Facebook has over 30 billion active users worldwide, making it a goldmine for digital marketers looking to boost their brand's visibility. From a marketing perspective, this massive user base translates to billions of potential opportunities, leading to high-quality leads and sales for your business.
But how can you determine which ads are outperforming others?
That’s where Facebook A/B testing comes into play.
This powerful strategy allows you to pinpoint the most effective ads for your page, helping you optimize your ad spend and overall budget.
In this guide, we’ll explore the key tips for successful Facebook A/B testing, walking you through the basics—from setup to achieving positive results for your page.
What is Facebook A/B testing?
Otherwise known as split testing, Facebook A/B testing lets you identify which ads perform well on your target audience. It allows you to improve several website metrics, like page clicks, views, and sales.In particular, Facebook A/B testing involves randomised, controlled experiments. It matches different ad variables and audiences together to see which combination works best.
Take this as an example: You’re an owner of a burger joint that plans to launch a new burger flavour. You figured the best way to promote your new menu is through Facebook ads.
Since you’re still unsure which advertising campaign works best for your target audience, you can roll out two different versions of your ad. They can have different:
- Ad texts
- Photos
- Call-to-action
- Ad placements
- Target audiences
Going back to our example, you can launch two varying versions of the same ad. The first ad version can have varying photos on its design, while the other can have a different call-to-action.And the best thing about Facebook A/B tests is that no same audience will see the two versions of your ads once you launch your advertising campaign.
This way, you can gain genuine impressions and identify the most effective. You can also avoid overlapping audiences that may cause inconsistencies and errors with your data.
How to setup A/B testing in Facebook Ads?
You can test various ad sets when you do Facebook A/B tests. You can experiment with your ad’s creative, placements, target audiences, body copy, bidding strategies, and more.
Because of this, you can set up Facebook A/B tests in multiple ways. But it will all boil down to the ad variable you’re testing.
However, the most common method for creating an A/B test is through the Facebook Ads Manager Toolbar. Here’s how to do it:1. To get started, sign into your Facebook account and look for the Campaigns tab.2. Next, under the Campaigns tab, click A/B Test.3. Choose the variable you want to test. You can choose among the following options:
- Audience
- Creative
- Delivery optimisation
- More than one
- Placements
- Product set
4. After choosing the variable you want to test, you can perform Facebook A/B testing.5. Check your A/B test’s status on the Facebook Ads Manager Toolbar.
Alternative ways to set up Facebook A/B testing
There are multiple ways to set up Facebook A/B tests. Depending on the ad variable you’re trying to assess, you can create your test through the:
- Experiments tool;
- New ad campaign tool;
- Common scenarios prompt; and
- Duplicate option.
Below are the alternative ways to do Facebook A/B testing:
1. Experiments tool
You can create or duplicate advertising campaigns through the Experiments tool. It’s the ideal approach when you want to improve your existing ads before testing.
2. Create new ad campaign
You can perform Facebook A/B testing when creating a new advertising campaign for your brand. You’ll have the option to test several ad sets or variables with its help.
3. Common scenarios prompt
Facebook can suggest when to run A/B tests on your ads. It can prompt you to launch one if they think it’s about time to try out a new marketing approach.
4. Duplicating an existing campaign
You can duplicate existing advertising campaigns and ad sets through the Facebook Ads Manager Toolbar. This approach allows you to duplicate A/B tests easier and much faster.
Top tips for A/B tests in Facebook Ads
Mastering the basics of Facebook A/B testing will give you a competitive edge over other marketers. But you must know the best practices for A/B tests to gain stronger results for your campaigns:
- Focus on one variable at a time.
- Change the creative.
- Try split audience.
- Know the time frame required for your tests.
- Test your CTA.
- Track and learn from your A/B test.
- Hypothesise using measurable variables.
- Choose a budget that will deliver results but works for you.
Here are the top and proven tips to carry out a successful Facebook A/B test:
1. Focus on one variable at a time
One of the most important things to consider when performing Facebook A/B testing on your ads is to change your variables one at a time. You’ll have a higher chance of getting conclusive results if all your other ad sets are identical.
2. Change the creative
Before you test your ad placement or target audience, we suggest testing your ad’s design and layout first. You can change its text and photo and see which version hooks the public more.
3. Split audience
Since Facebook A/B testing involves showing two ads to your target audience, you’d need to split them into two segments to get more conclusive results. This way, you can prevent overlapping audiences that could cause inconsistencies with your data.
4. Understand the time frame required
Setting the right time frame for you to perform Facebook A/B testing is crucial. You’ll get more conclusive results and better assessments of your existing campaigns.Digital marketers set their time frame depending on their business needs and verticals. Some may have theirs tested for three days, while others may perform theirs for three weeks. Just remember to allot a few days for potential conversions.
But if you’re unsure about the time frame for your Facebook A/B testing, make sure you’re not going below three days. You can also perform this strategy for up to 30 days only.
5. Test CTA
An ad’s call to action is another crucial aspect to consider. It encourages your target audience to check out your products and reach out to you.
That’s why your CTAs must be solid and engaging. They must resonate with your audience so you’ll get better leads and conversions eventually.
Test different versions of your CTA and check which one brings more numbers to your brand.
6. Track and learn
When you do Facebook A/B testing, it’s important to stay organised and methodical. Not only will you stay on track with your goal, but you’ll also see the changes done on your ad sets easily and much faster.
7. Hypothesise using measurable variables
Before selecting an ad variable to test, you should always have a hypothesis in mind. Ask yourself what you want to test or improve to make one.Make sure you’re using measurable variables so you can easily modify and track them.
Afterwards, you’ll be able to set a more specific hypothesis to guide you in the entire A/B testing. You can use it to interpret your data eventually.
8. Choose a budget that will deliver results but works for you
Allocating the right budget — not too small and not too big — can help you get conclusive data and a successful Facebook A/B test. Doing this also allows you to gain favourable results without wasting resources.
You have the option to propose your own budget when figuring out the ad sets you want to test. But you can also rely on Facebook’s ideal budget count to prevent overspending.
Are A/B tests worth it?
Performing A/B tests is extremely valuable to any digital marketer. It helps you identify which type of Facebook ads and audiences go well with each other so you can optimise your ad spending.
However, Facebook A/B testing isn’t always the best strategy — the sad truth for some startups and small businesses.
Facebook A/B testing won’t be as effective as it should be if your website only has a few monthly transactions. That means businesses with under 1,000 sales, page clicks, and sign-ups can generate more numbers with other strategies.
And relying on the results of low website transactions won’t give you enough validity for your ads. You won’t know which ad version performs better than the other.Instead, put your time and effort into other advertising tactics and campaigns. This way, you can establish a stronger visibility among your target audience.
Facebook A/B testing is a powerful approach that every digital marketer should understand. It helps optimise your ad spending and gather more leads and conversions.
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