1The Testing Priority Hierarchy
Test in This Order for Maximum Impact
| Priority | What to Test | Potential Impact | Time Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Product/Service Selection | 100-300% | High |
| 2 | Offer Structure | 50-200% | Medium |
| 3 | Creative Format | 30-100% | Medium |
| 4 | Headlines | 10-30% | Low |
| 5 | Descriptions | 5-10% | Low |
| 6 | Extensions/Assets | 1-5% | Low |
Rule: Work top-down. Don't optimize extensions while ignoring offer structure.
2Priority 1: Product/Service Selection
The Question: What Should We Advertise?
What to Test
- Best-selling vs. full catalog
- High-margin vs. low-margin products
- Different service packages
Why It's #1
Some products perform 3-5x better than others. Advertising everything equally tanks ROAS.
How to Test
- Start with 1-2 best sellers
- Optimize for those products
- Gradually add new products
- Compare performance
- Allocate budget to winners
3Priority 2: Offer Structure
The Question: How Can We Make the Offer More Compelling?
Elements to Test
| Offer Type | Test Variations |
|---|---|
| Discounts | 10% vs 20% vs $10 off |
| Free Shipping | All orders vs threshold ($50+) |
| Risk Reversal | 30-day vs 60-day guarantee |
| Bundles | Single vs "Buy 2, save X%" |
| Urgency | "Ends Sunday" vs no urgency |
| Financing | Pay in full vs BNPL options |
Why It's High Impact
Better offers improve CTR, conversion rate, AND Quality Score simultaneously.
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4Priority 3: Creative Format
The Question: What Format and Channel Work Best?
What to Test
| Test Type | Variations |
|---|---|
| Campaign Type | Search vs PMax vs Shopping |
| Image Style | Product-only vs lifestyle |
| Video Length | 15s vs 30s vs 60s |
| Video Style | Demo vs testimonial vs story |
When to Test Format
After product/offer optimization. Format tests need significant budget to generate statistically valid results.
5Priorities 4-6: Copy Elements
Lower Priority but Still Important
| Element | Impact | What to Test |
|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 10-30% | Value prop focus, question vs statement |
| Descriptions | 5-10% | Benefit vs feature, short vs long |
| Extensions | 1-5% | Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets |
Note: Only focus on these after priorities 1-3 are optimized. Headline testing while your offer is weak wastes time.
RSA Headline Testing
- Use all 15 headline slots
- Include different angles: benefit, urgency, social proof, question
- Replace "Low" performing assets monthly
- Pin only when you have strong data supporting it
6Test Duration Guidelines
Minimum Test Requirements
| Test Type | Minimum Duration | Minimum Conversions |
|---|---|---|
| Product selection | 4+ weeks | 30+ per product |
| Offer structure | 2-4 weeks | 50+ per variation |
| Creative format | 2-4 weeks | 50+ per variation |
| Headlines | 2 weeks | 100+ total clicks |
| Extensions | 2 weeks | 100+ impressions |
When to Declare a Winner
- 95% statistical significance reached
- Minimum conversions met
- Minimum time elapsed
- Results consistent across last 7 days
When to End a Losing Test Early
- Performance is 50%+ worse than control after 1 week
- Spending significantly more with no conversions
- Clear negative impact on account health