There is no rulebook to reply which advert practices drive the maximum revenue. And then, in lodge to examination, publishers switch between ad types or sizes to see which ones become more impressions. Or, they simply go with their gut. The outcome? They never get empirical information on what actually works and what doesn't.

Advertizement testing is a form of A/B testing, i.eastward., the comparing of functioning betwixt two variants. But that's non limited to but the advertizing type (for the publisher), or, for example, the colour of the CTA button (for the advertiser). In ad tech, the scope of testing has far expanded from apparently testing. Testing conventions have changed and publishers at present take granular data to make mindful decisions.

Different types of testing, on different elements and parts of a website, empower publishers with the data they demand to grow. Each test has a unlike aim, simply a common goal一to increase advertising revenue. For example, an A/B test betwixt two advertizement sizes might aim to achieve more advert impressions. While an A/B test between static and dynamic ad types may target improve CTR.

There are many testing ideas which publishers can execute to discover out the best results for themselves. Just whatever the case, the thumb rule is that publishers have to test. Let's move forth and discuss some ad testing ideas which may aid publishers get started.

1. Ad Format Testing

What to test: Which ad type/format gets better CTR.

How to test: Once you lot are sure which folio and advertising format/type yous want to experiment on, start by creating variations. For instance, if your folio has a brandish advertisement placed in the sidebar, endeavor putting a variation of a text advertising on the same spot to see if it makes a difference on click through rates.

testing ad formats

If you are new to testing, it is advisable to experiment on a folio with relatively little traffic, that manner y'all can get the insight yous need to brand a decision without disrupting annihilation. For case, a month erstwhile blog is a better option compared to an older, loftier-traffic website that is already generating revenue.

two. Advertisement Size Testing

What to test: Which advertizement size/dimension gets the most impressions.

How to exam: At that place are certain ad sizes that are proven to get good results, like the leaderboard (728×90) and modest rectangle (300×250). However, depending on the website layout, the performance of these sizes may vary. For example, a bully website with more emphasis on white spacing should compliment a bigger ad size like 970×250, just below the navigation. On the other manus, for a website with more than number of click points and attractions, a 729×ninety placed above or betwixt the content might work.

ad size testing

Testing with ad sizes is highly dependent on the website layout. The present spacing on your website should give you a visual agreement of what advert size tin fit where without hampering the UX.

3. Advert Placement Testing

What to test: Which ad placement/spot gets meliorate CTR.

How to test: As nosotros know, the man middle naturally scans from left to right. Based on this cognition, content is kept on the left side of the webpage and ads to the correct. The downside is that now users tin easily predict where the ads exist, and mentally tune them out, which affects CTR. Hence, to test, y'all tin can identify the ads towards the left, in alignment with the main content. Brand sure not to overlap the content.

ad placement testing

Another case is, if you are experimenting with above-the-fold ads, brand sure the intent of the page remains above-the-fold. Case, if a site offers a resource to download, ensure that the CTA is to be found above-the-fold. Poor ad placements can exist tricky and prove hazardous to the advertizement revenue. Consider referring to some resource guides which give you a heads up on the do's and don'ts of advertisement placements.

4. Advertising Layout Testing

What to test: Which ad combinations generate better revenue.

How to exam: Testing one advertising size vs. another or one advert format vs. some other is easy. But what near the whole layout? Using advertizing layout testing tools, it is possible to create variations of unabridged ad layouts with specific combinations of unlike advertising formats, sizes, and placements.

ad layout testing

Layout testing tool gives you the power to create variants and compare functioning on a website level. This is just like running tests between versions of webpages, or email collecting sign up confined, or exit intent pop ups—but on a bigger scale. The winning advert combination gets majority traffic, driving up the acquirement.

five. User Device Testing

What to test: Which ad variation gets ameliorate impressions/CTR on which device.

