Syntax and Format Testing

After you test the big ideas, turn your attention to the little things that can make a big difference:

  • Order of lines: If you're highlighting the benefit on line 1 and explaining a feature on line 2, try switching the order of the two lines.
  • Synonyms: Try variations of your benefits: simple/easy/quick/no sweat.
  • Capitalization: Does capitalizing the first letter of every word increase clicks and conversions? Or perhaps no capitalization at all makes your ad stand out from the rest?
  • Punctuation: Most people read by hearing the words spoken in their heads. You can use punctuation to make those words more melodic and persuasive. Figure 14-8 shows what happened when Howie used a comma to put the emphasis on You rather than Instead:

Figure 14-8: In this split test, a comma quadruples the CTR.

image

The ad with the comma is four times as effective as the other one. There's no way to predict such a profound effect; without testing, you would never know. With testing, you can market like a genius by following the advice of the only person who's qualified to give it: your prospect.

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