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Getting more out of Adwords: Why We Always Split Test Pay-Per-Click Ads

Small business online success is in large part about understanding the customers needs and how to offer effective solutions to satisfy that need. Some would argue it is the most important thing, but that is a topic for another day. As I have mentioned in past posts, Adwords offers a platform that allows for any business to gather relevant market data that can be used in a variety of ways. One of my favorite ways to gather intelligence about a market and use that insight to optimize online marketing efforts is to constantly split test different ad copy in Adwords.

Option A, B, C, or D? Yes.

split test adwordsWhen a client asks me if we can try a specific ad, I am always happy to respond yes! I’m a firm believer in testing out every good idea or even just a plausible idea and see how it performs. The reality is, the market will decide if an ad performs well or not.

My mantra is test an ad and test another, then another –  Always split testing ads.

There are so many important factors at play with the ads in a campaign that it really can make or break the results if proper attention is not given.

The ad copy is where a searchers interest is caught, they can be pre-qualified to increase the quality of a Click, a businesses exact message is communicated to potential customers and ultimately the ad copy sets the stage for the expectations once a Click occurs.

The Mechanics of Adwords Split Testing

Split testing ads is one of the easiest ways to improve an Adwords campaign as it is simply two ads active at the same time. Adwords picks one of the ads to show and over time the data will determine which ad copy the market prefers. Repeat with a new ad to run against the top performing ad. With continual split testing of ads over time you can learn exactly what words your potential customers respond to, making the most of your Adwords budget by providing valuable information that can be applied to other marketing strategies.

Digging Deeper

An interesting phenomenon I have noticed through extensive ad testing in many campaigns is that even very slight changes can result in a decent increase in an ads Click Through Rate. The Click Through Rate is what is used to measure how well an ad is performing. In short, how the market responds to a particular ad. I mention this interesting occurrence that shows up time and time again, to point out that there is almost always something that can still be tested, right down to testing the difference between ending a sentence in a period, exclamation point or question mark. The sky is the limit for creative ad copy and potential variations to test.

The ad copy is where the art and science of Adwords merges providing control, hard data, and creative communication giving you deeper insights into your customers motivations, behaviors, and purchasing habits.

In Closing…

When it comes to making the most out of your online marketing budget, split testing ads is always a solid return on investment.