Testing vs Guessing: Why CRO Fails Without Research

While A/B testing has become a standard practice in digital optimisation, many organisations undermine its effectiveness by testing arbitrary hypotheses rather than research-based insights. This approach transforms scientific experimentation into expensive guesswork.

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The Epidemic of Experimentation Without Investigation

"The biggest mistake in CRO today is running tests without doing proper research first," says Nadia Patel, Head of Optimisation at Conversion Science. Research-driven tests are three times more likely to succeed than those based on intuition.

The Hidden Costs of Guesswork

• Opportunity Cost: Every failed test could have been a better-informed one.
• False Negatives: Poorly designed tests may dismiss viable optimisations.
• Organisational Fatigue: Repeated failures lead to disillusionment with CRO.

Why Companies Skip Research

Many organisations rush into testing due to pressure for quick results, underestimating the value of structured research. "Testing without research is digital gambling," warns James Chen, CRO Director at Digital Forge.

The Solution: Research-Driven Optimisation

Successful CRO programmes integrate qualitative and quantitative research before launching tests. Companies that prioritise research see up to 300% higher success rates in their experiments.