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Split Testing Your PPC Text Ads

When it comes to conversion rate optimization and split testing, we often focus entirely on our website and landing pages and often neglect to first test our traffic drivers upstream from our conversion pages.

Although there is no alternative to testing on your own, there is a nifty keyword testing tool called Convertasarus that lets you test different words or phrases before you actually spend a dime on paid traffic.

Enter any thing and let them fight it out to see who wins.

Here’s an example with a bit of my own personal analysis as to the “Why”

In a head-to-head fight of “Free” vs. “Complementary” 

Complementary beats out Free appearing in over three times as many successful ads.

Why is that?

My hypothesis is that “Free” has a stigma of not actually being free, there’s always a catch with free. The word “Complementary” seems more genuine and does not have the same stigma.

But what’s better than FREE?

It turns out that “No Cost” is not only better than “Free” but also even better than “Complementary”  beating out everything by a large margin, with over four times as many successful compared to unsuccessful ads using “No Cost”

Why is that? Well, continuing with my original hypothesis of the “hidden cost” stigma the phrase “No Cost” has a very important psychological element that both free and complementary do not have.

Clarity.

No cost, is utterly clear, in fact you can’t get any clearer then “No Cost” and clear often wins over gimmicks and the clarity of it removes all stigma of ‘maybe there’s a catch’.

But what’s better than the clarity of “No Cost”?

“Free” money is better.

“Save $10 Today” trumps them all.

Why?

Well the hypothesis still holds here.

1. It’s clear, stating exactly what you get and when you can get it, which is even more clear.

2. There is no room for anxiety to creep in and cause you to even think about hidden costs.

So the hypothesis still holds here and by increasing the intensity and clarity we’ve found a new winner.

I encourage you to continue testing, thinking and learning on your own. hop over to convertasaurus.com and see what you can learn, then put it to the test.

Good luck with your conversion rates.

By Bobby Hewitt

Bobby Hewitt is the founder of Creative Thirst. A conversion rate optimization agency for health and wellness companies with a specialized focus in dietary supplements. We’ve helped health clients profitably scale using our four framework growth model validated through A/B testing. Bobby has over 17 years of experience in web design and Internet marketing and holds a bachelors degree in Marketing from Rutgers University. He is also certified in Online Testing and Landing Page Optimization and won the Jim Novo Award of Academic Excellence for Web Analytics. As well as a public speaker and contributing author to “Google Analytics Breakthrough: From Zero to Business Impact, published by Wiley.

2 comments

  1. Nice article! I like your observations on comparing ‘free’ and ‘save $10 today’ and ”no cost’.

    I agree that when it comes to writing copy — clear and specific is usually the best. It’s certainly something we’ve seen with our clients in the past.

  2. James,
    Thank you for commenting. Clarity is key when it comes to increasing conversion yet may people mistake clear for persuasive. I wish more people thought like you, keep up the work you do with 2xConversion.

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