Developing PPC testing strategies

PPC advertising is as much about experimentation as it is about strategy. Without testing, you’re essentially guessing which elements of your campaigns resonate most with your audience. But how do you test effectively, to provide the most meaningful data for your campaigns?

In this article, we’ll explore what testing means in PPC, what you should test, and how to implement effective strategies like A/B and multivariate testing. Read on to be fully equipped to optimise not just your ads, but your entire PPC strategy, from landing pages to keywords.

• What does testing mean in PPC?
• What should you test in PPC campaigns?
• Effective A/B testing for search ads
• Optimising your landing pages through PPC tests
• Analysing and interpreting PPC test results
• Building a long-term PPC strategy

What does testing mean in PPC? 

Testing in PPC involves running controlled experiments to improve the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Once you’ve set up a campaign, analysing what is most effective can feel like a challenge, because there’s so much data to consider. Testing your campaigns is one way to avoid overwhelm. It’s a systematic way to identify which elements, including ad copy, keywords, bidding strategies, and more, deliver the best results.

The benefits of testing include:

• Improving ad performance: Discover what resonates with your audience.

• Maximising ROI: Allocate your budget to high-performing elements.

• Adapting to market trends: Stay relevant by continuously optimising campaigns.

What should you test in PPC campaigns? 

Your PPC campaigns can be split into multiple elements, all of which can be tested in various ways to see what brings in the best results. Here are a few of the most dominant elements that will have an impact on your campaign performance, and some of the best ways to start testing for each:

• Ad copy: Experiment with different headlines, descriptions, and calls-to-action (CTAs). The results will show you what really resonates and connects the most with users.

• Bidding strategies: Test manual vs automated bidding or different bid levels. Automation can help with larger campaigns and sometimes uncovers surprisingly useful keywords in the process.

• Audience targeting: Identify the most responsive segments by testing demographics, interests, and behaviours. The results from these tests can help you refine your targeting, and inspire future campaigns aimed towards niche segments.

• Keywords: Test broad match, phrase match, and exact match to find the optimal keyword strategy. Your keyword match type can transform your campaign, so this is a useful way to discover more from your existing keywords.

• Ad formats: Experiment with search ads, video ads, or shopping ads. There are new ad types and formats evolving every year, so this is a way to experiment with the most cutting-edge options in PPC.

Effective A/B testing for search ads

One of the best starting points for anyone looking to optimise their ads through experimentation is A/B testing. Here’s how it works, and how to get the best results from your first tests.

What is A/B testing?
Simply put, it’s a method to compare two ad variations to identify which performs better. You can A/B test a plenty of elements of an ad, depending on what you change.

For example, you could test headline copy, two different videos, a bespoke landing page or a call to action (CTA).

Steps to set up A/B tests

• Define your goals, such as increasing CTR or conversion rates.

• Create two variations with a single change that will enhance your performance towards your chosen goal, e.g., headline A vs headline B.

• Run the test for a significant period to gather reliable data. (We’d recommend at least 30 days to really get accurate results that you can trust.)

• Evaluate the results based on KPIs like CTR, conversion rate, and CPA.

Best practices

• Ensure only one element is tested at a time. This keeps things simple and is actually the fastest route to testing multiple elements.

• Use equal budget allocation to avoid bias. You don’t want to accidentally skew your results.

• Pause underperforming variations promptly to optimise spend. This cuts to the chase and prevents you from wasting your budget unnecessarily.

Multivariate testing 
Once you’ve mastered the basics of testing it’s time to take things up a level. A more dynamic and advanced test that we’d recommend running alongside A/B testing, is multivariate testing.

What is multivariate testing?
Multivariate testing is a method to test multiple variables at once to understand how different combinations impact performance. 

It’s ideal for complex campaigns, such as shopping or video ads, where multiple elements (e.g., visuals, CTAs, and copy) are at play.

How it differs from A/B testing While A/B testing can check in on one element of your campaign at a time, multivariate testing provides insights into how elements interact, making it more suited for advanced campaigns.

Optimising your landing pages through PPC Tests 

Beyond the ads themselves, the most efficient PPC managers understand the importance of landing pages in their overall PPC strategy. Specifically, the domino effect that a strong landing page can have on your PPC strategy.

As a result, it’s best to test your landing pages, as they play a valuable role in your overall campaign performance. In a nutshell, landing pages are critical for converting clicks into actions. Aligning landing page content with ad messaging improves user experience (UX) and increases conversions, as users are more likely to buy from a landing page that reflects the ad they initially clicked on.

What to test on landing pages?

• Headlines: Test the clarity, length, and tone of your headlines to find what connects with users.

• CTAs: Experiment with button text, colour, and placement. Different CTA’s can transform the performance of two otherwise identical ads.

• Layout: Assess variations in design and navigation. Even minimal UX changes can have a real impact.

Best practices

• Use PPC-specific landing pages tailored to each campaign.

• Ensure mobile optimisation for seamless experiences across all devices.

Analysing and interpreting PPC test results 

Once you’ve tested multiple campaigns and landing pages, you will have amassed a huge amount of data. But how do you process this data into meaningful insights into your campaigns? It’s time to focus on the metrics that are the most useful to your campaign, based on your marketing goals and objectives.

Evaluate using KPIs

• CTR: Measures ad relevance and appeal.

• Conversion rate: Indicates how effectively clicks turn into actions.

• ROAS: Determines campaign profitability.

Key steps for analysis

• Compare test results to benchmarks or previous campaigns. It’s useful to know what you’d want your results to be in an ideal situation.

• Identify trends or outliers that indicate underperforming elements. These could be more than just anomalies.

• Use these insights to refine future campaigns and make adjustments to your existing ads.

Building a long-term PPC strategy 

Testing is at its most effective when it becomes a consistent part of your long-term strategy. Here’s an overview on how to create a PPC strategy that allows you to maintain that consistency, whilst leaving space to adapt and change as the industry develops over the coming years.

Take a systematic approach
Testing isn’t a one-time activity; campaigns evolve with market conditions and business goals. A long-term strategy ensures continuous improvement. You need to create a system that becomes a part of your daily PPC management.

Key elements of a sustainable testing strategy

• Establish regular testing schedules that cover all elements of your campaign.

• Document your results and learnings for future reference.

• Incorporate testing into every stage of the campaign lifecycle, from initial setup to ongoing optimisation.

Adapt to changes

• Stay ahead of industry trends, such as the impact of privacy regulations and AI on PPC.

• Regularly revisit and update testing methodologies.

In Conclusion

Testing is the backbone of successful PPC campaigns. By following the steps outlined above, you’ll be ready to make informed, data-driven adjustments to your existing campaigns, plan future campaigns with accuracy and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

By maintaining a consistent level of testing across your PPC management, you are future-proofing your efforts. So start experimenting today and let the data lead you to your most informed and optimised campaign to date.

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