How to Implement A B Testing on Forms Using Formsort Advanced Features

If you’re building forms and want to improve conversions, you’ve probably heard about A/B testing. But most guides gloss over the ugly details—how do you actually test two versions of a form, track what matters, and know you’re not just chasing noise? This guide is for product folks, marketers, or engineers who want to run real experiments using Formsort, and actually learn something useful from them.

We’ll walk through the nuts and bolts: setting up test variants, splitting traffic, measuring results, and avoiding common traps. No hand-waving, no empty hype—just practical steps and honest advice.

Why A/B Test Forms Anyway?

If you’re reading this, you probably already know the big picture: A/B testing helps you figure out what actually works, instead of guessing.

But here’s the catch: Forms are weird. Tiny changes can make a big difference—or absolutely none. And it’s easy to get lost in the weeds, fiddling with button colors or wording, and end up with “results” that aren’t statistically meaningful.

If you’re going to the trouble of testing, do it right: focus on stuff that could actually move the needle (think: question order, number of steps, types of input), and make sure you’re measuring outcomes that matter (completions, drop-offs, real conversions).

Step 1: Get Your Form Ready in Formsort

First, you’ll need a form (or “flow”) built in Formsort. If you’re starting from scratch, get your core form working before you even think about A/B testing. Don’t split your traffic to two half-baked forms.

Keep versioning in mind: Formsort tracks versions of your flows. That’s a good thing—it means you can always roll back if an experiment tanks.
Clean up your main flow: Fix obvious issues first. Don’t A/B test your way out of a broken design.

Pro tip: If you’re not sure what to test yet, check your form analytics (completion rates, drop-off points). The worst place to run an A/B test is somewhere no one even gets to.

Step 2: Decide What to Test (And What to Ignore)

Here’s where most people go wrong: they test stuff that doesn’t matter, or they change too much at once.

Good candidates for A/B tests: - Number or order of steps/questions - Wording of key questions (“What’s your email?” vs. “Where can we reach you?”) - Input types (dropdown vs. radio buttons) - Progress indicators (show or hide) - Calls to action (“Submit” vs. “Get my quote”)

What to avoid: - Micro-copy changes on low-traffic forms (you’ll never get significant results) - Testing more than one big change at a time (you won’t know what caused the difference) - Cosmetic tweaks when you have bigger issues (fix the basics first)

Bottom line: Pick one clear thing to test, and keep the rest the same.

Step 3: Create Variants in Formsort

Formsort makes it pretty painless to create different versions (“variants”) of your form.

How to do it:

Duplicate your flow version:
Go to your flow dashboard.
Clone the flow or the specific step(s) you want to test.
Rename each version clearly (“Control – Original” and “Variant A – New Progress Bar”).
Tweak the variant:
Make your change—just one, if you can help it.
Double-check logic and branching. If your new version skips a step, make sure all downstream logic still works.
Preview both:
Use Formsort’s preview features to test each version end-to-end.
Try to break it. (Seriously, test edge cases—users will find them.)

Pro tip: Don’t rely on “eyeballing” to check your variants. Use Formsort’s built-in validation to catch errors before you launch.

Step 4: Set Up A/B Split Logic

You need a way to send some users to the control and some to your variant, without bias.

Formsort offers a few ways to split traffic:

Built-in A/B testing tools: If your plan includes it, use Formsort’s “Experiments” feature to define your variants and split ratios (e.g., 50/50).
Custom logic with branching: You can use random assignment via Formsort’s variable system (e.g., set a random variable on entry, route users based on value).
External assignment: If you already have an experiment framework (e.g., in your app or marketing tool), pass a variant assignment to Formsort via query parameters or API.

Example: Random Assignment Using Formsort

Add a variable:
Create a hidden variable, say ab_variant.
Set it to randomly assign “control” or “variant” on flow start.
Branch your flow:
At the branching point, use logic:
- if ab_variant == control → go to original step
- if ab_variant == variant → go to modified step
Test the split:
Preview the flow multiple times. Make sure both paths are reachable and that the split is roughly even.

Honest take: The built-in A/B tools are easier if you have access, but the custom logic works fine—just don’t overcomplicate it.

Step 5: Track the Right Metrics

Testing is pointless if you’re not tracking what matters.

What to measure: - Primary: Form completion / submission rate - Secondary: Drop-off points, time to complete, downstream conversions (if you can track them)

Formsort lets you track events and completion rates out of the box. If you need more, hook up Google Analytics, Segment, or another analytics tool.

Set up event tracking:

Completion event: Fires when a user submits the final step.
Drop-off tracking: See where users bail out.
Custom events: If you care about specific actions (e.g., “clicked help text”), set up those events in your flow.

Don’t chase vanity metrics: A higher completion rate is nice, but if it means you’re getting worse leads or lower sales, it’s not a win. Try to connect your form data to real business outcomes.

Step 6: Launch and Monitor

When everything’s set:

Deploy your flow.
Monitor initial data for weirdness (massive drop-offs, errors, etc.).
Let the test run until you have enough data—don’t peek at the numbers every hour and declare victory after 20 completions.

How much data is enough?
This depends on your traffic and how big a difference you expect. There are online calculators for sample size, but as a rule of thumb: - Low-traffic forms: It’ll take time. Don’t rush. - Expect small improvements? You’ll need more users to spot a real effect.

Pro tip: Set a minimum sample size before you start, and stick to it. Don’t “stop early” just because the numbers look good—or bad.

Step 7: Analyze Results (Without Fooling Yourself)

When you’ve hit your sample size, compare the metrics between your control and variant.

Use statistical significance: Don’t jump to conclusions over a few percentage points.
Check for side effects: Did completion rate go up, but lead quality go down? Did time to complete spike?
Document everything: What you tested, when, and what happened. Future you (or your team) will thank you.

If the variant wins:
Roll it out to everyone. But don’t get cocky—keep monitoring. Sometimes early results fade over time.

If it’s a wash:
That’s useful too. Move on to the next idea.

If the variant loses:
No shame—this is why you test. Revert and try something else.

What to Watch Out For

Too many variants: The more you test at once, the longer it takes to get meaningful data. Stick to one change at a time.
Over-interpreting weak results: A/B tests are noisy. If you don’t have enough data, don’t pretend you do.
Forgetting the user: Don’t break the user experience just to test something “clever.”
Not iterating: The first test rarely gives you a breakthrough. Keep at it.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Real, Keep It Simple

A/B testing with Formsort isn’t magic, but it’s a solid way to learn what actually works for your forms. The best advice? Don’t overthink it:

Test things that matter.
Measure results that matter.
Don’t chase tiny optimizations before you’ve fixed the basics.

Iterate, learn, and move on. The real gains come from steady, simple improvements—not from chasing every trend or shiny feature.

Good luck—and don’t forget to celebrate the wins, no matter how small.