6 Copywriting Tests Marketers Should Run To to Reduce CAC

Hey Ad Monster Slayers.

Hope you find this one useful.

A short-form ad copywriting glow-up, a mental model to help your write better headlines, and a deep-dive on how to reduce CAC with effective copywriting tests.

Let’s get into it.

Ad Monster 101: Lead With A Stat

Numbers draw the eye, and are more memorable than text alone. But don’t stop there. Is the USP obvious in the original ad? Nope. It tries to be too clever. Instead, set up the USP. “Why would cows recommend milk? Oh that’s why.”

Steal this formula: 

{%} of {relatable entity} recommend {brand} for {people like you}.

OK, But What Does The Science Say?

• Headlines with numbers tend to generate 36% more clicks than headlines without numbers.

• Using statistics in headlines can increase click-through rates by up to 217%.

• Ads with statistical evidence have a 63% higher likelihood of increasing purchase intent.

• 8 out of 10 people read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.

OK, But What Do The Experts Say?

The Curiosity Gap

Create intrigue in headlines that leave out just enough information to make the reader want to click through. Clickbait-y, yes. Effective, hell yes.

Imagine you have a box with a surprise inside it, but I won’t tell you what’s in the box just yet. You’re really curious now, right? You really want to know what's inside because you can’t see it. That feeling you have, that "I really want to know!" feeling, is what we call the curiosity gap. It’s like when someone starts telling you a story and then stops, and you can’t wait to hear the rest. 

Advertisers use this trick by giving you a little bit of interesting information but not all of it, so you feel like you need to find out more. 

Examples:

• "The one ingredient that will revolutionize your cooking. Find out now!"

• "5 simple tricks to lose weight fast. Number 3 will shock you!"

• "Experts are calling this the investment of the decade. See why."

• "The secret to boosting your productivity is not what you think."

• "Discover the little-known method to learn a language in just 30 days."

Remember, the key to using the curiosity gap effectively is to provide just enough information to pique interest, while withholding the crucial details. This encourages the click, to fill the gap in knowledge that has just been created.

Steal these formulas:

• The Secret Formula: "Discover the secret {product} that {respected entity} use to {desirable outcome}."

  •  Example: "Discover the secret ingredient that top chefs use to create amazing dishes."

• The Shocking Revelation Formula: "{number} shocking reasons why {common belief} is wrong. Number {number} will surprise you!" 

  • Example: "5 shocking reasons why your diet isn't working. Number 3 will surprise you!"

• The Insider Knowledge Formula: "Industry insiders reveal the {number} things you need to know about {topic}."

  • Example: "Industry insiders reveal the 3 things you need to know about investing in real estate."

• The Sensory Promise Formula: "Experience the {sensory adjective} {product} that will {desirable outcome}."

  • Example: "Experience the mouthwatering burger that will change the way you think about fast food."

• The Anticipation Formula: "In just {timeframe}, you could {desirable outcome}."

  • Example: "In just 2 weeks, you could have the glowing skin you've always wanted. Find out how!"

We're always looking for ways to drive more conversions at a lower cost. But with so many variables to test, it can be tough to know where to start.

So here are 6 essential copywriting tests that you should run to help slash CAC.

Test #1: Headline Variation

Headlines matter. It’s the first thing people see, and if it sucks, don’t expect them to read the rest of the ad. In a word, your headline needs to be: scroll-stopping.

We all know that experimentation is important, but where to start?

Well, here’s a formula to get you on your way.

Start off with 5 ads in an ad set. All other variables being equal, you could test different variations based on the specific unspoken objection they’re trying to handle. Example:

• Fear of loss

• Skepticism (“It won’t work”)

• Personal applicability (“It might work, but not for me”)

• Complexity concerns (“It’s too hard or complicated”)

• Urgency (“Don’t need it right now”)

• But what exactly is an unspoken objection? In a nutshell, it’s the thing that drives snap decisions when we’re trying to assess whether a piece of content (i.e. ad) is interesting or not.

Putting this into practice - if you're selling a weight loss supplement, you might test headlines like:

• Fear of Loss: "Don’t Waste Your Money On Hyped-Up Weight Loss Supplements That Don’t Work"

• Skepticism: “9/10 Women Who Try This, Love It”

• Personal applicability: “At Last. A Weight Loss Supplement Made For Women 50+”.

• Complexity: “Just One Capsule A Day, Keeps The Pounds Away”.

• Urgency: “This Weight Loss Supplement Sold Out 5x in 2024”.

The goal is to find the winning headline, and use that angle to test other ad elements.

Test #2: Body Copy Emotion

The key to effective body copy? Emotion.

Create ad variants that tap into different emotional triggers:

• Sadness

• Fear

• Happiness

• Calmness

• Anger

• Strength

For instance, if you're promoting a home security system, you might test body copy that evokes:

• Fear: "Don't let your family become another break-in statistic."

• Calmness: "Sleep soundly knowing your home is protected 24/7."

• Strength: "Arm your home with the most advanced security technology."

Just like your headlines, in testing different emotional appeals, you can determine which angles work best and use that to inform other elements of your ad proposition.

Test #3: CTA Optimization

Your CTA should be focused around an actionable outcome. And it better be compelling.

Avoid using generic phrases. As ad exposure increases, people become blinded to certain CTA phrases, specifically ones that don’t resonate with them emotionally. For example, instead of "Shop Now," try something more specific like:

• "Get Healthier Looking Skin"

• "Start Your Weight Loss Journey Now"

• "Start Saving For Your Future Today"

Once you've nailed down the most effective CTA copy, experiment with different button colors.

Test #4: Image Impact

Split test images based on their emotional vs. rational appeal. For instance, you could pit a lifestyle image anchored around a specific emotional state (see body copy testing) against a product shot with concrete product benefits.

The goal is to identify which type works best for each audience across the funnel.

Test #5: Social Proof Power

Social proof generally comes in four main flavors:

• Testimonials

• Expert endorsements

• Celebrity endorsements

• Trust badges

You can mix and match, but generally try and keep it as uniform as possible - one ad, one social proof type.

Your whole ad may be geared towards the concept of social proof, or it may just be an overlay on the image to detail a particular award win. There isn’t really a right or wrong way to do it.

Test #6: Landing Page Optimization

Perhaps the most important element of the ad proposition…isn’t actually the ad itself - but your landing page. Test different page formats such as:

• Product pages

• Long-form (story-driven, comparative, problem-solution)

• Short-form (listicles, straight-to-cart + offer)

Typically, you’d go deeper into landing page testing once you have a handful of winning ads nailed down.

Putting It All Together

Remember, testing is an ongoing process. Keep a close eye on your metrics across each test type and don't be afraid to iterate based on the results. Also, be wary of testing too much all at once. You want to have a clear idea of what’s driving performance fluctuations - good or bad.

Reducing CAC is hard, but relentless ad testing is perhaps one of the shortest roads you can take to achieve that goal.

Cheers,

Elton