A/B test landing pages with one short link

Testing two versions of a landing page usually means a testing tool, a script on your site and a developer. If all you want to know is which page does better with traffic from one campaign, there is a simpler route: share one short link and let it split the traffic.

That is what Link Rotator does. A rotator is a short link with several destinations and a rule for choosing between them.

The four strategies

• Round robin sends visitors to each destination in turn, so traffic is spread evenly.
• Weighted splits traffic by the percentages you set, for example 80% to the current page and 20% to the new one.
• Random picks a destination at random for each visitor.
• Sequential serves the destinations in a fixed order and then repeats the sequence.

Setting up a test

1. Publish both versions of the page at their own URLs.
2. Open Link Rotator and create a rotator with both URLs as destinations.
3. Choose Round robin for an even split, or Weighted if you want to limit how much traffic the untested version receives.
4. Share the rotator's short link exactly as you would any other: in the email, the ad or the QR code.

The side panel on the Link Rotator page previews the split for whichever rotator you select, so you can confirm the setup before the campaign goes out.

Getting a result you can trust

• Change one thing. If the headline, the image and the price all differ, you will not know which one mattered.
• Measure the outcome, not the click. The rotator spreads the clicks; the sign-up or sale happens on your page. Tag each destination with a different utm_content value so your analytics can tell them apart.
• Let it run. A few dozen visits per version proves nothing. Decide the sample size or the end date before you look.
• Keep the split stable. Changing weights halfway through mixes two different experiments.

Other uses for the same tool

Rotators are not only for testing. Weighted rotation is a cautious way to move traffic to a redesigned page a little at a time. Round robin shares enquiries between several booking pages or sales contacts. Sequential rotation walks an audience through a fixed series.

Link Rotator is available on paid plans: Starter includes up to five rotators, and Pro and Business do not cap them. The link rotator tutorial covers the screens.