As digital marketing is becoming popular with the passage of time several strategies are being introduced to make it better and improved. In the last few decades, A/B testing has become a popular trend. The evolution of this strategy has proved to be a great asset for the ones in the world of digital marketing, especially digital marketers, product managers, and UX designers alike. These strategies help in finding out the winning variations of the web pages that definitely make a difference. It is equally easier to let the users customize their personal experiences. As a total outcome, it is helpful in getting the best benefits out of everything.
Server-side testing is one of the A/B testing methods. The different versions of the tests are directly rendered from the web server and later shared with the visitors’ device. As it is implemented on the server directly therefore it is possible to carry out several other tests that are complex and can ruin the entire online experience if they are used on the client-side. The server-side testing is just the right choice when you cannot find a feasible solution on the client-side.
The server-side testing has opened new arenas that will let any user test the tech stack deeply and then run the advanced tests that were initially not within the scope of UI or cosmetic changes. If you are working on the server level and carrying out heavy tasks then the user experience can become smooth and quick.
It is easier to think and work in a better way and give your business a completely new look through product optimization. Thus, the teams find it easier to create a great world of products. Thus, the eCommerce teams can create a revolutionary experience.
Difference Between Server-side And Client-side Testing
Contrary to the client-side testing that depends upon the visitor’s browser, the server-side testing permits using the webserver directly for all kinds of modifications. Once done it is easy to render them on the browser or any other application of your choice. Server-side testing is great for complex situations while the latter is great for simpler tests that are UI-related.
In client-side testing, all the improvements can be made without spending much time and this can have direct implications for the conversion funnel. The server-side testing on the other hand is great for deeper tests done at advanced levels. Besides the differences, it is still important to know that they both compliment each other to a greater extent. Therefore, the users have to be well versed and knowledgeable enough to choose the right option depending upon the scenario.
Working on Server Side Testing
- To start with the server-side testing it is important to get SDK installed on your device. You can get it in NodeJs, PHP, Python, Java, .NET, Ruby, and platforms like iOS and Android. After its installation, you can easily integrate this into the server application. You don’t have to do this again and again.
- After reaching out for the client browser the backend server gets the call. This is the location of the server-side testing tool.
- What is Log analysis, It is the process of reviewing, interpreting, and understand computer-generated records called logs. Logs are generated by a range of programmable
- The task of the SDK is to work as an interface between the two servers associated with the website and the testing tool. It can dig out all the information related to the campaign out of the tool’s server in JSON format.
- With these settings, it is possible to have a client instance of SDK that can support A/B testing for the user. It is just a great tool to use the features that can help in the visitor feature and the tracking goals.
- Once the variation is assigned at the server side the data is transferred to the tool that can let you track with the log. The data comes from either the report or the dashboard.
Where to Use Server Side Testing?
In eCommerce
- Server-side testing helps in testing different algorithms so that it becomes easier to take care of the optimal selection of the products that can actually improve the business.
- It helps in assessing the free shipping threshold so that the customers feel at ease with the average cart value and the customers coming back again and again.
SaaS
If you own a SaaS business then it is essential to learn about the free trials or the request demo forms. With server-side testing, it becomes helpful in finding the ideal length of the form that has direct implications for the conversion rate. The length and the complexity can be handled using the server-side.
Travel
- It helps in introducing the deals and discounts on the homepage so that the possible clients can get a clear vision and make use of your potential discounts for their future travel plans. Once you have started using the best server-side tools it becomes easier to alter the values as needed.
Mobile Banking
- With everything going online, banking is not an exemption. It is quite a tough job to handle digital banking. The different elements in banking can work great including he data security if you have switched to server-side testing.
The Pros
- With the lesser tags, it is easier to uplift the performance.
- While using the server-side tagging the data moves to the server and then to the third-party tool. This makes the data safer and secure.
- The server will not run on any user browser but on the personally controlled server.
The Cons
- To carry out the tasks successfully it is essential to run an end-to-end server-side test. It is a multifaceted problem. On one hand, it reduces the autonomy of the marketers, product managers, and UXers and on the other hand, it requires paying an additional cost.
- The process is comparatively slower when it comes to server-side testing. This is simply because all the operations are too complex to handle. Thus, the process becomes slower.
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