Learn what the a base variation is and how it's used in optimizations.
Optimizations include a base variation, which mirrors your original page content. This variation can't be edited. Each optimization type leverages the base variation in different ways.
How traditional tests use the base variation
The base variation is a control group in traditional test optimizations.
- Demonstrates whether variations perform better than the original page content
- Helps determine statistical significance and identify a winner
A fixed percentage of traffic is allocated based on the traffic split and visitors are randomly assigned the base variation.
How AI-optimize uses the base variation
The base variation is a control group and a failsafe in AI-optimized optimizations.
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Control group — demonstrates whether variations perform better than the original page content
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Failsafe — if all of the optimization's variations are performing worse than the original page content, more visitors are assigned the base variation to mitigate loss and maximize conversions
Traffic is dynamically allocated based on visitor behavior and visitors are intentionally assigned the base variation.
How manual personalizations use the base variation
The base variation is a fallback or catchall in manual personalization optimizations. If a visitor does not match any of the optimization's audiences, they'll be assigned the base variation so they see the original page content.