Unlocking Success with A/B Testing Creatives: The Power of Iteration in Paid Media Ads
Digital marketers are continually challenged to refine their strategies to ensure maximum impact, ROAS, CAC, MER, you name the KPI, we’ll accept the challenge. One indispensable tool in the ads strategies and media buyer's arsenal that addresses this challenge head-on is A/B testing creatives. Testing is something we take seriously at Pennock, every month at least 15% of the monthly budget is allocated to a new test, this doesn’t always include creative testing itself…but it often does!
What is A/B Testing?
A/B testing, also known as split testing or multivariate testing, is a method used to compare different versions of a marketing asset, such as an ad creative, ad copy, landing page, or email, to determine which one performs better. By presenting these variations to similar audience segments and analyzing the resulting data, marketers can discern which elements resonate more effectively with their target audience.
What Ad Creative Variations to A/B Test
Across the digital ads landscape, there is an expansive suite of platforms that provide fertile ground for A/B testing creatives. Here are a few examples of what marketers might test:
Video Elements: Experimenting with different video cuts can yield valuable insights into which visual elements capture the audience's attention most effectively. Try testing videos with models vs without models. Or videos with product swatches and textures vs user benefits. The leading metric for any video test will be video views (CPVV or VCR) followed by the eCom metric as your main KPI
Ad Copy: Not sure which value proposition will hook your audience? A/B test them using the same video asset ads in the ad unit to see which message generates the most engagement.
Call-to-Action (CTA): This one is the most controversial given within eCom marketing, most in-house teams want ad dollars to generate direct responses. But when moving people from unaware through to fully aware and ready to buy, you might find more luck with “learn more”, and “sign up”, than “shop now” for different parts of the funnel.
Ad Formats: Many digital ad platforms offer various ad formats, including catalog ads, static image ads, carousel ads, video ads, and collection ads. Testing different formats allows marketers to identify the most effective way to present their message.
Benefits of A/B Testing
Data-Driven Decision Making: A/B testing provides empirical evidence of what works and what doesn't, enabling marketers to make informed decisions based on real-world performance data rather than assumptions or intuition.
Optimized Performance: By continuously iterating and refining creatives based on A/B test results, marketers can optimize their campaigns for maximum effectiveness, leading to higher click-through rates, conversions, and ultimately, a better return on ad spend (ROAS).
Improved Audience Understanding: A/B testing can uncover valuable insights about audience preferences and behavior, allowing marketers to tailor their messaging and creative assets more precisely to their target demographic.
Cost Efficiency: By identifying the most effective creatives early on, marketers can allocate their ad budgets more efficiently, avoiding wasted spend on underperforming assets.
If your team is just formalizing your testing methodologies, we’d love to connect and share our testing framework with you. Schedule a call.