How to Write Ad Copy for Split Testing Campaigns

The extremely underwhelming secrets to affiliate marketing are, spend a ton of money, lose a ton a of money, try and figure out why you lost a ton of money, split test like crazy, lose a little less money.

Basically it all comes down to split testing, folks. In order to make (serious) money from affiliate marketing, you have to identify the winning pages that will transform even the most skeptical browser into an optimistic customer. There is no simple, quick, easy, or cheap way to be successful as an affiliate marketer. The “secret” is hard work, and constant optimization through split testing data.

Since split testing is so important, you want to optimize your landing and registration pages the best you can. Obviously how they look, and how fast your load times are will have a huge impact in conversion rates, but the copy can make a big difference too. In many instances, people write their ad copy almost as an afterthought, with all their energy going towards design and development. The copy just kind of gets filled in at the last minute, usually very begrudgingly by a web designer who is kind of over it at that point.

If this sounds familiar folks, you should really show your copy some more love. Despite what people may think, it DOES make a difference in your conversion rates. I’m a copywriter for Instant Checkmate, an online background check company and we do A LOT of split testing. Here are the ad copy tips I’ve learned after writing copy for TONS of our landing and reg pages.

1) All your copy should be written at a 7th grade reading level

So, this was really hard for me to accept. Before I started doing corporate blogging and writing ad copy, I was a (eh ahem) creative writer. But, here you’re trying to appeal to the masses, so anything that sounds creative, smart, or witty might make you feel like a genius, but it will have a horrible conversion rate.

A tool that I always use to make sure my copy is readable is a Readability Calculator.

Look at my editing process. Here is an example of copy that I wrote for a pre-sale page, explaining what a background check is.

Draft 1:

“A background check gathers records from all kinds of public sources to create a complete picture of an individual’s history. A background check is made by comparing the person’s first and last name against information contained in public databases and registries. It includes basic information about someone that was found in public records.”

Draft 2:

“A background check compiles records. These records come from public sources. A background check will show basic information about someone, and give a complete picture of that person’s history. These checks compare a person’s first and last name against legal paperwork. Background checks get information about people that is available in public databases and registries. These documents are called public records.”

Still too long and complicated. So finally we have . . .

Draft 3:

“A background check will show some basic information about someone and give a complete picture of that person’s history.”

The winning copy isn’t the most educated, or sophisticated, or even accurate. It’s simply the shortest, and easiest to understand.

2) Throw everything you learned about grammar out the window

Basically fragments=good, and complete sentences=too long and boring. You want short, sound bite like sentences that will be easy to remember, and effectively communicate one idea. If you don’t already, start tweeting consistently. Composing a tweet is very similar to how you would approach writing copy. It’s good practice!

Also, when writing your reg pages, always write in second person “you” and “your”. Nobody cares about you or your company, so talk to the consumers directly, and keep your copy entirely relevant to what benefits them.

3) Sometimes it doesn’t even have to make sense. It only has to be seductive.

This applies more to PPC marketing, but it’s still an interesting tip nevertheless. For a long time, one of our media buyers had a winning headline that he couldn’t beat, and none of us could figure out why, because it made no sense. Our “winner” was “Arrest records: 2 Secrets” What? It makes no sense, but it sounds somewhat intriguing. People sure do love to click on it.

4) Give some technical details

Even though most people won’t always no know what it means, giving a little taste of technical details creates trust, and establishes you as an authority. On the reg page, show off some techie flair that will get them intrigued enough to let themselves be funneled into your reg page. Before they know it, they’ve gone and signed up. Score!

Technical details enhance your overall description, make you more credible, and

5) In the end, the headline is most important

If you do a lot of content marketing, you already know how important it is to have a winning headline. Creating “high energy” emotions in people is a great way to get them to take action. High energy emotions include anger, anxiety, awe, and of course, humor.

For a criminal background check service, a great headline for us would be “Did You Know There Could Be Sex Offenders in Your Neighborhood?” Avoid headlines that induce “low energy” emotions like sadness. You certainly don’t want to simply make people depressed. Get them fired up and passionate about your product.

About the author

Jessica Ruane is a copywriter for Instant Checkmate. Check them out on Google+ or Twitter to read more of her articles.

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Codrut Turcanu
I am a business growth marketer and blog post writer who specializes in turning underperforming blogs into client magnets for SEO agencies. Trusted by Shane Barker, Flying V Group, Ahrefs, OptinMonster, Serplines and 50+ other clients. Priorities: Faith. Family. Finances. Connect with me via LinkedIn and X (Twitter)

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