How to test: Ordinarily, it is salubrious to keep track of device-wise traffic, owing to changing trends in device usage. In 2018, 52.ii% of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile. Past 2019, 63.four% of mobile phone users will access the Internet from mobile. Tools like Google Analytics help continue track of device/traffic divide. Here's where testing starts. For example, you lot might receive 10K users from mobile in two weeks and 8K users from desktop in the aforementioned duration. This ways that your mobile traffic has surpassed your desktop traffic, and hence your mobile ads need closer attention.

user device testing

Focusing on device-wise ad testing is too related to the website targeting y'all do. When you target an audience by the device (e.g. mobile), of course yous'll become more traffic from at that place. Hence, experimenting with ad formats and sizes makes more than sense on that particular device. Going in depth, there's farther segmentation inside devices like device make, viewport size, OS, browser, etc. which create a broader telescopic for testing.

6. Advertizing Colour Testing

What to examination: Which text advertising presentation gets amend CTR.

How to test: Text ads are plain ads which blend in with the webpage and are known to achieve meliorate click through rates compared to standard display ads; especially for content-rich websites/blogs. If yous are an AdSense publisher, the dashboard gives you lot the choice to choose and fix the mode for text ads, including the colors and font family used.

adsense ad unit
ad unit variations

Text ads are known to be subtle. They are not flashy, but yet they are able to grab user attention due to its text-like appearance. To make the most of text ads, you tin try to play with the color and presentation to see how well it works for your website. Don't forget to exam variants.

Some More Testing Considerations

Ads prove effective when everything works well, including design, content, layout, and UX. Here are some things publishers must consider to make their ad experience more successful.

1. Webpage Layout

You may take conducted tests on ad formats, sizes, placements, and layouts. Merely is your website gear up to benefit from advert testing? Tools like Optimizely and VWO can help yous run efficient A/B tests for the content on webpages, with the ability to help you create webpage variations.

This is similar to using ad layout testing tools to create ad layout variations. These tools automatically send traffic to the more constructive variations, giving you the insight you need to make on-page improvements.

2. Content Blazon

Nosotros know that users come up to a website in search of useful content. Hence, it won't be new communication to say that 'you demand to optimize your page content.' Here'southward how the content and advertizing bike runs一users come to the website, appoint with the website while reading, ads load and receive impressions till the user is on the webpage, impressions (and clicks) add to your ad acquirement.

You can exam which content type works improve for yous, due east.g., listicles, long-form content, resources/guide, or illustrations. The aim of testing out content is to achieve a better date charge per unit, gauged via metrics like session elapsing or time on site. This method tin can as well be effective in planning out your long term content strategy.

iii. Ads by the UI

Sometimes, testing the website layout or content type may non exist your immediate priority. In such cases, you can test advertizing blazon, size, and placement based on the existing UI. For example, if your website gets more engagement on its above-the-fold department considering of videos, you can try using pre-roll or rich media ads in that section.

Similarly, if your website has infinite scroll enabled, a sticky advert would do wonders. Spend some time analyzing the characteristics of your website and find the right ad spots and ad types that you can experiment with; if testing the entire UI is non a possibility.

4. Browser/OS

According to Wikipedia, the worldwide market share in May 2019 for Chrome stood at 69.09%, followed by Firefox at 10.01% and Safari at 7.25%. Your users could exist anywhere. Tools like Google Analytics provide yous browser traffic split for your visitors telling you lot which browser is the most used by your users.

Using that data, yous can conduct browser-wise ad testing to optimize operation. Yous can also cheque if yous all your ads are rendering properly across all browsers. For instance, your website and ads may appear distorted on Chrome merely may appear fine on Mozilla Firefox.

v. Advertizement Networks

Testing amongst advert networks or demand sources may not sound as creative equally experimenting with ad sizes, formats, or placements. However, demand being one of the most important factors in revenue, information technology is wise to test which advertisement network helps generate the almost revenue for your inventory.

Ad networks similar AdSense, and many others, give y'all the selection to work with multiple ad networks simultaneously. The network-wise yield reports give you a clear insights which advertising network is worth investing in, and which is not.

Types of Testing

A/B testing is the beginning thing that comes to nigh people's minds when they hear "testing." Simply at that place is also multivariate testing which allows publishers to exam between more than 2 variants. Hither are the 2 types of testing forth with their pros and cons:

A/B testing: Besides called divide testing, it allows you to create a main Control Unit and a Variation to test against it. An existing command unit may already have a statistical baseline. That data could be a benchmark against which you tin can run the variation and compare performance. In A/B testing, simply ane variation is tested, which gives a clearer understanding of how changes touch on results.

