The Power of the A/B Test: Part 1

7 Crucial Elements to Effectively Transform Your PPC Performance

If there is anything you may have noticed about modern day marketing agencies, it’s that we are all ​obsessed with copy. This is no accident. Good copy ensnares the reader and transforms them from a state of mild interest to full-on investigative intrigue. With the ability to find quite literally anything we want with the touch of a button, it is crucial to understand just how important a decent copywriter can be to facilitate the exponential growth of your business.

First Things First: What Exactly Is A/B Testing?

A/B Testing is a method of comparing two different versions of an app, website, article, etc. It is a tactic most commonly used to identify the differences between two opposing choices that face your target audience. Seems straightforward enough, right? Well, despite the obvious need for data analysis, many new businesses tend to disregard the process of elimination by simply posting whatever content they consider cool, informative, or useful without taking the time to review the data that accrues thanks to these posts. This choice isn’t necessarily wrong… but without analyzing the PPC stats for your advertisements, this well-intentioned attempt to prioritize quantity over quality can exponentially reduce the efficiency of your investments.

In short: ​Optimization is key​. If you are not A/B Testing your websites and social media platforms, you’re wasting money that could have easily been invested into more efficient marketing strategies. There is only one way to truly evaluate your marketing campaign once you’ve gathered enough data to get started.

Improving Conversion Rates

For those of you who are new to digital marketing, “conversion” is the process of turning visitors into paying customers. As you work on creating more and more digital content to promote your brand with, it is essential to remember that the purpose for creating an online presence is to increase conversions. Period. ​A/B Testing is by far the most important factor because it allows the process of elimination required for true conversion rate optimization.

With so little time to gather and assess the data acquired, you will need to focus on the most impactful elements of your website, apps, and social media profiles ASAP. There are many effective steps to assess this data… but before we get into that, we will need to review these 7 crucial elements to effectively transform your PPC performance:

1. Headlines and Copywriting

It is a known fact that most human beings will decide whether to continue reading your work within 2-5 seconds, so a good headline is the first crucial element to composing good copy. Your headline will be the first thing people see when they arrive on the landing page for your website. If it doesn’t grab your visitors’ attention ​immediately, you will have zero chances of turning that PPC into a successful conversion.

Many copywriters are direct and to the point with their headlines. Some favor catchy headlines with plenty of alliteration. Your personal style notwithstanding, the headline itself is just the beginning! You never forget the allure of a catchy headline. Once you have their attention, now comes the finished copy itself. Paragraph lengths are the next factor. The flow of the composition is another. There are so many elements to the art of copywriting, it seems a little unfair to summarize it in this way – but the point of the matter is to catch the eye of your chosen audience. A good copy will catch the eye of your readers and ​draw them in.

2. The Call to Action

Once your copy has been composed, the next crucial element would be your call to action. The purpose is to direct your readers to take action now that they have finished engaging with the text of the copy. Most writers choose to cut directly to the point with an offer that looks just too alluring to resist.

If you are not entirely sure how to word the Call to Action itself, try being direct. Changing even one word in your final Call to Action can influence conversion rates significantly. Button color, text color, contrast, size, and the font selected can also contribute to successful PPC performance. If you want to change the background color of the website, kindly refrain from changing the font or link color just yet. It is important to consider changing only one element at a time while preparing your platform for A/B tests. This will ensure a more effective analysis of PPC stats, no matter how small or irrelevant the change may seem.

3. Lights, Camera, Action!

No matter how engaging your copy might be, it is important to note that professional video, sound, and effective use of color palettes are a ​huge factor to modern day marketing as a whole. With so many turning to smartphones in order to view digital media, it is no longer possible to reach every potential customer using SEO-optimized text. Sometimes video ads and infographics are a better lure. Podcasts are another. If you have access to a library of videos and editing software, you may consider investing in the use of A/B video testimonials vs. written ones. Even something as simple as the use of stock images can cause a significant impact on A/B Tests. If you have not yet created a video channel or, at the very least, made use of appealing to audio-visual senses, you will be leaving out a key component to the marketing process.

4. Subject Lines and Depth of Content

Similar to the use of headlines, email marketing relies heavily on the use of subject lines. This element directly correlates to your PPC performance. If one of your subscribers is not intrigued by the heading within seconds, your email will easily end up in the trash. According to recent research from our partners, average open rates range from 25%-47%. Even with a decent subject line, it is very likely that less than half of your subscribers will actually go out of their way to open their emails. When they do, another factor worth keeping in mind is the depth of content used in your emails. Some customers prefer ​lots ​ of information, which may include an overview of your product, testimonials, newsletters, etc. Some might simply want a basic overview of the topic you wish to discuss. A/B Tests can help you determine which use of text may be the most effective for your regular client base.

5. Product and Service Descriptions

Whether your business deals with the sale of individual products or services, many new business owners believe that they should go into thorough detail concerning product descriptions themselves. This is not this case this time. Once your audience has reached point-of-sale, short product descriptions are the most effective. Since customers at this point are already mentally preparing to shop at this point, you will want to create concise descriptions that draw attention to the main highlights about your goods and services specifically. Feel free to test longer descriptions vs. shorter ones to see which version results in improved conversion rates.

6. Reviews and Testimonials

This one is incredibly common, and a highly effective way to appeal to local audiences. It is a known fact that most online shoppers rely on consumer reviews and testimonials before committing to online purchases. Displaying reviews and testimonials from past customers on your website’s landing pages, product pages, and social media can increase conversions exponentially. This could also include any mention of your products and services as featured in published media, as this can create an increased sense of security and trust in the customer who reads through such public praises and proclamations.

7. Landing Pages

Much like the heading originally mentioned at the beginning of this article, your landing page should be considered in much the same way. Its purpose is to convert users to investigate your brand now that they have arrived on the scene. Your presentation should be welcoming, clear, streamlined in its design, and should leave your audience feeling drawn to whatever offers you choose to have featured. If they are not, you have failed to design an effective landing page and therefore lose that potential sale.

Words Have Magic, So Choose Them Wisely

Now that you know where to begin, it’s time to prepare for the testing process! Apply these 7 crucial elements to your work. Choose which factors you want to test out first. Our next article will cover ​how to effectively transform your PPC performance using the data collected from your first series of A/B Tests.