What is a best practice when conducting A/B testing in Marketo?

The best practice of allowing at least 24 hours before declaring a winner in A/B testing is critical for achieving reliable and valid results. This time frame ensures that the test gathers sufficient data to account for variations in behavior that can occur at different times of the day or week. Consider that user engagement patterns can fluctuate based on the day and time, and by waiting this period, it allows enough time for users to interact with the variations being tested.

Additionally, premature conclusions from a test can lead to misguided decisions, as they may not capture the full spectrum of user engagement. By adhering to this time frame, marketers can ensure that their results reflect a more comprehensive dataset, thereby reducing the influence of random fluctuations or anomalies during the testing period.

In contrast, testing multiple variables at once can complicate the interpretation of results and make it difficult to identify which changes drove the outcome. Running tests at different times might not provide a consistent basis for comparison between variations. Including all contacts in the sample size could lead to skewed results if the contact list contains individuals who are not part of the targeted audience for the specific test.