Instagram is a major marketing platform that does wonders to drive brand awareness. This also includes engagement and conversions. Having a strong Instagram profile is pretty essential when it comes to having any kind of competitive presence on the platform.
Understanding what resonates with your audience is a core part of creating an effective content strategy. A lot of this comes down to the different content formats available. From static posts, reels, and stories, these are the main avenues you can take to reach your audience.
A crucial component of this is A/B testing, which allows you to compare variations of content to see which performs best. One method to do this is to utilize an Instagram story viewer, as researching competitor content always helps. In this article, I explore A/B testing different Instagram formats and how to find what works best for your particular audience.
What is A/B Testing on Instagram?
A/B testing on Instagram refers to comparing different variations of content to see which offers the best performance. There are several angles to this, from testing visuals, captions, hashtags, and even posting times.
Here’s a more comprehensive look at what A/B testing on Instagram includes:
- It helps to make data-driven decisions rather than relying on assumptions
- Unlike general analytics, A/B testing isolates specific variables
- A/B testing reveals causal relationships, not just overall performance trends
- Benefits can include high engagement, better ROI, reduced wasted effort, and better content optimization
Research is a big part of this as well, which is why an IG story viewer can be so helpful. To be more specific, an instagram story viewer helps you view public story content without needing to be logged into an account. There’s nothing better than anonymous research. You can also find a brief tutorial for how this tool works in the video below. Aside from that, it’s equally important to understand the strengths behind each popular content format on your Instagram account.
Key Instagram Formats to Test
One example of testing different formats would be between a single image and the carousel format to see which drives more engagement. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, just use an Insta story viewer to see what kind of posts people are sharing.
Moreover, Instagram stories offer opportunities to test a wide range of features. A few examples include polls, question stickers, interactive features, and video versus static images. There are many different ways you can A/B test IG content, and it isn’t just about the base-level formats. Testing interactive elements is equally important as well.
When it comes to reels, these can be tested with music-driven examples versus more narrative-driven content. The same can be said about short-form and long-form content. While we live in an era where short-form content is king, that doesn’t mean people don’t appreciate well-thought-out long-form pieces.
If you work with a lot of sponsored content on social media, then it would help to compare different formats and focus on where you get the most ROI. Now that you have an understanding of what A/B testing is, it’s time to put a plan together.
Planning Your A/B Test
It’s important to define clear goals for your content. Whether it’s engagement, reach, or conversions, this will be a core part of shaping your A/B test. More specifically, you want to think about different variables to test. This can include things like captions, CTAs, content format, or posting times, for example. Researching other content with an anon story viewer can be a big help in this as well.
For the most accurate results, focus on testing one variable at a time so you don’t muddy up your data. Another important angle here is to determine an appropriate sample size to guarantee statistically meaningful insights.
To uncover performance differences along the way, it helps to segment your audience between demographics and certain behaviors. Your tests should also come with a set duration and frequency to collect sufficient data without imposing external interference.
You can do this entirely from scratch on your own, or with the help of an anonymous Instagram viewer for a few ideas. Planning the A/B test is one thing; running it comes with an entirely different set of focal points.
Running the Test
To track your A/B tests over time, Instagram insights or third-party analytics tools can offer a lot of support. Advanced tools in this realm can also provide automated split testing, as well as detailed side-by-side comparisons.
Make sure to post content variations to similar audience segments, as this is one of the best ways to avoid skewed results. Maintaining consistent posting times is crucial here, in addition to consistent targeting criteria for each variation.
Measuring Success
Always track key metrics, and when it comes to social media platforms like Instagram, you’re looking at likes, comments, saves, impressions, shares, and more. It might feel like a lot to keep track of, but choose metrics that align with your specific goals to simplify it.
Utilize consistent testing practices and analysis so you’re working with reliable conclusions as well. Many historical examples show that A/B testing can reveal which format or content types will lead you to the best results.
Iterating and Optimizing
Once you’ve gathered some data, it’s time to make some refinements. Whether it’s the visuals, captions, posting times, or CTAs, look into what needs optimizing.
Apply what you’ve learned to future content, and watch engagement increase over time. Continuously testing to adapt is how you generate the most relevant audience behavior, even while the algorithms continue to change.
Mistakes to Avoid
While A/B testing can be very helpful, you don’t want to run too many campaigns at the same time. Testing too many variables can make it harder to find actionable results. Focus on one variable at a time, and this will help you identify what really has an impact on your performance.
Here are a few other common mistakes to avoid in A/B testing online:
- Running tests without clearly defined goals
- Ignoring qualitative feedback from comments, DMs, and other interactions
- Not allowing enough time for actionable results to show
- Failing to segment your audience properly
- Changing other aspects of your Instagram strategy mid-test
No one is perfect with A/B testing, and a little trial and error is normal. For those just starting out, it’s all about being prepared, patient, and taking action at the right time.
The Bottom Line
A/B testing on Instagram helps brands make data-driven decisions to improve overall engagement. Comparing variations across posts, reels, and stories will show you what resonates best with your audience.
At the same time, don’t forget to research the competition. This is where Instagram story viewers can be a ton of help. For those interested in streamlining their research anonymously, consider looking into Inflact and the seamless solutions they offer. Having this kind of information on hand will only make your A/B strategy that much easier.