Pro: One time you have some tests running, you tin expand to multiple tests. For example, afterward command unit of measurement A (300×250) vs variation B (300×600), you can further compare variation B (300×600) with variation C (728×xc), and and so on.

Con: In a continuous procedure, manual A vs B testing tin can exist slow and laborious. That is where automated A/B testing and optimization tools come to the rescue.

Multivariate testing: As the name suggests, multivariate testing allows you to experiment with more than two variants simultaneously. For instance, withad size beingness the parameter in A/B testing, yous may compare the functioning of A vs B, and then C. In multivariate testing, you can examination A vs B vs C with multiple parameters like ad size, placement, and type at the same time.

Pro: The ability to run multiple tests at the same time saves effort.

Con: With so many testing parameters, sometimes in that location tin be likewise much data at disposal, which makes it difficult to describe conclusions.

Why Testing is Advantageous

Continuous testing expedites performance results and solves some common publisher issues. Here are some of them:

  1. Everything publishers do is to eventually increase advert revenue. Successful testing helps publishers grow CPM/CTR, which straight impacts the advertisement acquirement.
  2. Comparison data between variations gives publishers the insights they demand to make a better website and run improve ads, thereby improving user experience.
  3. Testing inside ad formats and ad placements helps combat banner blindness. It occurs when an existing advertisement layout becomes predictable and users consciously or unconsciously ignore ads, resulting in CPM and CTR turn down for publishers.
  4. Testing gives access to actionable information and insights. This helps publishers take proven decisions instead of risking for a striking-and-trial method.
  5. Publishers seek better command over the ads they run and optimizations they do. Different types of advertizing testing give them proper monitoring and control over data and decisions.
  6. Manual testing may be effective but it's also time-consuming. With growth in ad tech, publishers now have access to tools that automate the advert testing making it more than efficient.

Bad Testing Habits to Avoid

Testing may be fun, effective, and potentially profitable. But overdoing it tin can backfire. By now, if y'all have already idea of a rough advertising testing plan for yourself, here are some points you need to remember outset:

  1. Keep calm and requite testing the time it needs. It would be incorrect to expect substantial data with two days of testing
  2. Don't endeavour to over-optimize. You lot might take N number of things to test. Merely, testing them all  at once volition make it harder to ascertain which test or parameter actually atomic number 82 to success.
  3. Run tests, but non at the cost of user experience. Information technology is fine if you get through a design overhaul or a complete revamp. But make sure you always keep user experience in mind.
  4. What worked and then may not work at present or afterwards. Testing results are based on users' responses to changes. But since traffic volume and user behaviour keeps changing, the advertizing test that may accept worked wonders for you three months ago may not bring the same results at present.
  5. Don't run advertizing tests randomly and blindly. After reading a few articles (including this one), you may get a few ad testing ideas. Only it is advisable that you lot outset peep into your historical data to run across if such tests accept been performed before or not; if yes, what touch did they have.
  6. Run the correct tests at the correct time. Testing may sound fun, but yous wouldn't desire to run a exam at a fourth dimension that it would backfire, east.thousand. if December is your highest revenue calendar month, you would probably want to stick to your existing setup to avert uncertainties.

Wrap Upwardly

Google Ad Managing director (DFP) allows exam creatives and other ad testing functionalities that can help publishers understand their inventory ameliorate.

Advertizement testing has helped publishers witness an increment in page RPM and CPM by every bit much every bit 41% and 77.iv% respectively. Though the results for different publishers depending on the utilize case e'er vary. Whether yous choose to exam manually or by using automation tools, regularly or occasionally, the conclusion is that testing should be the rule, not the exception.

For example, without testing you might never observe out that a small rectangle could bring you lot a better CTR than a leaderboard. Moreover, testing helps y'all ascertain your long-term strategies as a publisher.

Similarly, if you lot have proven data that X ad blazon drives the highest attention and engagement for you, you tin can modify your inventory accordingly to receive better bids from advertisers. These days, getting started with an ad testing plan is much easier. In that location are tools and advertizement ops professionals who do the legwork on your behalf, while y'all get to monitor the functioning and focus on your growth.