What is A/B Split Testing?
A/B Split testing is a way to compare 2 different websites or ads to determine which will perform better. In this blog I will specifically be talking about testing ads. With A/B split testing you ‘control’ certain data and test 1 area at a time. A/B split testing can be used to test many different websites or ads with 1 control ad.
What are the steps to A/B split testing?
There are several steps in the AB split testing process.
1. Step 1 – Determine your goal. What do you really want the ad to do?
2. Step 2 – Create your different variations. This step is done again and again for each part of your ad (see below). You will test each part of the ad including image, headline, body, call to action and more. You will test the messaging, the colors, the look and more.
3. Step 3 – TEST IT. Run the ads and test each part.
4. Step 4 – Look at the data. Look at the analytics and determine which performed best. You will do this for EVERY part.
5. Step 5 – TWEAK IT. Tweak the ads to see if you can improve the numbers.
6. Step 6 – TEST IT AGAIN. You will want to test, tweak, test, tweak. You will be sick of the ad by the time you are done. But the ad will be much more effective!
What is the best way to A/B split test?
You should be split testing every part of an ad. For example, you may start with optimizing the image. So you keep everything the same in 3-4 (or more) different ads EXCEPT the image. You keep the heading the same, the body, the call to action, etc. You run the ads. The best performing is obviously due to the image (since you kept everything else the same). And you are going to do this for EVERY part of the ad. So once the image is set, you can now go to headline (where everything is kept the same except the headline).
Will A/B split testing really help my business generate more leads or sales?
Split testing will ABSOLUTELY help you generate more leads. You will be optimizing every part of the ad. I have seen ad performance go up over 600% just by making small tweaks to the verbiage or image or even color.
Besides ads, what else can you split test?
You will want to split test everything. You can split test the ad, the website or landing page the ad goes to, the email follow up and more. The goal is to make every part of your marketing more effective and increase overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Questions about split testing? Contact us!