LinkedIn lead conversion rates are three times higher than other ad platforms. With over 830 million members of professionals and business decision-makers, running B2B campaigns on LinkedIn should get you conversions. The smarter way to get the most out of your efforts on the platform is by A/B testing LinkedIn ads. So, how to A/B test LinkedIn ads? This is what we will cover in this article. So, let’s get started.
How to A/B test LinkedIn ads?
Here are 4 simple steps to A/B test your LinkedIn ad campaign:
Step 1 – Change a single variable for each test
Step 2 – Decide which variable to test
Step 3 – Decide on a budget and duration for the A/B test
Step 4 – Analyze the A/B test results and run the best performing option to maximize the ROAS
Steps to creating effective A/B tests for your LinkedIn ads explained:
Change a single variable for each test
Choose one ad to be an ‘A’ ad. This will be your primary ad and the ‘control group,’ so it should have worked well in the past. This could be because it displays the messaging well or includes keywords that have been proven to be most effective in the past.
Decide which variable to test
- Target Audience – Select the location of your target audience. Narrow down your target audience with audience attributes. For example, you can target them by job function, job titles, skill etc. which might influence your ad’s conversion rate.
- Images – Users tend to scan the visuals first, followed by text, headline, and CTA. Traditionally, changing the graphics, such as different images, image sizes, or colors, has the biggest effect when the audience interacts with your ad.
- Ad size – Different ad sizes may produce different results.
- Text – Experiment with different text in the image, headlines, or CTA, based on your target audience.
Decide on a budget and duration for the A/B test
With LinkedIn, you can choose to set a daily budget, a lifetime budget or set both at once. You can set a minimum daily budget of $10 or $100 for a lifetime budget. Your budget option can run continuously without a set end date, or you could choose a fixed deadline for the campaign.
Analyze the A/B test results and run the best performing option to maximize the ROAS
A successful test should produce a significant difference between the two options. Analyze which ad performed well, including cost per click, conversion rates, CTR & which ad did well in meeting the goal and then make additional changes based on the results.
What is an A/B testing ad?
A/B testing ad is a marketing strategy that puts two versions of ads against each other to see which is most effective. Modern marketers know that A/B testing is one of the best ways to optimize ads because it helps to craft a message that your audience engages with. The more you optimize your ad, the more engagement you’ll get and the better chance of converting your audiences to clients or customers.
How does A/B testing work?
A/B testing works by randomly showing two versions of the same ad to different users. One version is the ‘control group,’ or the ad copy already in use. The second version changes a single element. You can change multiple elements, but finding what change made the difference will be harder. This is called multivariate testing. For instance, in one ad, you can have a blue ‘buy now’ button, and the other ad can have a red ‘buy now’ button. After a certain period of time, compare the conversion rates to see which colour button resulted in more purchases.
Why is A/B testing important?
Accurate A/B testing can make a huge difference as you can figure out exactly which marketing strategies work best for your company and product. If there’s a possibility that one variation is working well, then other variations are not required to be promoted. When A/B testing is done consistently, it can improve your results substantially.
Here are a few benefits of running A/B testing:
- Helps you understand your target audience
- Increases conversion rates
- Reduce bounce rates
- Helps you stay on top of changing trends
Best Practices for A/B testing:
- Know your social media goals – You can use A/B testing to move your brand towards goals relevant to your overall business plan.
- Learn the basics of statistics – If you’re familiar with statistical significance and sample size, you’ll be able to interpret your data more confidently.
- Have a clear question in mind – The most effective A/B tests are the ones that respond to a clear question. Ask yourself, ‘why am I testing this particular element?’
- Don’t test too many elements at once – Don’t get carried away experimenting with several items at once. Test one step and then, if necessary, A/B on another step until you get all the necessary answers.
How long should you run A/B testing on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn recommends running any campaign for a minimum of two weeks before ending it. This helps to get some good insights about the campaign. You may run the campaigns longer if you’re getting great results. On the other hand, don’t fall into the trap of letting unsuccessful campaigns run for too long. This can quickly eat your marketing budget.
Key Takeaways
You can run an A/B test on LinkedIn, which shows two variants of your ad to the same audience, and you will see which one gets more clicks, leads and engagement. Running an A/B test on LinkedIn is the most effective way of improving your return. Little variations can bring big impacts on your results, so keep testing and always remember to change only one element at a time in your ad campaigns to achieve clear and conclusive results. By A/B testing your LinkedIn ads, you’ll discover which ad performs best and use your budget better.
