A/B testing on Facebook is a very useful tool, and many professionals in Facebook marketing will conduct A/B testing to analyze what type of content the audience likes before placing ads. Not only does practical A/B testing save companies money on digital marketing, but it also allows s digital marketers to accurately target content that users like, improving performance and ROI. So how do you get started with A/B testing? This post will teach you how to use the A/B testing tool on Facebook. Come and learn with me.
What is an A/B test?
A/B testing is an experimental process that compares two versions to determine which is more effective or "better." Sometimes called split testing or bucket testing, A/B testing is essentially a web optimization technique that helps make decisions based on data derived from the reactions of the desired audience.
In marketing, it is usually carried out by comparing two different types of content, whether it is the text of an email, a display ad, calls to action (CTAs) on web pages, or any other marketing medium. These tests can be used to compare any content element, including copy, color, graphics, formatting, keywords, and other elements.
A/B testing is an important process for companies looking to improve the ROI of their digital marketing strategy.
Why You Should Conduct A/B Tests
A/B testing is important because it can help you figure out what works for your particular environment. There is a lot of research looking at what the most effective marketing strategies are in general. General rules are a good starting point, but general best practices don't always fit all situations. By conducting your tests, you can translate general ideas into specific results for your brand.
Testing will tell you the specific likes and dislikes of your audience. It can also tell you the differences between specific audience groups. After all, people who follow you on Twitter may have different preferences than those who follow you on LinkedIn.
You can gain insights from A/B testing regarding any type of content, not just ads. Testing your organic content can also provide valuable information about what content is worth paying to promote.
Over time, you'll gain insight into the content that works best for you on each social media platform. But you should continue to test small variations, even if you think you have a winning formula. The more you test, the better your understanding and the better your content's performance will be.
What Elements to Include in an A/B Test
You can A/B test any component of your social media content, but let's look at some of the most common elements to test.
Post Text
There are many tests you can perform regarding the type and style of language used in social media posts, including:
Post length (number of characters)
Post style (for example, quotes vs. key statistics, or questions vs. statements)
Use of emojis
Use of numbers in posts linked to numbered lists
Use of punctuation
The tone of voice (casual vs. formal, passive vs. active, etc.)
The title and description in the link post preview are visible and important for testing. Keep in mind that you can edit the title in the link preview, so it does not have to be the same as the title on your site.
Call-to-Action Phrases
Your call-to-action (CTA) is another important part of your marketing. This is where you ask your readers to engage. Doing this is critical, so be sure to hone your best CTAs with A/B testing.
Use of Images or Video
While research shows that posts with images and videos perform best overall, it's important to get your audience to test this theory. For example, you can test:
Plain text vs. posts with images or videos
Regular images with animated GIFs
Photos of people or products with graphics or infographics
Video length
Ad formats
Test different formats to see which one works best for your content. For example, in your Facebook ads, a rotating ad may work best for product announcements, but a native ad with a "get directions" button works best when you open a new store.
A/B testing of Facebook ad formats can help you determine which format to use for each type of promotion.
Hashtags
Hashtags can expand your reach, but could possibly annoy your audience or reduce engagement. You can find out with A/B testing.
Don't just test using themed hashtags versus not using them. You should also test:
Multiple hashtags versus a single hashtag
Which industry hashtags drive the best engagement
Hashtag placement in messages (at the end, beginning, or middle)
If you are using branded hashtags, be sure to test against other industry hashtags as well.
Target Audience
This one is a little different. Instead of showing a variation of your post or ad to a similar group, show the same ad to a different audience and see which gets a better response.
For example, A/B testing Facebook ads might tell you that some groups respond well to retargeting ads, but others find them creepy. Testing theories like this can tell you exactly how a specific group of viewers is responding.
Targeting options vary by social media platform, but you can often segment by gender, language, device, platform, and even specific user characteristics such as interests and online behavior. Your results can help you develop campaigns and strategies specifically for each audience.
Profile Elements
This is also a little different. You're not creating two different versions and sending them to different groups. Instead, you should monitor your profiles on specific social media platforms to determine the baseline number of new followers each week. Then, try changing one element, such as your profile picture or bio, and monitor how your new follower rate changes.
Try posting the same type of content and the same number of posts over the weeks you are testing to minimize the impact of the posts and maximize the impact of the profile changes you are testing.
For example, Airbnb often updates its Facebook profile picture to coincide with seasonal events or activities. You can bet that they have tested this strategy to ensure that it helps rather than hurts their engagement on Facebook.
Website Content
You can also use A/B testing to help you make decisions about the content of your website. For example, A/B testing social media images can give you an idea of what works best for a particular value proposition. You can use this information to influence which images to place on the landing page of a relevant campaign.
How to Begin A|B Testing
1. Go to Facebook Ads Manager. Make sure you are logged into your Facebook account when you visit the page. Then, click on "Go to Ads Manager". You will reach your dashboard, which has several tabs: Campaigns, Ad Sets, and Ads. Today, we will work exclusively in the " Campaigns " tab.
2. Select the campaign you want to A/B test. To complete A/B testing, you need to have an existing campaign. However, you can also set up A/B testing when creating an ad. In the second screen of the ad creation process, toggle the "Create A/B Test" button under Campaign Details. Otherwise, if you are not creating a new ad, select the existing ad campaign you want to optimize from the list in the Campaign tab.
3. On the toolbar, click on "A/B Test." Once you have selected your campaign, you can start creating your A/B test. At the bottom of the campaign list is a toolbar. Click on the "A/B Test" button or the beaker symbol, as shown below. Or, depending on the size of your screen, click the "More" button and then click "A/B Test" in the drop-down menu.
4. In the A/B test workflow, click "Start." A pop-up window will appear. Click the blue "Start" button to begin. You can either make a copy of the ad for editing immediately or choose an existing ad that you have already made. For this tutorial, we have selected "Make a copy of this ad". After selecting your preferred option, click Next.
5. Select a variable to test. There are several different options for variable testing, and they are categorized according to the goals of your campaign. The variables are as follows: Audience: This variable will look at how effective the ad is based on the audience you want to reach. For example, you can test different audiences based on region.
6. Creative: Creative A/B testing will focus on the visual assets of the ad. So, if you want to test different images, videos, or rotations, you will select the Creative option.
7. Placement: If you want to test where your ad is most effective on Facebook, you will need to select Placement. This option allows you to test the automatic display position.
Name your test and select the metrics you will use to determine the winner. You can also choose the time frame for the ad placement. When you are done, click on "Copy Ad Set."
7. Edit and publish an alternate version of the ad. On the next screen, you will be able to change the duplicate ad as desired. We recommend changing a variable, such as a single line of copy, image, or another parameter. When you are done, click "Publish" in the bottom right corner. It's all done! You are ready to run the test. You can check the status of the test in the Ads Manager. If you find that you want to go a different route for your A/B tests, there are different options to set them up.
To learn more about Facebook marketing strategies, visit Kaitlyn's post on The SMMU blog.
Resources
Carmicheal, K. (2023, February 23). A/B testing on Facebook: How to do it right. HubSpot Blog. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30893/how-to-split-test-your-facebook-ads-to-maximize-conversions.aspx?hubs_content=www.hubspot.com%25252525252525252525252F&hubs_content-cta=hsg-nav__box-link&_ga=2.100019478.942962160.1682087899-736221844.1682
Newberry, C. (2023, March 1). The Beginners Guide to A/B Testing on social media. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-ab-testing/#What_is_AB_testing
Semrush Team. (2022, December 22). What is A/B testing? when to run an A/B test and why. Semrush Blog. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.semrush.com/blog/ab-testing/
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