# One-Column or Two-Column Sales Page: A/B Test Example

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/one-column-or-two-column-sales-page-ab-test-example

## Hypothesis

If the side column is removed and the sales page becomes a single column, visitors may follow the main narrative without their attention drifting to side links. Purchase conversion may benefit, although supporting-content actions may drop because that content becomes less prominent.

## When to run this test

Heatmap clicks clustering on side links, session recordings of visitors moving between the main copy and the sidebar, or visitors who leave before reaching the key section signal that the side column pulls attention away from the main sales narrative. If the side column really is a distraction, the key section is seen more often in the single-column layout and purchase conversion rises. If visitors rely on the sidebar's information or the offer is unclear, look at the content first, because a layout change will not fix that.

## Primary metric

**Purchase conversion rate (CR)**: Compare purchases among eligible assigned visitors on the same sales page.

## Other metrics

- **Key section view rate**: Measure whether a predefined section enters the viewport using the same rule in both layouts.
- **Active time on page**: Exclude passive background-tab time and read active time alongside conversion and section visibility.
- **Supporting-content action completion**: Compare predefined actions such as downloading a resource or opening a reference.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Layout**: Compare the current two-column layout with one predefined single-column layout.
- **Supporting content**: Choose where the content remains accessible and record any unavoidable visibility change.
- **Page length**: Measure access to key sections rather than relying only on raw scroll percentage.
- **Primary action**: Keep the copy, offer and CTA behavior unchanged.
- **Eligible devices**: Exclude devices that already render the same single-column layout.

## What to watch when reading the result

- Decide on purchase conversion. Key section view rate and active time on page show access to content, not proof that it was read, so a rise in them without more purchases is not a reason to ship. If supporting-content action completion falls, consider that visitors may no longer reach information they need.
- Other sales pages need their own validation; this result speaks for the page type you tested. When the side column goes, make sure you do not quietly remove a link or menu that keyboard or screen reader users need to get around, and check accessible navigation before shipping the variant.
- If the eligibility rule does not work the same way in both arms, arm sizes can drift, so first check that assigned visitor counts match the planned split (a sample ratio mismatch check). If the split holds, enter each arm's assigned visitors and purchases in the [A/B test significance calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/ab-test) to see whether the conversion gap goes beyond chance. If the gap is small and not significant, do not call a winner; report that this sample showed no detectable effect of the single column.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What happens to sidebar information in the single-column version?

Decide its destination before launch and preserve access. Removing information differs from changing columns. Record unavoidable exposure differences. Use completion of the main action as the primary outcome.

### Can scroll depth tell me how much people read?

No. Scrolling, exposure and active time do not prove reading. Use them as access signals. Assess comprehension through feedback or tasks, and separately track conversion and actions such as downloads or opening references.

### Should mobile traffic be included?

Exclude layouts already identical in both groups, such as pages that become one column on mobile. Keep main copy, offer and CTA behavior unchanged.