Create Experiment
Create a campaign
Creating a campaign is how you turn a guess into a test. In everyday language, you write down what you think will improve the page (a hypothesis), name the effort, and start in a safe Draft so nothing changes on the live site yet. In CROForge, Create on the A/B list makes a new campaign (the UI word) which is stored as an experiment (the API word). You then walk Configuration — Pages, Variations, Metrics, Audience — review the summary, and only then start it.
Words used on this page
| Word | Everyday meaning | Meaning in CROForge |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | A named effort you run for a period of time. | What the A/B list and hub call this test. Same record as an experiment. |
| Experiment | A structured test with a method and a result. | The API and route name. After create, you land on /workspace/{id}/ab-test/{experimentId}. |
| Hypothesis | A clear “if we change X, Y should improve because Z.” | Not a separate field you must fill, but the title should state the idea and the surface (page or flow) so the list stays readable. |
| Draft | A work-in-progress that is not published. | Status DRAFT. Smart Code does not apply Draft campaigns on the live site. |
| Control | The original you compare against. | Created for you as the baseline variation, usually with empty JS and CSS. |
| All Traffic | “Everyone who shows up.” | The default audience segment with no conditions. Anyone who already passed domain and URL checks can enter until you pick a tighter segment. |
| Configuration | The setup steps. | Hub tab with sub-tabs Pages, Variations, Metrics, and Audience. Use Prev, Next, Save, and Discard. |
| Review | A last look before launch. | Hub tab that restates targeting, variations, metrics, and audience so you can confirm before you set Running. |
Screenshot
Filename: create-ab-test-modal.png (the Create campaign dialog with the title field). Place the file under docs/assets/placeholders/. Paste the screenshot into WordPress after you copy this article; do not add an image tag here.
Create a campaign step by step
- Open a workspace and go to A/B (the Campaigns list).
- Click Create.
- Enter a title that states the hypothesis and the surface, for example “Pricing page – annual toggle copy” or “Checkout – trust badges.” Avoid “Test 1.”
- Confirm. The campaign opens as Draft on
/workspace/{id}/ab-test/{experimentId}. - Work through Configuration in order: Pages (where), Variations (what, including traffic split), Metrics (how you measure), Audience (who).
- Open Review and confirm the summary matches what you intended.
- When targeting, code, metrics, and audience are ready, start the campaign (status Running). Until then, visitors never see it from Smart Code.
Naming tips
A good title is a sentence your future self can scan in the list. Put the page or flow first, then the change. That is how a hypothesis becomes searchable.
| Good title | Why it helps | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage hero – green CTA | Names the page and the change. | Test 1 |
| Checkout – trust badges | Names the flow and the idea. | New experiment |
| Pricing page – annual toggle copy | States surface plus hypothesis in one line. | Untitled / copy of copy |
What you get after create
CROForge does not leave you with an empty shell. Typical defaults:
- A Control variation (baseline, often empty JS/CSS).
- Starter or empty URL targeting on Pages — you still need to add Include rules before a real launch.
- Audience often set to All Traffic (a segment with no conditions) until you choose a tighter segment from Data Vista.
You still need to add at least one alternative variation, link metrics, and validate URLs. Draft only means “not live yet,” not “ready to start.”
List actions after campaigns exist
From the campaigns list you can often bulk start, pause, archive, or delete. Treat bulk start as going live for every selected Draft. Treat bulk pause as stopping every selected Running test. Use bulk delete / trash only when you are sure those campaigns should leave the working list.
Do not start a campaign from the list until Pages, Variations, Metrics, and Audience have been reviewed. A Running campaign with empty targeting or no primary metric will either apply in surprising places or produce a report you cannot trust.
Suggested order after create
- Pages & URL targeting — decide where it may run.
- Variations — name Control and variants, write JS/CSS.
- Traffic split — Equal or Custom, percents summing to 100.
- Experiment metrics — link a clear primary metric.
- Experiment audience — keep All Traffic or attach a segment.
- Preview mode, then Experiment lifecycle & statuses to go Running.
- Campaign reports after you have sample size.
