Scientists don't try to be right.
They try to learn something TRUE.
Your Marketing campaign isn't "content." It's a TEST.
Here's exactly how to run said test:
STEP 1️⃣: Write Your Hypothesis in This Format
Use this exact formula:
"If we [change], then [metric] will [increase/decrease by X%] because [reason]."
Real examples:
"If we add customer logos to our landing page hero, conversions will increase 15% because social proof reduces risk."
"If we change our CTA from 'Learn More' to 'See Pricing', click-through will increase 20% because we're qualifying intent earlier."
"If we target CMOs instead of VPs, CPL will drop 30% because decision-makers convert faster."
Write yours down.
STEP 2️⃣: Change 1 Variable (Here's What That Looks Like)
Pick exactly 1:
CREATIVE TEST:
Keep: same audience, same landing page, same offer
Change: headline OR image OR video OR copy length
AUDIENCE TEST:
Keep: same ad creative, same landing page, same offer
Change: target a different job title OR company size OR industry
OFFER TEST:
Keep: same audience, same creative
Change: demo vs. free trial OR pricing displayed vs. hidden
That's it. If you change 2+ things, you learn NOTHING.
STEP 3️⃣: Set Your Numbers (Fill in This Template)
BEFORE you launch, write this down:
Current baseline: [X%]
Success threshold: [Y%] (needs to be at least 15-20% lift to matter)
Sample size needed: [Z impressions/clicks/conversions]
Test duration: [# days to hit sample size]
Example:
Current baseline: 2.1% CTR
Success threshold: 2.5% CTR (+20%)
Sample size needed: 1,000 clicks minimum
Test duration: 7 days at current traffic
No fuzzy "let's see what happens." NUMBERS.
STEP 4️⃣: Set Up Your Control
In your ad platform:
- Duplicate your existing campaign
- Label it "CONTROL - [Campaign Name]"
- Launch your test as "TEST - [Variable] - [Campaign Name]"
- Split budget 50/50
- Run them at the SAME TIME
Don't compare this week to last week. Compare them side-by-side.
STEP 5️⃣: Track These Metrics Daily
Create a simple spreadsheet with these columns:
| Day | Control CTR | Test CTR | Control Conv | Test Conv | Control CPA | Test CPA |
Update it every day.
Watch for: Is the gap widening or staying flat?
STEP 6️⃣: Kill It or Scale It (Use This Decision Tree)
After your test duration:
IF test beat control by 15%+ → Scale it to 100% budget
IF test matched control (+/- 10%) → It's neutral, try a different variable
IF test underperformed by 15%+ → Kill it, document WHY it failed
Don't let tests "run indefinitely." That's not testing. That's procrastinating.
STEP 7️⃣: Document What You Learned (Use This Template)
After every test, fill this out:
HYPOTHESIS: If we [X], then [Y] would happen because [Z]
RESULT: [Metric] changed by [%]
WHY IT WORKED/FAILED:
- Top performing segment: [audience characteristic]
- Drop-off point: [where people left]
- Unexpected finding: [what surprised you]
NEXT TEST: Based on this, we'll now test [new hypothesis]
Example:
HYPOTHESIS: If we use founder voice in ads, CTR increases 25% because authenticity builds trust
RESULT: CTR increased 31%
WHY IT WORKED:
- Top segment: 26-35 year olds (40% higher than other ages)
- Drop-off: Landing page didn't match ad voice
- Unexpected: 60-second videos beat 15-second videos
NEXT TEST: Match landing page copy to founder voice in ads
