So, what makes message testing so effective? Simply put, this method provides a full picture of how well your marketing campaign connects with your target audience in the way you intended.
Rather than relying on guesswork, message testing delivers clear insights into what consumers love—and what falls flat.
In this article, we'll provide you with a full breakdown of message testing research and a list of best practices to help you craft marketing messages that convert.
Let’s dive in!
What makes an ad message effective?
Before jumping into the nitty gritty of message testing, let’s first define what an ad message is, and what makes it truly impactful.
At its core, an ad message is a short, clearly articulated idea you wish to convey with your ad campaign.
An effective message grabs attention, resonates emotionally, and sticks with your audience long after they’ve seen it. In other words, it makes an impression that lasts.
5 tips for effective ad messaging
It's easier to conduct message testing market research when your messaging is short, sweet, and to the point.
Below are some must-have tips for ensuring your audience is never confused about what you're trying to tell them.
1. Avoid including your brand name in the message
Your brand doesn’t always need to be front and center in your messaging. Effective marketing campaigns link the brand with the message organically, boosting recall without being heavy-handed.
One of the most effective strategies for connecting with your target customers is the principle of “show, don’t tell.” The more naturally people associate your message with your brand, the better.
Let's say you're promoting a brand of cat food. Instead of saying something like, "Cats love [Insert Brand Here]", you could try, "Cats love this chicken dinner."
Here, your marketing messages aren't hard-selling your brand, but connecting with your audience's desires.
2. Be clear and concise, not overly complex and clever
Effective messaging is all about keeping it short and sweet. Audiences remember core ideas, not complex or long-winded statements. Keep your message clear, simple, and under 30 characters to ensure it’s easily understood.
For example, instead of saying, “[Insert Brand Here] produces cat food with love,” say something simpler like, “with a love for cats.”
While being extra clever sounds nice on paper, it can confuse or disengage your target audience.
3. The fewer the messages, the better
Did you know it takes customers between five to seven impressions to remember a brand? As such, you don't want to go overboard with multiple messages—they can't possibly remember them all!
Aim for no more than three messages per campaign; in this case, less is more.
4. Don't overlap messages
If you decide to use multiple messages in your campaign, make sure they don’t overlap or convey the same idea. For example, instead of saying, “health-conscious, healthy,” stick to one clear message like “health-conscious.”
Redundancy can dilute your message, so try to keep it as focused as possible.
5. Avoid category redundancy
Your message shouldn’t be stuffed with similar phrases or redundant category terms. For example, instead of including both "cat food" and "low-fat cat food" keep it simple and clear with “cat food, low-fat.”
Repeating category terms can make your message feel cluttered and less impactful. Instead, focus on delivering one clear idea without unnecessary repetition.
Why is message testing important?
Message testing is like a stress test for your marketing campaign.
It helps you evaluate how well your messages are landing with your target audience. Are they getting it? Are they associating it with your brand? Are they inspired to take action?
If there’s any confusion about who your brand helps or the value it provides, message testing research can help you uncover and address these issues.
How does message testing work?
Now that you understand the function of message testing and a few general goals for your research, it's time to break down the message testing process.
1. Narrow down your goals further
Before defining your marketing messages, you need to decide on specific goals to gauge their impact. What impression do you hope to leave on your target audience and why?
For example, if you're a non-profit organization, your goal may be to stir people's emotions with your marketing communications. Tapping into your customers' compassion or sense of community could be what you need to get people invested in your cause.
2. Define clear, focused messages
Once you've decided on your goals, you need to define the messages you want to evaluate.
Remember the five tips above to ensure your messages are simple, direct, and memorable. This helps ensure your target audience can quickly grasp and remember the core idea.
3. Test variations to compare effectiveness
If you have several messages you want to communicate, start by selecting the most important ones, and test each message to see which has the biggest impact.
To get the clearest picture, test your messages on the widest audience possible. After all, you’re trying to reach everyone in your category, not just a small slice of it.
4. Analyze the results of your message testing
Once you've gathered data from your message testing method, analyze how each message performed with your target audience.
Which messages evoked the strongest emotional reaction? Which ones were most memorable or associated with your brand?
With Behavio's testing platform, you can also evaluate how your messages compare to competitors—this helps you understand where you stand in the market and whether your message is cutting through the noise.
5. Refine your campaign messaging based on the results
Use the insights gained from testing to refine your messaging. Focus on the messages that resonated most with your target audience and make any necessary adjustments to improve their impact.
This iterative process helps ensure your campaign's message is as effective as possible.
Bottom line – should you conduct message testing?
A better question would be, "When's the last time you did some message testing?"
Without this valuable research method, you'll miss critical insights that tell you whether your messaging hit its mark with your target audience.
Simplify message testing with Behavio
Message testing involves multiple moving parts, but using the right message testing tools can make it easier on your side.
Behavio's intuitive ad testing platform helps brands measure audience reactions in real time. Whether you’re testing text, video, or audio marketing campaigns, our user-friendly dashboard makes analyzing performance a breeze.
With Behavio, you can skip traditional, time-consuming methods like focus groups, allowing you to get faster, more actionable insights without the hassle of scheduling, managing, or waiting for feedback.
After filling in a few key categories such as the product category and target audience you're aiming for, you can gather crucial insights into your message's performance.
Want to see what our platform can do for your next campaign's success? Book a demo today!
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