Many variables make up a successful video. But how do you know which factors play into that success? With Wistia’s A/B testing feature, you can test two different video embeds in the same location to see how they fare with your audience.

Viewers will see one version of the video at random, and you can view each embed's performance in real time. When your test is over, and you’ve picked a winner, we’ll automatically show that winner to all viewers. All Account Owners and Managers can create and manage A/B tests.

To start an A/B test, pick two videos to compare and customize each one to your liking. It’s easiest to be certain of your results if you’re just testing on one factor (e.g., a video thumbnail versus a still image thumbnail, or a Call to Action versus an Annotation), but you can make the two videos as different from each other as you want. Once you’ve got your two videos set up the way you want them to be, it’s time to create the test.

On the Analytics page in your account, click the "A/B Tests" button.

You can also find the option to select “Create A/B test” in the ellipsis dropdown menu on an individual media page.

On the new test page, click "Edit" to rename the test and add a description.

Then, click "Choose video" to select your "A" video, and repeat the same step for your "B" video.

Once you've selected two videos to compare, click "Start A/B test" to generate the embed code.

Once you've created a new A/B test, obtain the embed code by clicking "Embed & Share" in the "Test Actions" dropdown menu. The embed modal will open on the right side of the page, where you can copy an inline or popover embed for your landing page. Give your embed some time to start collecting analytics.

Visit our embedding overview for more information on our embed code options.

All of your past and current tests are listed on the A/B Tests page. Click on any test title to view its results.

On a test’s analytics page, you’ll see engagement graphs for both videos, as well as each video’s average engagement, play rate, total plays, and, if applicable in either video, how many actions (like someone clicking on a Call to Action) have occurred.

Once you’ve racked up enough data that you feel you can use to make a meaningful decision between your two videos, you can end the test. To do that, click the "End Test" button. A button will appear beneath each video to declare it the winner. Just click that button for the video you’ve deemed to be the victor, and we’ll automatically show that video to all visitors from then on!

“But Wistia,” you may ask, “why don’t you select the winner for me?” Every company’s video goals are different, and one A/B test may aim for the video with the highest play rate, while another may target the one with the highest engagement. Or, you may just be considering the shape of the engagement graph to guide your choices.

With so many possibilities for what winning entails, we’ve left it up to you so that you can get the most useful and actionable data out of your tests.

If you have any questions about your A/B test results or need help using the tool, don’t hesitate to contact us.