PPC Testing: How to Conduct PPC Tests for Desired Results

Looking for ways to improve your PPC campaigns and achieve your desired results? Continuous testing and optimization are the keys to driving traffic effectively to your website. But with so many elements to consider, it can be challenging to know where to start.

Luckily, you’re in the right place! In this blog post, we’ll provide you with comprehensive guidance on how to conduct tests for PPC campaigns that will help you maximize your ROI and enhance your online presence.

Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a larger company, these valuable insights will help you improve your PPC game and stay ahead of the competition.

What is PPC Testing  

PPC testing, more commonly referred to as “A/B testing for PPC,” essentially means taking one element of your advertising campaign and conducting different trials to see which performs better. 

PPC testing showing ads covers many aspects that can affect your ad’s success, such as the language used in the ad copy, the keywords targeted, who you’re targeting, and even the landing page to which potential customers are taken. You can experiment with diverse ad versions, features, and configurations to ascertain what works best with your target audience. 

Why is A/B Testing for PPC Important? 

PPC ad testing can be incredibly insightful, allowing you to assess whether your ads are performing optimally and if they’re worth the money. Through PPC ad testing, you’ll have access to trends from successful campaigns that can serve as templates for future ones. 

By conducting A/B testing, businesses can view the results of various ad elements and make informed decisions about optimizing their campaigns. This helps them to understand which components are making a lasting impact so that they can focus on improving those areas for maximum efficiency.

3 PPC Testing Methods

A/B testing is a good way to improve and optimize PPC campaigns, but three other methods can be used to test PPC campaigns.

Drafts and Experiments

Test and refine your Search campaigns with this two-pronged testing strategy. Create a “mirror image” of the campaign you wish to change by utilizing Campaign Drafts. Then, use Experiments to compare results before applying these changes to your original campaign.

This is an efficient way for businesses to understand what modifications may have the greatest impact on their campaigns to increase visibility and conversions. After you finish your draft, convert it to an experiment and select the percentage of traffic you want to use for the test and how long you want the test to run.

You can use this method to test different aspects of your campaigns, such as:

• Ads
• landing pages
• match types

Additionally, you can see how the following bidding variables affect your results:

• bid amounts
• modifiers (device, schedule, geo-targeting)
• strategies (eCPC, Target CPA)

Scheduled A/B Tests

While manual-scheduled A/B tests can be beneficial in certain circumstances, such as when drafts and experiments won’t suffice due to their potential to impede campaigns from competing with one another, these are specifically useful since the tests will alternate instead of happening at once.

Running tests for search terms that require query composition alterations, such as negative changes and different match types, is critical. With this testing, you can investigate the structure, bidding, and features of your Google Shopping campaigns and evaluate how they will perform in various scenarios.

Schedule your campaigns to prevent cannibalization and decouple them from seasonality. To perform manual A/B tests, duplicate your campaign. Change one element and then use the campaign settings to share hours between the two versions.

Before/After Tests

Before/after tests are incredibly useful for examining feed components’ performance. To maximize the effectiveness of this evaluation, it is essential to establish a firm control group to determine if any performance improvement is due to seasonal or budget factors or the result of your experiment.

Pre/post-testing is the way to go when it comes to time-consuming or complex changes, such as:

• product titles
• Images
• Prices

By conducting this type of test, you can measure the relative change between your control group and your test group – which proves especially useful when trying out different variables in Google Shopping.

Working With the Data from Your Ad Tests

Businesses should leverage the data from their PPC testing ads to determine which ad variations performed best and make informed decisions on adjusting their campaigns.

Analyzing the data from tests allows businesses to identify trends, uncover insights and make adjustments that improve their campaigns’ efficiency, resulting in increased visibility and conversions.

When examining the data from your PPC tests, it is essential to focus on key performance indicators such as cost per acquisition (CPA), click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates. Use this information to identify what works best for your campaigns and which elements need improvement or optimization.

Taking Action After Ad Testing 

Once you have examined the data from their PPC tests, you can use the insights to test different variations of your campaigns and make adjustments that improve performance. It is important to continually test and optimize PPC campaigns to stay competitive and achieve desired results. 

Some of the most common changes businesses make after testing include the following: 

• Refining target keywords 
• Adjusting bids and budget allocations 
• Adding additional ad copy variations 
• Testing different visuals 
• Tweaking landing page content. 

In addition to making changes based on the data from PPC tests, you should also invest in PPC software to monitor and analyze your campaigns. This will allow you to identify trends, optimize campaigns, and ensure that your ads perform as expected. 

3 PPC Testing Ideas for Your PPC Account  

Running tests and experiments to optimize your PPC account is essential for achieving desired results. Here are three ideas to consider when testing your PPC account: 

Ad Copy Testing 

The click-through rate (CTR) is the essential indicator when testing ad copy, as it demonstrates which version of the advertisement encourages readers to visit your website. To acquire an accurate analysis of what’s successful and needs improvement, you must conduct multiple tests on various components within your ad copy. 

