In two days, a headline tweak can shift click-through by 10–30%. A/B a “Guide” vs “Checklist” headline on a test post to see real impact.
Here’s a concise plan to run a low-risk content A/B test with defensible stats, clear guardrails, and a decision rule you can explain.
Define Success And Sample Size
Pick one primary metric: CTR or dwell time (not both). If baseline CTR ≈ 3% and you want +20% lift, a rule of thumb needs ~5,000–7,000 impressions per variant for 80% power at α=0.05.
Low traffic? Accept larger effects (e.g., +30%) or run longer (cover both weekday and weekend). Set guardrails: bounce rate not >+5 points; organic share within ±10%.
Run The Test Cleanly
Randomize 50/50 at user level, persist via cookie, and freeze other changes. Pre-register stop date and decision: “ship if 95% CI for lift excludes 0 and guardrails hold.” Label the variant internally as a test post.
Avoid peeking. Use a fixed horizon, or if you must monitor, apply alpha-spending or Bayesian sequential methods. Log device, referrer, and timestamp to stratify if sources skew.
Conclusion
If traffic can’t hit sample size in 7 days, pause or broaden channels. Otherwise, ship the winner, archive the setup, and schedule the next iteration.
