9 Tips for Social Testing Your Ad
You can use social testing to figure out which ads to run with on all of your platforms? Here is how to perform effective tests.
What makes an effective Facebook ad?
According to research, it’s a four-word headline, 15-word description, a link caption, and emotional content among others.
However, following this recipe won’t guarantee you’ll get good results. In reality, all of the tried-and-tested formulas don’t have a guarantee.
The only way you’ll know what will work for you is through social testing. You can do this in several ways, but the most common method is A/B testing. Here, you pit one ad against the same ad with a slight variation.
You run them at the same time and then wait for the results to come. Once you’ve collected enough data, you compare which one works better.
It’s not as simple as that, though. Keep on reading for some tips on how to do it effectively.
However, following this recipe won’t guarantee you’ll get good results. In reality, all of the tried-and-tested formulas don’t have a guarantee.
The only way you’ll know what will work for you is through social testing. You can do this in several ways, but the most common method is A/B testing. Here, you pit one ad against the same ad with a slight variation.
You run them at the same time and then wait for the results to come. Once you’ve collected enough data, you compare which one works better.
It’s not as simple as that, though. Keep on reading for some tips on how to do it effectively.
1. Define Your Ad’s Success and Failure
Before you go testing some ads, first determine which metrics you’ll use to determine if the experiment is successful or not. Facebook offers metrics like CTR, Conversion Rate, CPC, and Cost per Action to name a few.
Measuring the success of an ad based on different metrics can be tricky. For instance, an ad can both have a high CTR and CPC. It can also have a bad CTR yet a great CPA.
For testing purposes, choose one metric that will become the basis of your ads’ success. CPC is one of the most common choices in this regard as it’s pretty simple to track. This makes it easier for beginners to accurately judge the performance of their ads.
Measuring the success of an ad based on different metrics can be tricky. For instance, an ad can both have a high CTR and CPC. It can also have a bad CTR yet a great CPA.
For testing purposes, choose one metric that will become the basis of your ads’ success. CPC is one of the most common choices in this regard as it’s pretty simple to track. This makes it easier for beginners to accurately judge the performance of their ads.
2. Choose the Element to Test
An ad consists of different parts, including the image, headline, text, CTA, and so on. To do Facebook split testing, you first have to choose which element you’d like to test.
In the text field, you can test the length, style of language, tone of voice, use of emoji, and others. You can also switch up the image used to see which one gives you the reaction you want from your audience.
You can even test hashtags; is it better to have no hashtag or to use lots of it? You’ll know with social testing.
In the text field, you can test the length, style of language, tone of voice, use of emoji, and others. You can also switch up the image used to see which one gives you the reaction you want from your audience.
You can even test hashtags; is it better to have no hashtag or to use lots of it? You’ll know with social testing.
3. Focus on a Single Variable
With that said, you must focus on a single element with each test. Don’t test two variables at once. While you can see which one performs better, it will make it hard for you to pinpoint which one is making a difference.
Testing one element at a time will give you an insight into why an ad performed well. It may be the writing style or the use of hashtags. Whichever it is, it’s clear what’s making the difference.
Testing one element at a time will give you an insight into why an ad performed well. It may be the writing style or the use of hashtags. Whichever it is, it’s clear what’s making the difference.
4. Test a Variable Further
If you do get a clear view of what’s performing better, take this chance to dig deeper. What exactly makes it better than the other one?
For example, you found out that an image with text works better than a pure image. Go deeper and find out what about the text that made it work. Is it the wording, the details it provided, or something else?
For example, you found out that an image with text works better than a pure image. Go deeper and find out what about the text that made it work. Is it the wording, the details it provided, or something else?
5. Test Different Ad Formats
In Facebook advertising, you can choose between different ad formats. You can, for example, publish a video ad, stories ad, or an image ad. Then, you can also choose to publish a local ad, a carousel ad, or else.
