How Do You Choose the Right Reward for a Feature Flag?
Choose the outcome closest to what actually matters for your business, and keep the signal simple: send a reward of 1 when the user does the thing you want, and nothing when they don’t. Optimize a checkout for purchases, not clicks; a signup form for completed registrations, not page views. Give each flag exactly one success metric. If revenue is the goal, send the purchase amount as the reward and Versia optimizes for value instead of raw conversions.
What Is a Reward?
A reward is a simple signal: “this worked” or “this didn’t work.” You send it after a user interacts with a variant.
User sees "Start Free Trial" button → User clicks it → reward: 1
User sees "Learn More" button → User doesn't click → no reward (treated as 0)
That’s it. Versia uses these signals to figure out which variant works best.
Pick the Right Outcome
The most common mistake is optimizing for the wrong thing.
| What you care about | Wrong reward | Right reward |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | Clicks | Purchases |
| Signups | Page views | Completed registration |
| Engagement | Page loads | Actions taken on the page |
| Retention | Logins | Return visits |
Rule of thumb: optimize for the outcome that’s closest to what actually matters for your business.
Keep It Simple
Start with a yes/no reward:
- 1 = the user did the thing you wanted
- 0 = the user didn’t (or just don’t send a reward)
You don’t need complex scoring systems. Simple binary rewards work great for most flags.
One Reward Per Flag
Each flag should have one clear success metric. If you’re optimizing a CTA button, measure whether users click it. Don’t try to also measure whether they eventually purchase. Keep it direct.
Common Patterns
Button clicks
Send a reward when the user clicks the button variant.
Form completions
Send a reward when the user submits the form.
Purchase value
Send the purchase amount as the reward. Versia will optimize for revenue, not just conversions.
Engagement
Send a reward based on whether the user scrolled, clicked, or spent time on the page.
What If No Reward Comes?
If a user sees a variant but never sends a reward, Versia treats it as a neutral outcome. This is built in. You don’t need to send “zero” rewards manually.
Getting Started
- Pick one flag to optimize
- Choose a simple, clear reward (clicks, signups, purchases)
- Add the reward event to your code (one line)
- Let Versia learn
Check our Getting Started guide for a walkthrough.
Simple rewards, smart optimization. That’s the Versia way.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if a user never converts?
Versia treats it as a neutral outcome automatically. You only send a reward when something good happens; you never need to send zero rewards by hand.
Can a reward be a number instead of yes or no?
Yes. Send any number: 1.0 for a signup, the order value in euros, watch time in seconds. Versia then optimizes for total value, not just conversion count.
Can one flag optimize for multiple rewards at once?
No, and that is deliberate. Each flag should have one clear success metric. If you care about two outcomes, use two flags or pick the outcome closer to revenue.