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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMeasurement & AttributionFlicker Effect

Measurement & Attribution

Flicker Effect

A brief flash of original content before a client-side test variant loads, which can bias results and hurt user experience.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The flicker effect is a brief flash of original page content before a client-side test variant loads in an A/B test. It occurs when testing scripts modify the page after it begins rendering. Flicker can harm user experience and bias results, since users may notice they are in a test or react to the change.