The content test strategy
Sitecore uses the Subgroup Round Robin Sticky test strategy by default, but there are 3 other strategies available.
The content test strategy determines how website traffic is distributed among test variants during content testing. The default test strategy in Sitecore is the Subgroup Round Robin Sticky test strategy.
Note
We recommend that you use this strategy in all situations because it is the most effective strategy. However, if you want, you can change the test strategy for a single test, or an administrator can change the default test strategy.
This topic describes the strategies in order of complexity:
When you apply the Random test strategy, Sitecore presents a randomly selected experience for every visit. This means a visitor might receive different experiences if they visit the site multiple times.
When you apply the Sticky test strategy, Sitecore presents a randomly selected experience the first time a visitor visits, but then the visitor receives the same experience on subsequent visits.
When you apply the Round Robin Sticky test strategy, Sitecore presents the experiences alternately to ensure that an equal number of visitors sees each variant. For example, the following table shows how Sitecore presents three different experiences to a series of visitors:
Visitor 1 | Experience A |
Visitor 2 | Experience B |
Visitor 3 | Experience C |
Visitor 4 | Experience A |
Visitor 5 | Experience B |
Visitor 6 | Experience C |
Visitor 7 | Experience A |
If a visitor returns to the site, they are presented with the same experience each time.
This strategy does not take personalization rules into account. For this reason, the Subgroup Round Robin Sticky test strategy is preferable.
The Subgroup Round Robin Sticky test strategy is similar to the Round Robin Sticky strategy: Sitecore presents the experiences alternately, to ensure that an equal number of visitors sees each variant. However, with this strategy, personalization rules are tested effectively because Sitecore distributes experiences evenly within subgroups.
The Personalization tests topic describes in detail how tests using the default test strategy work.