A control page is a term used in marketing and advertising to refer to a specific page or website that serves as the point of comparison for measuring the effectiveness of an advertisement or campaign.
In the context of web design and user testing, a control page is a webpage that serves as a baseline for comparison in an A/B test or other type of user study. The control page is the original version of the webpage or design that is being tested and serves as the standard against which any changes or variations are measured.
In an A/B test, for example, the control page is typically shown to one group of users, while a variant page (which includes one or more changes to the original design) is shown to another group.
Two main types of control pages are commonly used in A/B testing and other types of user research:
This type of control page is the original version of the webpage or design that is being tested and is typically the page that users are already familiar with.
An existing control page can be used to test a new design variation, such as a different layout, color scheme, or text, to determine whether the new design improves user behavior or attitudes.
This type of control page is used when there is no existing design or webpage to serve as a control. Placeholder control pages are typically simple, neutral designs that are used to test new designs or concepts.
Placeholder control pages can be useful when testing completely new designs or features or comparing multiple design variations to determine the most effective.
In summary, a control page is an essential tool for any marketer who wants to improve the performance of their website or landing page.