4 Tips On How To A/B Test Effectively With Adwords
If you want to maximize the results you get from your online advertising campaigns, it's highly recommended that you regularly perform A/B split testing. In the simplest of terms, this is the process of testing different types of ads or landing pages to try and identify which would get better results. For instance, you can run two ads having different text fonts or different color backgrounds. Or you can modify the overall look of the ads the next time you run another batch of advertisements. The main goal is to track and measure the performances of the ads and determine which ones get the most engagement from users.
To help you out, here are some tips on how to A/B test effectively with Adwords:
1) Test out slight differences. - When it comes to split testing, many marketers mistakenly assume that the two ads being tested should be completely different from each other. That said, you should start with slight differences in the ads. For illustration purposes, let's say you are split testing two ads selling a service. In the text ads, you can use the same format and theme but you should differentiate the texts of the call to action. You can use "Learn more!" for one ad and use "Get started!" on the other.
2) Split test your ads on a weekly basis. - For a new campaign, let the ads run for at least a week. Then in the succeeding weeks, you should change and modify the ads every week to test out different text formats, colors, themes, backgrounds, etc. Of course, don't forget to diligently track and measure the performances of the ads in your campaign in the context of the modifications you made.
3) Determine which metric you should prioritize. - There are several ways on how to track and measure the performances of your split ads. The one that you use would depend on what your goals and priorities are. If your goal is to improve sales, then you must focus on the conversion metric. If your focus is on increasing traffic, then you can focus on your click through rates metrics.
4) Make sure that the ads rotate and are given equal exposure. - The split test won't be helpful if an ad gets shown more compared to its counterpart. That said, you need to set the ad rotation settings in a way that the ads get the same exposure.
You want to get better results from your advertising campaigns? Then you should always keep in mind these tips on how to A/B test effectively with Adwords.
