How to test different ad copy with marketing experiments: A step by step guide

Testing different ad copy can help you understand what type of messaging resonates best with your target audience and leads to the highest click-through and conversion rates. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Start by defining what you want to achieve with your ad copy experiments. It could be improving click-through rates, increasing conversions, boosting brand awareness, or other marketing objectives.

Step 2: Create Different Versions of Ad Copy

Create different versions of ad copy for your experiment. The variations could include changes in headlines, body text, calls to action, tone of voice, or the use of emotional versus rational appeals. Remember, to accurately measure the impact of a specific element, only one element should be varied at a time.

Step 3: Set Up Your Experiment

Depending on the platform you’re using (like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.), set up your experiment. This typically involves creating different ad groups or sets, each with a different version of your ad copy.

Step 4: Ensure Fair Testing Conditions

Try to ensure that all other variables remain constant, such as the audience, budget, bid strategy, and timing, so that the changes in performance can be attributed solely to the ad copy variations.

Step 5: Monitor the Performance

Once your ads are live, monitor the performance of each ad copy variation. The metrics you focus on will depend on your goals, but could include click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per click, cost per conversion, or impression share.

Step 6: Analyze the Results

After running the experiment for a sufficient period, analyze the results. Which ad copy variation performed best in terms of your predefined goals? If there’s a clear winner, that suggests the winning ad copy is more effective and should be used moving forward.

Step 7: Implement the Winning Ad Copy

Implement the winning ad copy in your campaigns. If one version clearly outperformed the others, use this version as a starting point for future ad copy.

Step 8: Repeat the Process

Ad copy testing should be an ongoing process. Trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscapes change over time, so continuously testing new ad copy can help you stay relevant and effective.

Remember, while click-through rates and conversion rates are important, also consider the quality of the traffic or conversions each ad copy variation is driving. High click-through rates are great, but if those clicks aren’t converting, or they’re leading to low-quality conversions, that’s an important factor to consider.