Get ready for the peak PPC season with these 5 essential tests to run
As the slow season comes to an end, smart PPC marketers are using this time to prepare for the peak season. Whether you’re in retail, B2B, or any other industry, there are five essential tests that can help you get ahead of the competition and maximize your results when the demand is high.
1. Channel diversification tests
When choosing a new channel to test, it’s important to consider how effectively it can help you reach valuable users and where the right people spend their time. Depending on your company’s size and goals, you can weigh the pros and cons of niche platforms with great targeting and intent versus bigger platforms with more reach and less precise targeting.
Finding the budget for these tests is crucial. If your brand or client has a test budget, that’s ideal. However, if not, consider shifting the budget from the same stage of the purchase journey. For example, if you’re looking to build awareness and want to test Reddit, assess how spend on platforms like GDN is performing to see if you can allocate funds from there without impacting your revenue too dramatically.
The timing of these tests is flexible, but the goal should always be to learn. If demand is relatively low and direct response is soft, it’s a particularly good time to test up in the funnel. Use the information you gather from these tests to leverage success during the peak season.
2. Landing page and CRO tests
The slow season is also a great time to tweak your existing landing pages or launch new ones to improve user experience and conversion rates. By analyzing data from your ad platforms or conducting cross-channel assessments, you can identify which landing pages need attention based on impact and opportunity.
Start by testing the higher-impact variables such as copy above the fold, a layout that delivers impact at a glance, different types of social proof, form fields and copy, and different CTAs. To get clear insights, duplicate your landing page and run A/B tests between the new and old versions. This approach minimizes the risk of performance dropping if you’re testing riskier changes.
3. Seasonal creative and offer tests
While there’s only so much advanced testing of seasonal creative you can do, you can test how different specials, promotions, and CTAs resonate with your users. Look for different opportunities to run seasonal PPC promotions based on specific holidays or industry-specific spikes. Consider the academic calendar or enrollment period to schedule tests outside of high tide and gather learnings to leverage later.
4. Incrementality testing
One of the most valuable testing initiatives during slow times is incrementality testing. This involves testing segments of your campaigns to see if they’re actually driving the return you think they are or if users in those segments would be engaging or purchasing without seeing your ads. Holdout tests and geo tests are effective methods for incrementality testing.
Holdout tests involve creating groups that do not receive your ads and measuring their performance against groups that are seeing your ads. Geo tests, on the other hand, suppress specific geographic areas to measure the performance of those areas compared to areas still getting served ads. Successful learnings from these tests depend on identifying the right variables, comparing similar segments, and having enough data density to make informed decisions.
If your campaigns aren’t as incremental as you’d like, consider reallocating spend for greater impact. Moving funds away from direct response and focusing on building brand awareness and reputation can be a long-term strategy.
5. Default settings testing
Take the slow season as an opportunity to check and adjust your default settings. Turn off any settings that give the advertising platform power to expand your campaigns. This is especially important for smaller brands or those without sophisticated analytics setups. Even for brands with robust measurement systems, the slow season is a good time to do some on/off testing to measure the effects and optimize campaigns.
Preparing for high-demand periods
While it’s tempting to relax during the slow season, PPC marketers who run these tests and analyze the results will have a significant advantage when the peak season arrives. By utilizing these essential tests, you can gather valuable insights and leverage them to maximize your results. So, get ready for the peak PPC season and set yourself up for success.
