# Testing a Language-Adapted Greeting on the Homepage

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/testing-a-language-adapted-greeting-on-the-homepage

## Hypothesis

If visitors with no explicit language preference are greeted in their browser language, they may notice sooner that the page speaks to them. Even with the rest of the page unchanged, the primary action completion rate could rise, while a wrong match could have the opposite effect.

## When to run this test

You can tell the default-language greeting feels distant to part of the audience from noticeable bounces among visitors whose browser runs in another language, frequent use of the language selector, and support tickets about language. If the adapted greeting lands, these visitors stay on the page and move on to the main action without reaching for the selector. If the real issue is that the rest of the page is not in their language, plan the translation first, because translating only the greeting is not a lasting fix.

## Primary metric

**Primary action completion rate**: Compare completion to see whether a tailored greeting changes the target action.

## Other metrics

- **Bounce rate**: Make sure a language mismatch does not increase exits.
- **Language change rate**: Treat manual language changes as preference information; not every change is a failure.
- **Page load time**: Make sure detection does not add delay.
- **Conversion by language**: Review which languages show a gain and which do not.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Greeting**: Personalize only the greeting using a predefined browser-language match.
- **Existing choice**: Preserve the visitor's explicit language preference in both arms.
- **Page content**: Keep the rest of the page fixed and record language mismatches.
- **Fallback and control**: Keep a visible language selector and a default for unsupported languages.
- **Interpretation**: Review supported languages separately before expanding the approach.

## What to watch when reading the result

- Weigh any lift in completed primary actions against the bounce rate; if wrong language guesses push more visitors out, the gain is not solid. Do not treat a higher language change rate as failure on its own, and check that detection does not slow down page load time.
- Base the match on browser language only; do not infer language from location or use a greeting that implies you know where the visitor is. Even if the variant wins, it does not show the effect of a fully localized page.
- Read conversion by language separately for each supported language, and do not carry a gain in one language over to the others. If a low-traffic language could leave the result unclear, estimate the traffic it needs with the [sample size calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/sample-size-calculator); if the traffic falls short, report that language as inconclusive rather than as a win.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does this variant translate the whole page?

No. It adapts only the greeting using a predefined browser-language mapping. It does not estimate the effect of a fully localized page.

### What if the visitor has explicitly selected a language?

Preserve that choice in both arms. Keep a visible language selector and a fallback for unsupported languages rather than overriding explicit preference.

### Does more manual language switching mean the variant failed?

Not necessarily. It can reveal preference or incorrect detection. Use primary action completion as the primary outcome, track purchase conversion alongside it, monitor mismatches and inspect languages separately.