How do you learn from testing media options and formats?

1 Define your goals and metrics

Before you start testing, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect your objectives? For example, you might use impressions, clicks, conversions, or return on ad spend (ROAS) as your metrics. Having a well-defined goal and metric will help you design your tests, analyze your results, and compare your options.

2 Choose your media options and formats

Next, you need to select the media options and formats that you want to test. Media options refer to the channels or platforms where you place your ads, such as social media, search engines, websites, or podcasts. Media formats refer to the types or styles of ads that you use, such as video, image, text, or audio. You can test different combinations of media options and formats to see which ones perform better for your goal and metric. For example, you might test video ads on Facebook versus image ads on Instagram, or text ads on Google versus audio ads on Spotify.

3 Set up your tests and run them

Once you have your media options and formats, you need to set up your tests and run them. There are different ways to test your media, but one of the most common methods is A/B testing. A/B testing involves creating two versions of your ad (A and B) that differ only in one aspect (such as media option or format), and showing them to a similar group of people. Then, you compare the results based on your metric and see which version performs better. You can use tools like Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, or HubSpot to create and run your A/B tests.

4 Analyze your results and draw conclusions

After you run your tests, you need to analyze your results and draw conclusions. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or HubSpot Analytics to track and visualize your data. You can also use statistical methods like confidence intervals or significance tests to determine the reliability and validity of your results. You should look for patterns, trends, and anomalies in your data, and try to explain why they occurred. For example, you might find that video ads on Facebook have a higher click-through rate than image ads on Instagram, and conclude that your audience prefers engaging with video content on social media.

5 Apply your learnings and test again

Finally, you need to apply your learnings and test again. You should use the insights from your tests to improve your media strategy and optimize your campaigns. You should also keep testing new media options and formats, as the market and consumer behavior can change over time. You should always aim to learn from your tests and experiment with new ideas. Testing media options and formats is an ongoing process that can help you achieve your advertising goals and grow your business.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?