Through this practice, you will be able to refine and amplify the performance of your ads. Try testing these things within your ad copy if you want better results. 

The Delivery of the Offer  

When crafting your ad headlines, it is essential to ensure that you are creating a message that captures the attention of potential customers. To discover which method will be most effective for generating clicks, consider experimenting with different wording in your ads. For instance, try out different versions, such as “10% Off” or “$15 Off”, and track the results of each variation to determine what works best! 

 Sense of Urgency  

Convincing customers to purchase products with a sense of urgency is one successful method of persuasion. Experimentation and testing are key when crafting ad campaigns, so we suggest comparing lines such as “Limited Time Offer” or “Limited Supply” in your headline for the most effective results. 

Call-To-Action (CTA)  

Don’t add any old CTA to your ad if you want maximum CTR. It is critical to try out several CTAs and see which will produce the most qualified leads. For example, “Buy Now” or “Place Your Order” are great places to start, as they can provide a good contrast that may result in more beneficial results. 

Landing Pages Testing 

Once you have successfully grabbed a user’s attention and they click on your advertisement, utilize landing page experiments to decide which page maximizes conversion rates.  

You can segment this process into two distinct classifications. The first option is to modify the existing landing page, whereas the second is to redirect visitors toward a different website inside of yours.   

Modifying Your Existing Landing Page 

As you analyze the performance of this PPC ad, your goal should be to identify a single amendment– no matter how subtle– that will maximize conversion rates. As such, you may need to design and construct an optimized landing page to capture users who click on the advertisement. 

This mini-site can include helpful information like product descriptions, pricing details, or FAQs alongside a straightforward call-to-action (CTA). 

 Use a Redirect to Send Users to Another Page on Your Website 

If you’re looking to maximize the return on your paid traffic investments, split-testing various landing pages is essential. Incorporate product and service pages, special offers, a shopping cart, or a booking form page into your tests – even try redirecting users to the homepage! By doing so, you can determine which option yields better results. 

Ad Extension Testing 

Ad extensions have the potential to give a noticeable boost in CTR and pageviews. However, that only happens if you use the right attachments and review each extension carefully. Furthermore, companies with apps should experiment by adding an ad extension; this could potentially increase downloads.  

 Maximize Your Ad Performance with Sitelink Extensions 

Display links below your ad that redirect viewers to specific pages on your site. Evaluate the success of these extensions by testing different site URLs and copy variations, just as you would for ad copy and landing pages. 

 Highlight Your Product’s Value with Structured Snippets 

These extensions appear below your ad copy but don’t have clickable links. Use them to showcase your product’s features and benefits. Test different combinations of features and benefits and the order in which they appear. 

 Boost Your Ad’s Appeal with Price Extensions 

Display a set of clickable “Rates From” links at the bottom of your ad. Experiment with different price points and formats for various products and services, such as “no-name golf t-shirts” versus “no-name round necks.” 

PPC Testing Tools

The right PPC testing tools can help you optimize your ad campaigns and make smarter decisions that will increase conversions. Here are some of the effective tools available for testing ads users:

Semrush

All-in-one digital marketing toolkit for SEO, PPC, content, and social media marketing. It provides keyword research, competitor analysis, and site audit features.

Google Ads

A popular online advertising platform where businesses can create and run ads to reach target customers. It offers a range of targeting options and flexible bidding strategies.

Optimizely

Allows businesses to experiment with different website designs and personalization, using A/B testing and multivariate testing. It helps enhance internet user experience and conversions.

Google Analytics

Google’s web analytics service monitors and provides website traffic reports. It helps businesses understand the behavior of their website visitors and improve their online marketing efforts.

Spyfu

A competitor analysis tool for PPC and SEO campaigns. It provides data on keywords, ad spending, and competitors’ advertising strategies. This helps businesses gain insights into their competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.

Adalysis

Created to amplify the performance of Google Ads campaigns, this technology is a must-have for any business looking to optimize its marketing efforts. It offers automation, ad copy testing, and performance tracking.

Opteo

Automates day-to-day optimization tasks and provides actionable insights to help improve PPC performance. It saves time and increases efficiency for businesses running Google Ads campaigns.

PPC Entourage

It offers features such as campaign optimization, keyword research, and performance tracking, helping businesses improve the visibility and profitability of their Amazon products.

Stay Ahead of the Competition and Optimize Your PPC Performance Now!

Take your PPC campaigns to the next level today and gain an edge over your competitors. Explore our PPC campaign management services and benefit from our team’s expertise and industry-leading tools.

Whether you need to conduct experiments, optimize your ads or landing pages, or simply require professional guidance, we are here to help. Get in touch with us to get started on your path to outstanding results!