With the right expertise and support, split testing becomes an ongoing process that continuously improves your campaigns, ensuring your ads are always performing at their best
Split testing is one of the most effective ways to optimise your Google Ads campaigns and improve performance.
Also known as A/B testing, it allows you to test different versions of your ads to see which ones resonate most with your audience, leading to better click-through rates (CTR), more conversions, and ultimately, a better return on investment (ROI).Â
But for many business owners, split testing can be time-consuming, complex, and, if not done correctly, can lead to wasted ad spend, which is why our clients partner with us to make the process easier and more effective.
Why Split Testing Ads is Crucial for Your PPC Success
When it comes to digital advertising, testing is everything. Without testing, you’ll be guessing what works – and that can lead to missed opportunities and unnecessary ad spend.Â
Split testing helps you eliminate guesswork by providing data-backed insights into what resonates with your audience, and there are lots of good reasons why it should be a priority in your PPC strategy:
- See where leads are coming from
Split testing enables you to see the elements of your marketing offer that are working as part of your conversion journey. You can see the elements and tactics that actually drive leads or sales into your business – so you can do more of them – and the elements that aren’t working, which you can avoid in future. - Maximise budget
Running ads without testing is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. Split testing helps you find the ads that perform best, ensuring that your ad budget is spent on what works. When you run A/B tests, you’ll have a clear idea of which headlines, ad copy, or calls-to-action (CTAs) are driving the most conversions, and you can focus your budget on those winning variations. - Increase Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The more engaging your ad, the more likely people are to click. Split testing allows you to experiment with different headlines, descriptions and offers to see what drives the highest CTR. By refining your ads based on testing, you can attract the right audience and encourage more people to engage with your business. - Improve Quality Score
Google Ads uses Quality Score to determine how relevant and effective your ads are. One of the key factors influencing Quality Score is your ad’s CTR. By improving your CTR through split testing, you not only boost your performance but also improve your Quality Score, which can lead to lower costs per click (CPC) and better ad placements. - Audience insight
Split testing provides a wealth of insights into what your audience likes and dislikes. Through testing different messaging, you can learn what appeals most to your target market and use that information to refine your approach. Experimenting with different value propositions, ad formats, targeting options… split testing gives you the data to make informed decisions.
How Split Testing Works
The concept of split testing is relatively simple: You create two or more variations of an ad and test them against each other to see which performs better. Here’s a quick breakdown of the split testing process:
1. Choose what to test
Start by selecting one element of your ad to test. It could be:
- Headlines: Try different headlines to see which one grabs attention.
- Descriptions: Test various ad copy to understand which message resonates best.
- Calls to Action (CTAs): Experiment with different CTAs, like ‘Call Now’ vs ‘Learn More’.
- Display URL: Test different URLs to see if a more relevant or appealing URL drives better results.
2. Create variations
For each element you’re testing, create two or more ad variations. For example, you could create one ad with a headline focused on a discount and another with a headline focused on free shipping. Make sure each variation is distinct enough to see clear differences in performance.
3. Set up your test in Google Ads
In Google Ads, you can set up your test as an ad rotation under the ‘Experiments’ tab. Google will automatically serve the different ad variations to users and track the results.
4. Analyse the results
After a sufficient amount of data has been collected, analyse which ad performed best based on your goals (eg highest CTR, highest conversion rate). Make sure to give the test enough time to gather meaningful results and avoid making conclusions too early.
5. Implement learnings
Once you’ve identified the winning ad, use that knowledge to create more high-performing ads and continue refining your strategy. Don’t stop there – advertising is an ongoing process, and further split testing will help you continuously improve.
Why use an agency for split testing
Split testing is a powerful tool, but it’s not without its challenges. Setting up and running tests properly takes time and expertise, and doing it wrong can lead to wasted spend and missed opportunities. Here are some of the key reasons our clients say they choose to partner with us for split testing:Â
- Freedom from time and resource constraints
Running tests on your own can be time-consuming, especially if you have multiple campaigns to manage. We take the burden off your shoulders, running tests efficiently and regularly so you can focus on running your business. - Test design expertise
Creating meaningful split tests is both an art and a science. We know best which elements to test and how to design tests that will give you clear, actionable data because of our in-depth experience of designing, executing and analysing A/B tests that will actually move the needle for your business. - Ensuring tests are statistically significant
A common mistake in A/B testing is jumping to conclusions too early. Without sufficient data, your test results may be skewed. We have the experience to ensure that the tests are run long enough to be statistically significant, so you can trust the results. - Ongoing optimisation
Split testing shouldn’t be a one-time activity. To truly optimise your Google Ads campaigns, you need to test regularly and adapt your ads based on what you learn. We are set up to continuously monitor, test and optimise your ads, making sure you’re always moving in the right direction.
Talk to us
Partnering with us to manage your split testing means you’ll get access to expert knowledge, ongoing optimisation, and reduced risk of wasting ad spend. Get in touch with us today, and let us help you optimise your Google Ads campaigns for better results.