🧠 Luck is NOT an actionable metric

Welcome back to the 57th edition of Nord Media

A few years ago, I had this ad that I knew would crush it. 

Everything about it was amazing

The visuals were sharp,

The copy was clever, 

And it all came together perfectly.

I was certain it would pop off. 

Maybe even be our best creative yet.

And then launch day came around and I was brutally humbled. 

 Silence. 

Watching it flop was gut-wrenching.

It was at that moment I learned one of the most valuable lessons in my career:

Never trust your gut alone.

You have to test.

Testing is how you’ll create bangers every single time. 

So today, I’m sharing our proven frame to test creatives

When done right, it can take your ideas from mediocre to magnetic.

Let’s get into it.

What Is Creative Testing?

Creative testing is a data-driven process that helps predict how well an ad will perform in the market. 

It’s how creative teams make sure they’re putting their time and budget into ideas that deliver real results.

Think of it like your progress in the gym. 

You don’t just randomly pick weights or exercises and hope for the best—you track what works, adjust your routine, and build strength over time. 

Creative testing is no different.

It requires refining your ads, testing what resonates, and ensuring every element pulls its weight before scaling.

This guide will walk you through how to help you create ads that don’t just look good but perform even better.

Identify What’s Missing

Here’s where most marketers slip up: 

They jump straight into testing without knowing where the real opportunities lie. 

Before you even think about running experiments, take a step back and do a gap analysis.

Ask yourself:

• Are you using the right ad formats for your goals?

• Is your budget allocated to the highest-impact areas?

• Do your creatives actually resonate with your target audience?

This is your chance to pinpoint weaknesses and uncover untapped potential. 

This aligns your ads with your bigger-picture strategy. 

When you know exactly what’s missing, your creative testing becomes sharper, your results more meaningful, and your decisions smarter.

Creative Variables to Test

Most marketers think A/B testing means swapping out a headline or tweaking a CTA.

But there’s SO much more you can experiment with, especially when it comes to creative elements.

Testing can feel tedious, but it’s the secret sauce for finding what works. 

Ultimately, it will save you a TON of time, money, and the headache of wondering why something flopped.

Here are creative variables worth testing:

Images

• Test different subjects: people, products, abstract designs, and text-based visuals.

• Experiment with sizes and orientations (landscape, portrait, square) to see what performs best.

• Compare static images with animated GIFs or short videos.

• Use images that evoke emotions like happiness, surprise, or nostalgia—see which sparks the most engagement.

• Test real photographs against illustrations or graphics to find what resonates.

Colors

• Compare single-color schemes with multicolor designs to see which grabs attention.

• Test vibrant, bright colors against darker, muted tones.

• Experiment with background colors while keeping other elements consistent.

• Try different colors for CTA buttons or text—the right one can boost click-through rates.

• See how gradient color schemes perform compared to solid colors.

Headline Copy

• Test different tones: formal, casual, humorous, or urgent.

• Compare headlines with numbers or statistics against ones without.

• Try posing a question versus making a statement—questions might prompt more clicks.

• Experiment with direct, clear headlines versus indirect ones that hint at the content.

Descriptive Copy

• Compare storytelling-focused descriptions with direct, to-the-point text.

• Test including customer testimonials or reviews to build trust and drive conversions.

• Experiment with detailed product descriptions versus a broader overview to see what resonates more.

CTAs

• Test different phrases and urgency levels to see what drives action.

• Experiment with CTA placements: beginning, middle, or end of your ad copy.

• Try different button shapes—round, square, or rectangle—and track the clicks.

Landing Pages and Forms

• If your click-through rate is high but conversions aren’t, test different landing pages. A simpler, clearer page might win.

• Compare pages with detailed descriptions versus quick explanations.

• Change up the layout or form design to see if it improves conversions. If people aren’t filling out the form, it might be confusing or too long.

Why A/B Testing Is Worth the Effort

A/B testing isn’t the most glamorous part of marketing. 

It’s not like you’re going viral for tweaking CTA colors. 

But it works. 

They’re worth the grind (and the occasional headache).

Data-Driven Decision Making

You know what’s risky? Trusting your gut. 

You know what’s not? Trusting the data. 

• A/B testing gives you cold, hard proof of what works and what doesn’t. 

• Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to strategies backed by real-world performance.

Optimized Performance

Think of A/B testing as the gym for your ad campaigns—you’re fine-tuning and building them up to perform at their peak. 

• Better click-through rates? Check. 

• Higher conversions? Double-check. 

Improved Audience Understanding

Ever feel like your audience is an enigma wrapped in a mystery? 

A/B testing is like cracking the code. 

• It reveals what your audience actually wants (not just what you think they do).

• You can speak their language and make your ads feel tailor-made for them.

Cost Efficiency

Testing is your budget’s best friend. 

Why waste money on ads that flop when you can figure out the winners early on? 

By finding the best-performing options, you can focus spend where it counts and get more value from every dollar.

A/B testing takes effort, but the payoff is worth it. Plus, it’s a lot easier to explain a budget decision when the data has your back

Closing Thoughts

Creative testing will be your foundation for building campaigns that truly connect and convert. 

By understanding what works (and just as importantly, what doesn’t), you can refine your strategy, align your ads with your audience, and ultimately, achieve better results with less wasted effort.

Sure, it takes time and patience, but the payoff is worth it.

More efficient spending, smarter decision-making, and ads that actually deliver. 

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress.

Keep testing, keep learning, and watch your campaigns evolve into something remarkable.

Until next time, keep pushing boundaries and challenging norms. 

Let’s make those ads work harder for you. 

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Thank you for reading! I appreciate you.

Sincerely,
Kody