization = dev teams and large budgets

However, in reality, they're a perfect pair.

Suppose you perform an A/B test on a product page. You find out that emphasizing shipping information increases conversions. Wonderful.

Now take it one step further: Show quicker shipping to metro city users. Or show a different urgency message to mobile users.

That's personalization on top of testing, and it's where the compounding effect really starts to happen.

The Power of Personalised Testing

Real-World Scenarios Where This Combo Wins

Let's make it more real.

1. Ecommerce Landing Pages

Test:
"Flat 20% off" headline vs. "Limited Time Offer"

Personalise:
Display alternate offers by traffic source (e.g., ad click vs. email click)

2. Lead Capture Forms

Test:
Form with 6 fields vs. form with 3 fields

Personalise:
Display logged-in users a pre-populated form or skip part of the questions

3. Pricing Pages

Test:
Emphasize monthly vs. annual pricing

Personalise:
Show currency based on region or default to the best-selling plan in their category

4. Blogs and Content

Test:
CTA at article top vs. bottom

Personalise:
Display alternative CTAs depending on whether the visitor is a new subscriber or subscriber

Tools That Help You Do Both (Without Losing Your Mind)

This is where most brands falter: they know what to personalize and what to test, but they don't know how to do it without summoning the dev team.

That's where tools like CustomFit.ai fit in.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

  • Visual Editor: Update on your site without ever touching code.
  • Segmented Targeting: Target by user behavior, geography, device, or referral.

  • Flicker-Free Testing: Users don't even notice, pages load cleanly.
  • SEO Safe: Designed to shield rankings as you perform live tests.
  • No Overhead: Lightweight scripts keep page speed in tact.

Unveiling CustomFit.ai's Key Features



It's the type of tool that allows growth teams to test, learn, and adapt without waiting on weekly sprints.

How to Get Started (Even If You’re New to This)

You don’t need to start big. It’s better if you don’t.

Here’s a simple plan:

Step 1: Pick One Page That Matters

Maybe it’s your product page. Or your lead gen form. Or your homepage hero.

Step 2: Create One Variant

Change one thing. A headline, a CTA button, a value prop.

Step 3: Set a Goal

What do you want more of? Clicks? Signups? Purchases?

Step 4: Launch a 50/50 Split Test

Use an A/B Testing Platform like CustomFit.ai to split traffic.

Step 5: Wait for Significance

Let the test run long enough (typically 1–2 weeks, or until you reach statistical confidence).

Step 6: Apply the Winner

Update the live page with the winning variant.

Step 7: Consider Adding Personalization

Now that you know what works overall, try tailoring that experience to different user groups.

Rinse. Repeat.

The SEO Angle: Is A/B Testing Safe for Rankings?

This comes up often, and it’s a fair question.

Search engines like Google are totally fine with AB testing for SEO, provided you don’t try to manipulate results.

Here’s how to stay safe:

  • Don’t show bots a different version than users (no cloaking)

  • Don’t use permanent redirects for test variants

  • Don’t keep tests live forever, finalise a winner

Most modern A/B Testing Platforms (like CustomFit.ai) handle this well and are built with SEO in mind.

Bonus: When your landing pages perform better, your SEO metrics often improve too (think bounce rate, time on page, conversion signals).

Final Thoughts

A/B testing and website personalization aren’t just for massive teams or technical power users anymore.

They’re for anyone who wants their website to be less of a billboard, and more of a conversation.

You don’t need 100 tests or 50 segments. You just need to start.

Start with one change. One insight. One small win.

Journey to Transformation ab testing and webste personalizaton

And when you’re ready to scale that learning across users, segments, and goals, platforms like CustomFit.ai give you the space to experiment without the chaos.

Testing helps you learn what works. Personalization helps you deliver it to the right people. Put together, they help your site feel smarter and sell better.

FAQs: A/B Testing and Website Personalization

Q: What is A/B testing in website optimisation?

A: A/B testing compares two versions of a webpage or element to see which one performs better based on user behavior. It’s used to improve conversion rates and user experience.

Q: What’s the best A/B Testing Platform for marketers?

A: That depends on your needs. For no-code editing, fast deployment, and easy personalization, CustomFit.ai is a strong choice. Other options include Optimizely, VWO, and Adobe Target.

Q: How does website personalization improve conversion?

A: Personalization shows users what’s most relevant to them, based on their location, device, behaviour, or history, leading to better engagement and higher conversion rates.

Q: Is A/B Testing safe for SEO?

A: Yes, as long as you avoid cloaking and follow best practices. Most A/B testing platforms, including CustomFit.ai, are built to be SEO-compliant.

Q: Can I use A/B testing and personalization together?

A: Absolutely. Test first to learn what works overall. Then use personalization to deliver that winning experience to specific user segments more effectively.