Ali Demirbaş - Lab
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UI Elements

Secondary Action as a Link or a Button: A/B Test Idea

Presenting a secondary action as a button may make it easier to notice.

  • UI elements
  • Total action completion rate

Option A vs Option B

Two alternatives; neither is the incumbent.

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Options
Page
UI elements
Difference
changed

Hypothesis

A text link carries less visual weight and may compete less with the primary action. Keep the actual action and appropriate semantic element intact in both versions; this changes visual presentation, not function.

How to run this test

Primary metric

Total action completion rate

Count assigned visitors who complete either of the two predefined actions; deduplicate visitors who complete both and report each path separately.

Other metrics

  • Primary action completion rateCompare eligible assigned visitors who complete the primary action.
  • Secondary action completion rateCompare eligible assigned visitors who complete the secondary action.
  • Path switchingReport movement between the primary and secondary paths separately; it does not replace the overall outcome.

What to check before and during the test

  • FormatCompare the same secondary action as a text link and as a button while using the correct semantic element.
  • Action mixReview whether the button presentation changes completion of either path.
  • VisibilityMeasure interaction with the link or button.
  • PositionKeep wording and position the same.
  • DeviceCheck whether the link target is easy to tap on mobile.

Setup mistakes to avoid

  1. 1Do not mark a navigation link as a button or an action button as a link; keep semantics correct.
  2. 2Change format only, not placement.
  3. 3Do not give the secondary action equal visual weight to the primary one.
  4. 4Do not distinguish a link by color alone.
  5. 5Review primary action completion as well as total progression.