Why SplitMetrics Remains Essential for Mobile A/B Testing

Apple has just introduced a few changes to the App Store, enabling mobile app and game publishers to optimize their App Store product pages via an in-built solution for A/B testing of icons, screenshots, videos and comparing their performance.

This is definitely a huge opportunity that will positively affect the mobile market. This solution, however, has a few limitations that you may overcome with the help of a third-party mobile A/B testing platform, such as SplitMetrics.

But first things first, check out the official comment of Max Kamenkov, SplitMetrics CEO, on the A/B testing updates to the App Store.

SplitMetrics’ CEO take on the A/B testing update on the App Store

Why out-of-store A/B testing with SplitMetrics is still essential

1. Testing of concepts

SplitMetrics mobile A/B testing platform provides app and game publishers with a wide range of opportunities helping them meet their business needs and test apps even before going live on the App Store. Test app or game ideas, choose game settings and characters, select app concepts, prioritize features, find out what positioning works best and what markets you should target. 

Ple-launch testing 

On the App Store, you won’t be able to test your mobile app or game concepts before publishing your app. On SplitMetrics, you may do that before launch and enhance your product page before going live to skyrocket from day one.

Test your app or mobile game idea by showing your mobile app’s prototype (screenshots) to your target audience and decide whether you should build it. What is more,  you may compare a few mobile app / game concepts, select the best performing one and then put it into practice.

Features testing, validation and prioritization

Make your product fully fit the needs of target users. With SplitMetrics, you have an opportunity to validate new features before implementing them and prioritize depending on the users’ interest.

Run A/B tests and identify the best performing features, settings, characters. Showcase some of the features on screenshots to check out how users react and figure out which feature is the most impactful and should be delivered first.

In case you’re a game publisher, test various game settings & genres via multivariate A/B experiments and increase your chance of success with your target audience.

Game concepts testing

Mobile game development is a complex process which involves numerous aspects game publishers should take into account to create a product that will be in high demand. If one of these key aspects, such as the mobile game concept, isn’t checked beforehand, the game may not meet user expectations and needs in the future. At the same time, choosing the right concept often comes under much debate, and soft-launching games with unproven concepts takes a lot of time (sometimes even years) and resources. 

That’s why it is critically important to consistently A/B test game concepts with SplitMetrics. In general, the flow looks the following way:

core mechanics testing -> meta mechanics testing -> art visualization testing

Once you’ve defined the target audience, you should follow the steps:

1. Test core mechanics (words, puzzles, match3 or something completely new). 

2. Then based on the above, test and choose  meta mechanics (plot, characters, awards, villains).

3. After that it’s time to test an art component (black-and-white, cartoony or realistic).

4. But that’s not all. After defining these concepts, you need to measure CPI in order to understand whether your concept is a good fit for the market. 

Go-to-market strategy testing 

SplitMetrics A/B testing is also useful in terms of rebranding, positioning and targeting testing.

Comparing the performance of variations with screenshots containing different messages, you’ll be able to understand whether your new positioning strategy resonates with your audience. 

For example, some users need games to relax, some – to pass time and entertain themselves, while others need their competitive spirit aroused. This requires completely different marketing strategies and approaches for each audience type. That’s why just a good idea is not enough, you need a compelling go-to-market strategy – and it’s exactly what SplitMetrics provides.

Rejection risk assurance 

With SplitMetrics, you may test any concepts and the boldest ideas without risking to be banned from the App Store.

Privacy and ideas protection 

When it comes to soft-launch and testing on the App Store, there is still a chance that competitors will notice what you’re doing and try to borrow some ideas. SplitMetrics has got your back – you may safely test anything without being afraid that someone will steal your idea and implement it before you do. 

2. In-depth analytics and variety of insights

Out-of-store testing on SplitMetrics helps to analyze user behaviour on your emulated app page and make informed decisions. 

SplitMetrics collects data on user behavior on the app’s or game’s page and provides you with more than 15 metrics, such as screenshots scroll depth, click to install rate, engagement rate, average time on page and other crucial indicators – which helps you to build a strong optimization strategy.

What else you can do with SplitMetrics:

• Compare results not only with a single test, but also with a perspective of the whole industry.
• Gather qualitative feedback through post-installs surveys.
• Take advantage of 3 testing environments. Test not only Product Page elements,  but also Search and Category Pages.

3. Fast test cycles

• Quick start

It is not necessary to prepare the entire set of metadata for all sizes and locales, the minimum one is enough – start testing as quickly as possible. 

• Multiple variations and unlimited number of experiments

You may run as many experiments as you wish and A/B test all app store product page elements: from icon, title, subtitle to the number of reviews. We provide an unlimited number of experiments with up to 8 variations per experiment.

4. Optimization of the user acquisition strategy

Your user acquisition efforts won’t be left unattended. 

• UA metrics evaluation

We allow you to measure main user acquisition indicators before development (CPI, CVR, Reach)

• Facilitation of web-to-app campaigns

SplitMetrics enables you to create a marketing pre-landing page to optimize CVR for web-to-app campaigns.

5. ASO & A/B Testing expertise accumulated over the years

We are a trusted partner for all our clients and help them strategically at all levels of visual assets’ optimization. Our services include:

• Development of a testing strategy based on collected test benchmarks for various app and game categories
• Building creatives and development of concepts for product, search and category page testing experiments
• Assessment of results and development of further recommendations.

What’s next

We believe that mobile A/B testing is an essential part of the mobile market DNA, and we will carry on with our mission to help app and game publishers run successful A/B testing experiments via the package of services and strong expertise that we provide in this field.

We have always been a solution provider company and partner for our customers, not only delivering a mobile A/B testing tool – but rather mobile marketing experts with years of hand-on experience running effective mobile A/B testing experiments, optimizing  and automating Apple Search Ads campaigns with our SearchAdsHQ platform, delivering free educational materials on app store optimization, A/B testing and paid user acquisition. Providing strong expertise to our clients and mobile market players has always been one of our core values.

We will reconsider our packaging and pricing strategy to meet market trends, popularize mobile A/B testing and provide mobile app and game developers of all sizes in this highly-saturated market with even more tools to bring in creativity, implement their ideas and grow their mobile businesses. 

Stay tuned for updates that are coming soon!