Using Split Tests and User Profiles to A/B Test Configurations

You can use split tests to test individual performance rules. To test an entire configuration (set of rules), you can apply a split test to a user profile. First you create a split test with two variations. Then you create a user profile for one variation of the split test and add rules to it.

This procedure assumes that you already have a default profile with a set of rules applied to it.

To create a split test:

1. To open the Context Intelligence Settings page, click Settings > Context Intelligence.

2. Click Add Split Test.

3. In the Create Split Test slider, give your split test a descriptive name.

4. If you want shoppers to always experience the same variation of the split test, select Sticky.

5. Under Segmentation, give each variation a descriptive name and define what percent of traffic to apply the variation to.

6. Click Save.

   The slider closes and the split test appears in the Split Tests list.

To create a user profile for your split test: 

1. On the Context Intelligence Settings page, click Add User Profile.

2. In the Create User Profile slider, set the following options: 

   1. In the Name field, type a descriptive name associating this profile with the variation of the split test you are going to apply it to. We suggest calling it A/B Test or something similar.

   2. Under Apply To, click Specific Page Views.

      Three drop-down menus appear.

   3. In the first drop-down, select Split Test.

   4. In the next two drop downs, select the name of the split test and the variation that you are using for this user profile.

3. Click Save.

To add rules to your new user profile:

1. Do one of the following: 

   • To add already-existing rules to the profile: 

     1. On the Context Intelligence Settings page, click next to the user profile and click Link Actions

     2. In the Edit Actions Links slider, under Unlinked Actions, click Link for each rule that you want to add to the user profile.

        The Unlinked Actions section only appears if there are rules on your site that are not linked to the User Profile you are editing.

   • To add new rules to the profile: 

     1. On the Performance Rules or Security Rules page, select the new user profile from the drop-down list at the top of the page.

     2. Click Create Rule and select the desired options.

     3. Under Profiles, ensure that the new user profile is selected.

     4. Click Send to Publisher.

     5. When you have created all the desired rules for your user profile, open the Publisher and click Publish.