Want better Meta ad results? Start here.
Oh hey there,
It’s our favourite time of the week again.
This week, we’re diving into one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing that not enough small businesses use: A/B testing on Meta (Facebook and Instagram). A/B testing helps you figure out what actually works in your ads so you can stop guessing!
If paid marketing is something you haven’t explored yet, don’t stress. We will have plenty of editions in the future to help get you started (or reply to this email with any questions you have!).
For everyone else, please read on…
Source: Mark P. Jung on LinkedIn
How to A/B Test on Meta Ads
Here’s a beginner-friendly framework for setting up A/B tests that actually give you useful data:
1. Choose One Variable to Test
Don’t test everything at once. Pick one thing to compare at a time. Some options are:
- Headline
- Image or video
- Call to action
- Target audience
- Ad copy
- Placement
Keep it clean. Changing multiple things at once = messy data.
2. Set Up Your Test in Meta Ads Manager
Use Meta’s built-in A/B testing tool (called “A/B Test” or “Experiments” under Ads Manager). It’s free and surprisingly easy.
Pro tip: You can also duplicate ads manually and change just one element if you prefer hands-on control.
3. Let It Run Long Enough
Don’t judge results after a few hours. Let your test run at least 3–5 days with a decent budget so Meta has time to learn and optimise.
4. Pick a Clear Success Metric
Before you hit go, decide what matters:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Cost per result (lead, purchase, etc.)
- Conversion rate
- Engagement
This helps you compare apples to apples when the results come in.
5. Analyse, Learn, and Repeat
Use the winning version as your new “control,” then test something else! Test the winner vs. something new, then test again, again and again…
Great marketers are just great testers.
Quick Wins
🧠 Ad Copy Hack: If you don’t know where to start, try testing one ad that focuses on a pain point vs. one that focuses on a benefit. Let us know what wins!
🛠️ Tool to Try: Zapier is the king of all things automations. Got a lead from an ad? Zapier can start a nurture sequence and also add them to your CRM. It can also notify you via email or Slack. We use it everyday and would be so lost without it! Not sponsered 🙂
📅 Quote of the week: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison
Example of the Week
Business: Chief Nutrition
Why it works: This ad grabs attention by addressing a relatable problem: junk food habits. It leads with the pain point, showing empathy and understanding before highlighting the solution.
Takeaway: Start by identifying what your audience is struggling with. How does your product help solve that issue? Focus on the problem first, not just the features.
Got questions or a topic you’d love to see covered next? Just hit reply. We read every message and would love to hear from you.
Talk soon,
Ellena Williams
Co-founder of Mint Soda Marketing
I want to market like a pro
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