# Why ad testing is the ultimate media budget hack

Over 6,000 users.

August 31, 2022

Written by [Dan Pantelo](/content/authors/dan-pantelo/index.html)

average reading time: 5 minutes

## With creative ad testing, you can get the most out of your media budget and optimize campaigns for maximum success. Find out how with Marpipe!

It’s the number one question we get from marketers:

“How much should I spend on ad testing?”

The answer, as with so many things in marketing, is “It depends.” There are plenty of factors to consider, including:

- Your current media budget
- Your testing strategy
- Your goals and KPIs
- The number of ad variants you want to test

It’s a very chicken-and-egg situation — with many chickens and eggs involved. This is why, in episode 6 of Resting Ad Face, our VP of Performance Marketing, Susan Wenograd, and I talk all things budgeting when it comes to testing your ad creative.

Resting Ad Face, Episode 6: Why ad testing is the ultimate media budget hack - YouTube

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[Resting Ad Face, Episode 6: Why ad testing is the ultimate media budget hack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYqZqb-NP8)

#### Here are some highlights:

## The 80/20 rule of thumb

Good news: if you have a media budget, you already have a testing budget. A solid guideline is to use somewhere between 10–20% of that budget for ad testing.

This will allow you to pinpoint your top-performing ads and creative assets. Then, by scaling the top performers from your ad tests, your remaining 80–90% will work that much harder for you.

## Testing conversions are real conversions

There’s often a perception that carving out a testing budget is a sunk cost. That you’re collecting data while sitting idle, waiting to push ads live while you collect that data.

But with today’s ad testing tools, your tests run live directly in front of your actual audiences. This means any conversions, clicks, or leads generated in your tests are also driving your bottom line.

Your audience is simply “voting” with their clicks and purchases to show you which ads and creative elements resonate with them the most.

## Budget hack: when creative tests well, use it everywhere

Your test results can also help you get more bang for your media budget in less-trackable channels.

For example, perhaps you use an image that drove clicks in your ad test on a billboard. Or maybe you use a piece of copy that decreased CPA in your ad test in an audio spot.

By using top-performing creative elements in environments that aren’t as easy to measure, you can launch with greater confidence.