Facebook Split Testing: A Quick-Start Guide

Facebook recently released a split testing feature that allows you to test different versions of your ad or ad sets within your existing campaigns without having to create a campaign specifically for split testing. The split test feature will divide your audience into non-overlapping groups, which helps ensure that the test is conducted fairly and that each ad set is given a fair and equal chance in the auction. It fills a need advertisers have lacked for years in the Facebook platform.

Getting Started

To begin, simply duplicate an existing ad set and pick the below option:

Once complete and launched, the ad sets running the split test will be indicated with the icon below:

Variables You Can Test

Delivery Optimizations
Target Audience
Placements
Creative
Products Sets

Ideas to Split-Test

Optimization Events

Ad set optimizing for conversions vs. link clicks
Ad set optimizing for link clicks vs. landing page views
Ad set optimizing for view content conversion event vs. add to cart conversion event
Ad set optimizing for add to cart conversion event vs. value
Ad set optimizing for add to cart conversion event 7 day click / 1 day view vs. add to cart conversion event 1 day click or view

Audiences

Lookalike audience based off of purchase pixel
Lookalike audience based off of Facebook pixel customer value
- Note: this is a new feature where Facebook creates a lookalike based off of your high-value customers. It uses conversion events like purchase to dynamically identify these customers to create stronger-performing lookalikes.
Demographics: Men age 21-30 vs. men 31-40
Top 25% of site visitors last 30 days vs. last 30 day site visitors

Viewing Your Results

Once there is enough data to report on your test, you’ll receive a notification in Ads Manager. Facebook will help determine which test won and will provide you with a confidence level in the results. You can further look into the results of the test by clicking on “View Results”: