How To Split Test Your Facebook Ads

When I started Facebook advertising, I went through a couple of courses. What I learned was that nobody really talked about or explained how to really split test ads.

Split testing is the single most profitable action you can do for your Facebook ad campaigns, yet nobody really tells you how to do it.

First, you have to understand how Facebook Ads really work.

To get started with FB advertising, the very first thing you do is create an ad. It’s very easy. First write your ad, enter your demographics, interests, and bid. You can choose from either CPC or CPM, always start with the former.

When you get to the bottom of the Facebook ad creation page, it’ll ask you to enter a campaign name for this ad. Hit submit, and you’ve created your first ad campaign. Now Facebook unlocks the ad manager to you, where you’ll find a list of your campaigns.

Click on a campaign, and it’ll open showing the ads within that campaign. Basic stuff. First, you should always group similar ads into individual campaigns. Every time you want to promote a new URL or promote your product from a different angle, create a new campaign for the promotion.

This way, you can instantly find out which group of ads are converting best for you by looking at the campaigns. You can use the campaigns to split test groups of ads in any way you like.

Whether you want to create one campaign to split test images, one campaign to split test landing pages; you can do whatever you want. Now while that’s true, there is a general strategy you should follow.

Here are a couple of split-testing tips:

1. Test One Variable At A Time

If you want to split test slowly and carefully, split test one variable at a time. This should always start with your ads. Split test the headlines, the bodies, or the images. One thing at a time.

2. Study The Results

You should always track everything you do differently in your ad campaigns. Often you might find that ad 1 generates 500 clicks with a CPC of $0.10, while ad 2 generates 100 clicks with a CPC of $0.50. Don’t jump to conclusions and stop ad 2; you might find that ad 2 generated twice as many sales as ad 1.

3. Avoid Minor Tweaks

When you start, you should always launch several very different ads. This allows you to gauge what kind of angle works best. With the ads that don’t perform well, it’s usually faster and more effective to create a brand new ad than to make minor adjustments to a low performer.

Here’s The Overall Split Testing Strategy:

1. Create 5 Age Groups To Split Test

Normally, you’ll always find one or two specific age groups convert much higher than all the rest. Identifying the highest converting age group first will allow you to cut out the rest and rapidly boost your ROI.

2. Create 25 Ads

Create 5 different headlines and 5 different images. Create one compelling ad body; the ad body is the least important thing, so always start with the image and headline. Combine the ads together so you have 5×5 = 25 ads.

Use the same targeting for all ads. Now launch the 25 ads in the 5 different campaigns, each campaign with a different age targeting. If you’re unsure about your targeting, you can multiply the test by however many different interests you want to split test. If you want to test 3 different targeting options or custom audiences, simply create 5 campaigns for each.

3. Bidding Strategy

You can start by bidding a few cents under the suggested bid and slowly increase it until you start getting the traffic you want, or you can bid at the high end of the suggested bid to start getting clicks immediately. I like to start at a high bid so I can get results quickly.

4. Review Results & Change Split Test

After running the ad campaigns for a few days or a week (depending on how fast you get a lot of traffic), review your results. Look at which age group is converting the highest and get rid of the 4 others. Focus on the highest converting age group always.

Now switch the split tests to psychographics; these are the interests. Repeat the process, but instead of split testing 5 age groups, you can split test 5 different targeting options. Whether you want to split test single interests or custom audiences is totally up to you.

5. Repeat & Launch New Campaigns

Keep repeating the process until you find your highest converting demographic and psychographic. At this point, all you have to do is launch several new ads each week and split test them against your highest converting ones. You can pause all the ads that convert badly, and focus on the top 5-10 highest converting ads.

In Prosperity,

David Wood

P.S. Leave me your thoughts, comments, and questions below.

Comments

Jessica Green, October 8, 2013, 04:45

David, this article is incredibly insightful. Your strategies for split testing Facebook ads are both practical and actionable. I especially appreciate the detailed approach to each step. Thank you for sharing such valuable information!

Matthew Johnson, October 8, 2013, 05:30

Your post came at the perfect time for me. I’ve been struggling with split testing in my Facebook ad campaigns, and your detailed steps are exactly what I needed. I’m looking forward to implementing these strategies and seeing the results. Keep up the great work!

Olivia Brown, October 8, 2013, 06:15

As someone new to Facebook advertising, this guide is a lifesaver. The way you broke down the process into manageable steps makes it so much easier to follow. I now feel confident enough to tackle my split testing challenges. I can’t wait for the next part where you cover more advanced techniques. Thanks, David!

James Lee, October 8, 2013, 07:00

Fantastic article, David! Your advice on using these strategies to split test Facebook ads is spot on. It’s a more sustainable approach that ensures long-term success. I’ve been using some of these techniques already, but your insights have given me new ideas to improve my strategy. Thank you!

Sophia Martinez, October 8, 2013, 07:45

Thank you for this comprehensive guide on split testing Facebook ads. I’ve always found it challenging to optimize my ads without getting overwhelmed. Your tips are incredibly useful. I’m excited to put these strategies into action. Great work!

Alexander White, October 8, 2013, 08:30

This is one of the best articles I’ve read on Facebook advertising. The emphasis on using effective strategies and avoiding time-wasting activities is a game-changer. It’s a strategy that not only improves ad performance but also ensures long-term success. I’m eager to implement these techniques and see the impact. Thanks, David!

Emily Wilson, October 8, 2013, 09:15

David, your post has given me a fresh perspective on Facebook ad campaigns. The practical tips and step-by-step approach make it easy to understand and apply. I’m especially interested in your upcoming posts on more advanced strategies. Keep sharing your knowledge; it’s greatly appreciated!

Michael Anderson, October 8, 2013, 10:00

Excellent guide, David! Your focus on maintaining control over the split testing process to ensure efficiency is very insightful. It’s an approach that many overlook in favor of quick results. I’m confident that implementing your strategies will lead to sustainable success for my ad campaigns. Thank you for the valuable advice!