The key is to determine which format works best for your particular campaign. A carousel ad might be better for when you’re introducing a new line of products. This way, a user can view your new offerings in one post.
You’ll never know for sure, which is why it’s important to test so you know which format works with what campaign going forward.
The key is to determine which format works best for your particular campaign. A carousel ad might be better for when you’re introducing a new line of products. This way, a user can view your new offerings in one post.
You’ll never know for sure, which is why it’s important to test so you know which format works with what campaign going forward.
6. Don’t Hurry the Results
Whatever test you’re doing, give it enough time to give you accurate results. Give your audience the chance to engage with either of your ads.
The length of time you need to keep your ads running depends on how much it takes for your regular campaigns to reach your sample size. In general, four days is the minimum duration. But if you want to gather more accurate data, give your experiment one to two weeks.
Anything less than four days won’t give you clear data yet. You won’t be able to accurately gauge which one performed better.
The length of time you need to keep your ads running depends on how much it takes for your regular campaigns to reach your sample size. In general, four days is the minimum duration. But if you want to gather more accurate data, give your experiment one to two weeks.
Anything less than four days won’t give you clear data yet. You won’t be able to accurately gauge which one performed better.
7. A/B Test Against a High-Performing Ad
You most likely have tried-and-tested ads that give you good results already. However, they’re not going to stay that way forever.
They’ll start to decline and you’ll have to replace them at some point. A/B testing also works for finding a replacement.
However, you have to do some prior testing to get at least one ad you know that works. Then, you A/B test that against one of your best-performing ads.
In the results, the ad you’re testing should at least come close to the high-performing ad. If that’s the case, you’ll know that ad can be a suitable replacement now or when the other one starts declining.
They’ll start to decline and you’ll have to replace them at some point. A/B testing also works for finding a replacement.
However, you have to do some prior testing to get at least one ad you know that works. Then, you A/B test that against one of your best-performing ads.
In the results, the ad you’re testing should at least come close to the high-performing ad. If that’s the case, you’ll know that ad can be a suitable replacement now or when the other one starts declining.
8. Create Various Ads in One Ad Set for Social Testing
On Facebook, an ad set is a group of ads sharing the same settings, like targeting data, budget, schedule, and so on. It can be a group of ads with small variations in the image, text, and such.
In this method, Facebook is the one that will choose which ad to serve. It usually bases its decision on the CTR. On your part, you have to pause some ads to see what happens to the remaining ads.
It’s easy in a sense, but it can get complicated to figure out which one is giving you the best results. You can learn more about Facebook ads at https://www.bearfoxmarketing.com/facebook-advertising/easily-test-facebook-ads-for-your-business/.
In this method, Facebook is the one that will choose which ad to serve. It usually bases its decision on the CTR. On your part, you have to pause some ads to see what happens to the remaining ads.
It’s easy in a sense, but it can get complicated to figure out which one is giving you the best results. You can learn more about Facebook ads at https://www.bearfoxmarketing.com/facebook-advertising/easily-test-facebook-ads-for-your-business/.
9. Test with Different Audiences
This takes a whole different approach to tests since you won’t be pitting an ad against another. Rather, you only have one ad to show to different groups of audience.
You can segment your audience by gender, age, interest, online behavior, and even device used for social media. This way, you can test which groups respond well to an ad. For instance, your retargeting ads may do well in a particular audience while another segment may be indifferent to it.
Improve Your Social Media Advertising Strategy
As you can see, no ad formula will work for all social media advertisers. This explains why social testing is important; to know which one works for you.
Learn more about advertising by reading our other articles.
You can segment your audience by gender, age, interest, online behavior, and even device used for social media. This way, you can test which groups respond well to an ad. For instance, your retargeting ads may do well in a particular audience while another segment may be indifferent to it.
Improve Your Social Media Advertising Strategy
As you can see, no ad formula will work for all social media advertisers. This explains why social testing is important; to know which one works for you.
Learn more about advertising by reading our other articles.
