Localogy Insider invites experts in a field relevant to our community to share practical advice on how to do the business of local better. In this ExpertTake, Tiger Pistol‘s Laura Kraay offers the first of a three-part series on best practices for creating Facebook audiences. Last week, Part I of the series covered the different types of Facebook audiences.
If you’re worried your social media ads are getting stagnant, an A/B test can provide a needed refresh. Running two ads that have only one varying element can offer valuable insights about what is working (and what’s not) as well as inform strategy for future social campaigns.
A/B Testing: When in Doubt, Test it Out!
A/B testing can be particularly helpful when determining audience. For example, if your goal is to grow your audience base, you could try targeting a lookalike of website traffic against a broad/detail targeting audience. The broad audience will help you continue to establish your customer base and the lookalike will help ensure some of your ads are also directed at users similar to your best customers.
Perhaps you’re still waiting for your Pixel data to gather? Try testing media and move to the audience later. In a world of endless customization, A/B testing offers a low-pressure scenario to freshen up your campaigns and learn more in the process.
Online retailer Sole Society wanted to compare how the square image format performed compared to a traditional landscape format. The ad featured the same pair of black boots. They learned that the square image outperformed the rectangular one and delivered a 27% increase and sales and 32% increase purchased products. For future campaigns, they could now feel more confident in selecting square images.
When trying to decide what to test, focus your goal on what you ultimately want to learn. Perhaps you want to sell more products, get more in-store visits, or simply want to more fully understand a particular aspect of your business. Stepping back like this can help you examine which of Facebook’s tools may work best for your needs.
Stay on the lookout for the final post in our Best Practices for Facebook Audiences series. I’ll share how to create audiences that comply with Facebook Special Ads Categories.
