Testing Different Strategies To Optimize Your Display Campaigns

By Author: Alex Meakin
Total Articles: 1
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Display advertising is one of the most polarizing channels in the digital space; for various reasons marketers either love it or hate it. In the case of the latter crowd, when they notice a campaign is underperforming, their reaction tends to be quick to shift to, “Turn it off; it’s not working.” However, one of the greatest advantages with display is the range of options you can control, which can be roughly divided between the following three groups:

1. Media
a. CPM/CPC
b. Sites
c. Placements
d. Targeting:
i. Demographics
ii. Geographic
iii. Behavioral
iv. Contextual
2. Creative
a. Size
b. File type
i. Static
ii. Rich Media
c. Color
d. Content
e. Call to action
3. Landing Pages
a. Page
b. Layout
c. Colors
d. Call to action
e. Content
f. Element Size

It’s important when launching a new campaign, that an advertiser should set specific goals. By setting these expectations, the progress being made toward these objectives then determines where ...
... any optimization efforts are focused. For example, if the campaign is delivering clicks and has a strong click through rate (CTR), but is not generating conversions, the advertiser should focus on landing pages, particularly if conversion is a goal that is trying to be achieved.

Testing strategies also play a considerable role in campaign optimization. Whether testing different offers in a banner, the images on a landing page, or the button size for a call to action, these strategies allow advertisers to pinpoint which messages resonate with the target audience and which messages need to be revised. However in order to receive the most accurate data, when setting up such tests, it is important to isolate one element for each test. An advertiser should not test multiple variables at the same time (e.g., testing the form alignment and button size on the landing page). Keep in mind the data will not be able to indicate which specific facet provided the lift to the campaign and not be helpful when trying to identify what needs to be revised.

With so many aspects to examine, it’s best to keep it simple. Identify which variable will make the biggest impact and focus on that element first. After the campaign flight has ended, you can then take the learnings from that test and apply them to the next campaign. Continue to test and optimize your display campaigns and your performance will gradually increase.

Search Optics Inc. is a leader in digital marketing solutions for the automotive industry. Search Optics’ automotive digital marketing services include custom websites, search engine optimization, paid search and mobile solutions that generate leads which result in sales opportunities. Search Optics specializes in car dealer marketing and automotive SEO services.