Conducting split tests is an integral part of successful traffic arbitration on Facebook. It is especially important to conduct such tests when working with longreads, that is, articles or posts with a large amount of text. In this article, we will look at how to properly conduct split tests when arbitrating traffic on Facebook in the longrid format and give examples from practice.
What are split tests and why are they needed?
Split tests are a technique in which several variants of advertisements are tested to determine the most effective. This allows you to improve advertising indicators, such as CTR (click-through rate), CR (conversion rate) and ROI (return on investment).
Conducting split tests is especially important when working with longreads, since such posts require more attention and time from users than short posts or advertising banners. Therefore, to make sure that your longrid works as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to conduct split tests.
How to conduct split tests when arbitrating traffic on Facebook in the longrid format?
1. Determine the purpose of the test
Before you start testing, determine what exactly you want to test. For example, you can check which title works better, which text attracts more attention, or which CTA (call-to-action) gives the best result. Determining the purpose of the test will help you focus on important aspects and draw more accurate conclusions.
2. Create several variants of the longrid
Create several variants of the longrid with different titles, texts and CTA. Do not forget that each option must be unique and have its own characteristics. For example, you can change the title, add new illustrations, or change the order of text blocks.
3. Determine the audience and budget of the test
Determine the audience to which your longrid will be shown, and the budget of the test. You can choose different audiences for each variant of the longrid, or use the same audience for all variants. It is important to determine the test budget to make sure that you spend the same amount on each option.
4. Run the test
Run the test and give it time to collect enough data. Usually, to get reliable results, you need to get at least 1000 impressions and 100 clicks for each option.
5. Analyze the results
After the data set, analyze the results and determine which variant of the longrid showed the best results. Pay attention to metrics such as CTR, CR, and ROI and compare them for each option. Also pay attention to the comments and user reviews to understand which version of the longrid caused more interest and engagement.
Practical examples
Example 1. Testing headers
One of our clients, working in the tourism sector, decided to conduct a split test to determine the most effective title for his longrid. He created two versions of the title: \"10 best places to stay in Europe\" and \"Discover Europe: 10 best places to stay\". Each option was shown to the audience during the week, while the same amount of money was spent on each option.
According to the test results, it was revealed that the second version of the title showed the best results: CTR increased by 25%, and CR by 15%. In addition, users left more positive comments and reviews for the second version of the title.
Example 2. CTA testing
Another client of ours, who works in the field of electronics sales, decided to conduct a split test to determine the most effective CTA in his longrid. He created two CTA options: \"Buy now\" and \"Learn more\". Each option was shown to the audience during the week, while the same amount of money was spent on each option.
According to the test results, it was revealed that the first variant of CTA showed the best results: CTR increased by 20%, and CR by 10%. In addition, users were more likely to go to the product page and make a purchase when the first version of the CTA was used.
Conclusions
Conducting split tests when working with longreads on Facebook is an important tool for optimizing advertising campaigns and improving performance. Defining the purpose of the test, creating several variants of the longrid, determining the audience and budget of the test, running the test and analyzing the results - all these steps will help you determine the most effective variant of the longrid and increase the effectiveness of your advertising.
