People Are Strange, So Test Your PPC Ads!
To achieve the highest click-through rates for your PPC adverts, you need to ensure that your ad copy is laser-targeted and then conduct more testing than a Korean nuclear scientist. And then, once you have finished testing, you need to test some more.
You see, we are all smarter than Einstein’s underwear, but we actually have no idea which ads will really perform until we have tested them. I have lost count of the times I have been shocked that the ad I thought would underperform blasted the CTR’s of the other ads out of the water. This is because, in the words of Mr Jim Morrison, ‘People Are Strange’.
How Do I Test My PPC Ads?
This is how I do it:
I always run 4 ads per adgroup (making sure that with Adwords, your campaign settings are set to ‘rotate’ and not ‘optimise’), initially to find the best performing of the 4 and then to use that ad as my ‘control ad’.
Then, I duplicate the control ad another 2 times so that 3 of the 4 ads being rotated are my control ad, with one new ad being tested. I do this because if the new ad being tested bombs, it will only account for one quarter of impressions. I then replace the new ad and keep testing. Once a new ad out-performs my control ad, that ad becomes the control ad. Then, I continue to do this happily ever after.
You will be amazed at how well this works, and how it gradually increases your adgroups CTR.
If you aren’t doing this or something similar, you are a dunderhead, but I don’t mind because it leaves higher click-through rates for the rest of us!
Hmm. Your tips sounds pretty easy to follow unlike other pros who like to give out the mumbo-jumbo too much. Thanks for sharing this!
That’s a very cool approach. I really like the idea of testing 3 to 1, so that the campaign can remain profitable while you’re testing new ads. Will definitely give this a try. Thanks for sharing!
It’s really Good information, i have one question here about control ad?, can you explain from where i can find this in adwords?
Thanks!
Het Shah
The control ad is simply what I call the best-performing ad, or ‘champion’ ad.
Your control ad should simply be the ad that has historically performed the best. This then acts as a benchmark to be beaten.
I hope this helps…
Hey,Really A Great Post!!!!!!
The title is perfect and the subject matter is wonderful!!!!
Looking for more post!!!!
Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!
I read somewhere that some SEO professionals also use this technique to test the number of actual searches a keyword gets, before going all in with a huge SEO capmaign. Is this a good idea?
This is a great post, your tips are easy to follow
The full line from the song is “People are strange when you’re a stranger”. I think this speaks to another issue about online marketing. In addition to testing your ads, you must not forget the importance of not being a stranger to your site or blog, but frequently update it with new, meaningful content to keep people coming back.