In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, optimizing your Shopify store is crucial for maximizing conversions and revenue. Compose’s split theme and split template tests allow store owners to experiment with different designs and functionalities to determine which performs best with their customers. If you’re a Shopify merchant looking to boost your store’s performance with A/B testing but don’t have the developer resources to build customer experiments, split theme and split template testing offer the perfect no-code, fast solution. In this blog, we’ll break down the best use cases of each method, how to interpret the results, and why these testing strategies can help optimize conversions for your Shopify store.
Split Theme Testing
Split theme testing involves creating multiple versions of your Shopify theme and running them simultaneously to determine which performs better. Each version of the theme can have different layouts, design elements, navigation structures, and features.
Split theme testing is best used when you want to test large-scale changes that impact the entire site experience. Here are some scenarios where split theme testing is ideal:
Rebranding or Redesigning: If you’re considering a complete overhaul of your website’s design, testing different themes can help validate whether the new look improves engagement and conversions. Split theme testing is also perfect for rebrand changes like fonts and colors that affect the full site.
Testing Major Sitewide User Experience Changes: When implementing significant changes like a new navigation structure that is visible across the entire site.
Evaluating Different Shopify Themes: If you’re uncertain which Shopify theme is best suited for your store, split theme testing can help you compare them in a real-world environment.
Seasonal or Event-Based Designs: Testing a holiday-specific theme against your regular theme can help determine if the seasonal variation boosts sales.
How to Conduct a Split Theme Test for Shopify
Click here for a video tutorial on conducting split theme tests.
Optimizing your Shopify store’s design can significantly impact conversions, and with the Compose app A/B testing different themes is easier than ever. Here is how you can set up a split theme test in a few simple steps:
Create Your New Theme: Start in Shopify by either duplicating your existing theme and making edits or designing a brand-new theme from scratch.
Set Up Your Experiment: Open the Compose app and create a new experiment to test your updated theme.
Set Your Variant: Select Shopify as your variant type and input your modified theme to compare against your live theme.
Track and Analyze the Results: Monitor key metrics like engagement, bounce rates, and revenue impact to determine which theme performs better.
Split Template Testing
Unlike full theme testing, split template testing focuses on optimizing specific pages or “templates” within your Shopify store. This method allows you to experiment with different versions of key templates—such as product pages, collection pages, or landing pages—without altering the entire store’s design.
When to Use Split Template Testing
Split template testing is perfect for making incremental changes that enhance the customer experience and boost conversions. Here are some key use cases:
Product Page Optimizations – Test different image placements, product descriptions, CTA buttons, upsell widgets, and review layouts to improve engagement.
Homepage Variations – Experiment with different layouts, copy, or promotions to maximize conversions on your primary landing page.
Collection Page Optimizations – Test new product arrangements to see if they increase browsing time and sales.
Conducting a Split Template Test for Shopify
Click here for a video tutorial on conducting split template tests.
Running a split template test on Shopify with Compose allows you to experiment with specific page elements and optimize your store for better performance. Follow these steps to set up your test:
Create Your New Template – In Shopify, either duplicate an existing template and make modifications or design a brand-new template from scratch. Templates can be created for various pages, including home, product, collection, cart, blog, and contact pages, allowing you to tailor the shopping experience to your needs.
Set Up Your Experiment – Open the Compose app and create a new experiment to test your updated template.
Set Your Variant – Choose Shopify as your variant type and input the modified page to compare it against your current version. All of the templates on your live theme will automatically display in Compose.
Track & Analyze the Results – Monitor key performance indicators like conversion rates, bounce rates, and revenue impact to determine which template drives better results.
Conclusion
Optimizing a Shopify store requires ongoing experimentation, and choosing the right A/B testing method is key to success. Split Theme Testing is best for major site-wide design changes, while split template testing allows for fine-tuning specific pages like your product page or collection page.
Using Compose, Shopify store owners can easily implement and analyze both testing methods with no coding required. This seamless approach works directly within Shopify’s familiar theme editor, making it simple to experiment and optimize your store’s performance. Start testing today and make data-backed improvements that drive real growth for your business. Download the Compose app for Shopify!