Are You Split Testing Your Ads?

Does this sound like someone you know?

A new product or service comes out at the business, and everyone is excited. The marketing guy/department places an ad and all of the sudden… nothing. No calls, no sales, nada.

This can be caused by several problems, but here is the biggie…

Problem number one, the message to market match is off. When you place an ad, who is going to see it? Are you speaking to them or in general? Depending on where the ad goes, it might need to be worded differently because the person reading may not believe the ad is for them and their problem.

There are tons of places to get the market data. Once you know who your audience, and more importantly, buyers are then you can dig in and figure out where they are hanging out online and off. You can find them by using Audience Insights on Facebook, providing some basic demographics and finding out what they like. It’s like having mind reading ability. Seriously, Google “Facebook Audience Insights” (not right now) and watch their videos about it.

You can also use websites like Alexa.com, Quantcast.com and other to find sites that have your demographic as their main visitor. Finally, you have found where your market has been hiding!

Now you need to write an ad that speaks to them.

Here is what not to do:

Get Your Taxes Done Today, only $19.95, call now…

While the ad does give a benefit, get taxes done (weak), qualifies with a price (19.95), and has a call to action (call now), it is a weak ad. Who is it for really? And how many other ads are saying the same thing?

When you know who your audience is, you can speak to them.

Here is something a little better:

Attention Chicago Women Age 36-43. When You File Taxes This Year Don’t Forget This New Tax Update! Get A Free Review Now Before You Lose Thousands! Call…

This ad spoke to the demographic, told them what they were going to do, and offered a way to help with a call to action. Is that a great ad, not the best, but I think you get the point. Develop your message to match your audience.

Now for the fun part… Split Testing!

Instead of runnnig one ad with the hope and pray tactic, run two, or three even, and find out which one gives you the most calls or actions. When you determine a clear winner, that becomes your control and you create two or three more very similar to that one to see if you can beat it.

Things to test in ads are: Headline, Imagery, Copy, and Call to Action. This will take a little practice to get good at, but once you do, it’s like printing money, making it rain in the hay field, and… well you get it.

Now get to work!