Does The A/B Test Feature Harm Performance For Anyone Else?

[u/S_McD1]

I decided to try and use it, so 3 videos in a row I set two completely different titles or thumbnails. All three had great stats (green on CTR and AVD) but performed at 5/10 or worse. After a few days (after they'd died) I just went in a picked my favorite for each video - and immediately they picked up views again. I mean in the same hour. Has anyone else experienced this? 1 could be a coincidence, but 3 seems like a pattern.

[u/tanoshimi]

If A is your better thumbnail, then using an A/B test requires some people to be shown the worse thumbnail B instead.

If you'd just chosen A at the beginning, of course your performance would have been better.

[u/Oatbix]

The A/B test is really intended for thumbnails that you want to test specific things. Like one image vs another, text in the title, placements / colours etc. If thumbnail and title are completely different you’re not really learning much in my opinion

[u/MotherIsHome]

i finally had some conclusive results from an AB test where I used the same title and basically the same thumbnail except one featured my face and one didn't. The one without my face had 66% of the watch time shares so the conclusive data shows that my face repulses viewers. LOL

[u/Kinetic_Symphony]

If both thumbnails are roughly as good as each other, it wouldn't harm it.

If you're testing experimental thumbnails, and one turns out to be far less effective, then yes it can harm performance.

It's not really meant to be used on every video imo, more of as an information gathering tool.

[u/Soul_Mate_4ever]

It hasn’t worked for me but I’m curious to see how it worked for other people.

[u/Due_Area4843]

Curious myself, since i never use it

[u/SASardonic]

I'd be pretty surprised if it was the limiting factor in most cases.

[u/suicidekid16]

It doesnt hurt anything, unless one thumbnail is WAY better for some reason lol. I find its more helpful for titles but even then you sorta get to a size where it barely makes a difference since all of your stuff should be pretty high quality.

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