How to optimize your Amazon PPC campaigns with split testing

Outbidding rivals on your Amazon PPC campaigns is hard enough, but that’s just the beginning. If you want to put your marketing budget to good use, you need an ad worthy of getting a click. Your Amazon PPC campaign will be most effective if you have a listing that actually converts.

So how do you know what your target shoppers want to see with no room for doubt? 

The short answer is–split testing. Also known as A/B testing, split testing shows two variations of a product image, video, description, etc., to two different test groups to see which performs better. Using the data from a split test, you can optimize the tiniest details of your images and sponsored videos, contributing to PPC success. 

How does split testing work? And more importantly, how does it work for Amazon PPC? Here’s what you need to know. 

How does split testing work? 

Let’s say you’re having trouble deciding between two different product photos as your main image. Photo A is simpler but doesn’t show much; Photo B shows everything included with the purchase but looks slightly cluttered. Which photo should you use? 

There are advantages to both images, and different types of shoppers will prefer one over the other. So the question is, which one do your customers like? Split testing will help you answer this question conclusively. 

In a traditional split test, you show Photo A to a portion of your audience and Photo B to another part of your audience. You then compile data on their behavior to see which photo performs better. Split testing on Amazon happens live, meaning with actual customers, and usually takes weeks to complete.

Split testing on PickFu, an online polling platform, works differently. For one, testing happens outside of the Amazon marketplace with a target audience of your choosing, so there’s no impact on your sales. In other words, you can test your photo options before you launch, potentially saving you money.

Audience targeting on PickFu allows you to select your respondent panel by demographics such as age, income, gender identity, and education, as well as by hobbies or interests. You can even choose to test exclusively with Amazon Prime shoppers.

The results of a PickFu split test come back within minutes or hours in the form of votes and written comments. Not only will you understand which option respondents preferred, but also why.

How to use split testing for Amazon PPC campaigns

All three types of Amazon ads — Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Displays — rely heavily on product visuals and copy, which you can test and perfect with split testing. 

A gut instinct drives many decisions in e-commerce and shopping in general. When shoppers see something in your Amazon ad that appeals to them (images, words, price), they’ll click on the ad, sometimes without even thinking about it. 

Optimizing your PPC campaigns through split testing works best with other PPC strategies for growing Amazon advertising revenue. Use these strategies to give your ads the edge they need in an already competitive marketplace. 

Optimizing your Amazon main image 

Product photography is not just about the image specs but also the content. What you choose to show in your product photos and PPC ads can potentially sway prospective customers or cause them to lose interest. 

You have plenty of options for content. Should you use a stationary photo of the product against a plain white background to show its details or a candid image of the product in action to show how it works? Do you depict only the core item or all the included accessories as well? 

There’s no single product image style that’s “the best.” It all depends on your target shoppers and their tastes. Some people prefer seeing the product in action, while others prefer more sterile backdrops to see the details. 

Instead of guessing which ones your shoppers want, why not ask them? Split testing your main image options lets you know, in no uncertain terms, what your shoppers like and don’t like — even if they can’t put it into words.

With PickFu, you can upload up to 8 images in a single poll. Don’t stop at one split test. Instead, use the feedback from each round of testing. Make marginal improvements to your main image while testing the variations against themselves. 

We’ve found that optimized main images that clearly show the product in use and pictures focused on what’s included in a bundle perform the best.

PPC video optimization

When it comes to PPC videos, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:

1. Keep the videos short
2. Make them watchable without sound
3. Focus on the product in use
4. Show the key features or final results

Split testing can help you refine these and other aspects of a PPC video that are harder to pin down, such as: 

• The flow of the video. What goes in the beginning, middle, and end?
• Comprehension. Does the video and product usage make sense?
• Precise editing. What can be cut?
• Emotional response. How does the viewer feel after watching the video?

An Open-ended poll on PickFu is an ideal format for getting feedback on your PPC video so that you can optimize these crucial areas. Upload the video and ask whether your audience understands it without sound or whether the video includes any information that seems unnecessary.   

Once you’ve identified any weak spots in your PPC video through split testing, you can edit it with the confidence that the final result will hit the mark and help your conversion rate in the long run.

Split testing other variables for PPC campaigns 

Although split testing is most common for visual optimization like product photos and videos, it’s equally effective for perfecting other elements.

You can use split testing to optimize virtually any component of your listing, including: 

• price
• product titles
• product taglines
• product page copy and description
• promotional offers

You can also use split testing to make more informed big-picture business decisions. 

For example, sellers often use PickFu for competitive research or when they’re deciding on products or variations to add to their selection. They’ll run a poll showing different products and ask respondents which one they’d be most interested in buying. 

Split testing: the best strategy for PPC campaigns

Throwing a bunch of money into an Amazon PPC campaign for a poorly performing listing is like putting a motor on a boat with a bunch of holes in it. The question is, how do you know what converts? Guesswork can only get you so far. Even the most experienced seller with the sharpest intuition will miss the mark every once in a while. 

That’s the true value of split testing: it takes something abstract and unpredictable like consumer preferences and boils it down to concrete data. 

By split testing with PickFu, you can revise and perfect all of the creative assets related to your PPC campaigns, then put the final versions against your competitors’ to see which one your target customers prefer. 

Not only will you gain invaluable knowledge to apply to your campaigns and visuals, but you’ll also improve your PPC ad conversion rate in the long term.

About the author

Anthony Cofrancesco is the industry liaison at PickFu. He’s the former owner of Virtuous Graphics, a marketing agency offering Amazon sellers copywriting, graphic design, photography, and videography. He even worked at Amazon early in his career.

This Maryland native is fond of hiking, creating amazing video footage using his drone, and connecting with all types of people from all regions of the world. Catch Anthony on many webinars, podcasts, and speaking engagements on Amazon, creative output, and cross-cultural people management.