Why You Should A/B Split Test Everything
When you’ve been in the creative and marketing space as long as we, have things can become pretty turnkey. The first subject line that comes to mind is obviously the best one out there. The creative we develop will clearly catch everyone’s attention, and that target audience we developed...we absolutely crushed it. Well, it turns out that isn’t how it works at all. Not every subject line gets all the clicks and not every target audience is spot on. Sometimes what we think is great, isn’t what the consumer is looking for, which is why you must A/B split test everything. I MEAN EVERYTHING.With the number of digital channels out there right now, almost all of them have the ability to split test your campaigns. We can split test subject lines in MailChimp and Campaign Monitor. We can split test target audience, delivery, devices, creative and copy (basically everything you can do on Facebook) through Facebook Business Manager. With AdWords and display ads, we can split test multiple ads at once. With all the options out there, lets dive into why you need to A/B test everything.
You’re Not As Smart As You Think You Are
Ok, that was a bit strong. Let me rephrase that, I’m not as smart as I think I am. I was running an email campaign for TIV a few months back. It was a perfect email. I wrote the copy. It was concise and beautiful. The best part was my subject line was simply immaculate. I loved it. When I came up with that subject line, I laughed, cried and patted myself on the back. When I submitted my campaign to my co-worker, Pam from programming, she suggested we split test the subject line. I couldn’t believe what I just heard! My subject line was going to get all the clicks. There was no need to split test. I knew exactly what I was doing. With that being said, I said, “Sure, what’s the harm in split testing? My subject line will win anyway and then I’ll pat myself on the back again.” Well, it turns out my subject SUCKED. Because the subject line Pam came up with crushed mine. I really do mean crushed. Her subject line got all the clicks and mine didn’t.The point is, what you think your customers will click on could be completely different than what they actually click on. Which is why you should constantly test and give the people what they want. Which brings me to my next point…
Give The People What They Want
Different audiences want different things. They enjoy different images, different contexts, and different content. We simply won’t know for sure what people want until we test different things. Rarely do people get it right the first time. There are an endless number of variables to consider when developing ads on various platforms. It’s best to remove as many variables as possible and test as much as you can so you can give the people what they want!
It Can Help Drive Your Print Advertising
This is a somewhat overlooked aspect of split testing. Before you send that magazine ad to print, you should test the messaging and creative online and see what resonates with your customers the most. That way, you know your ad will have the most impact on your audience. Print advertising can be crazy expensive, so use digital to make sure you have nailed down your brand voice, copy, CTA, and creative first before going to print. Trust me, running with your digital campaign a couple weeks before you roll out the print advertising can save you massive headaches and will let you make last-minute adjustments that you may have overlooked initially.A/B Split testing can be tedious. Making so many versions of the same ad or email is time-consuming, but it is the right thing to do. Finding the right combination of words and images usually doesn’t come on your first attempt. We have to test, test, and test to find what resonates the most with our customers.