Article

RJ Talyor
RJ Talyor 22 May 2017

Marketing Experiments vs Tests: Why Marketers Need to Know The Difference

Both tests and experiments are critical for growth. But knowing the difference between these two approaches can help you advance your organization’s learning of what works to drive revenue. There’s a science to both approaches.

There is a stark difference between a marketing experiment and a test. In the past three months, I’ve talked to more than 100 digital marketers representing more than 75 leading brands about their approach to learning about new, new things. Across these conversations, where marketers tend to interchange the words “test” and “experiment,” I’ve discovered a surprising divergence of those who test and those who experiment with their marketing dollars.

Let me explain.

A marketing test typically includes the following elements:

  • A previous winner;
  • A challenger;
  • A set budget and timeframe;
  • An expectation that there will be a winner.

A marketing experiment includes the following elements:

  • A hypothesis;
  • Two or more challengers;
  • An unknown outcome;
  • A set budget, but an unknown timeframe;
  • An expectation of success, and a fear of failure.

Testers are typically found when the marketer is tied to a specific outcome and the mentality of, “we do experiments, as long as the experiments work.” Experimenters are found where there’s a company culture, directive, team, or budget that demonstrates the maxim “there are no failed experiments” mentality.

Both tests and experiments are critical for growth. But knowing the difference between these two approaches can help you advance your organization’s learning of what works to drive revenue. There’s a science to both approaches.

I recently discussed this on a podcast with chemist and professor Dr. Bill Scott, who heads the Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) project at IUPUI in Indianapolis, other universities in the United States, and globally. D3 seeks to educate undergraduate students in chemistry and biology while they apply their learned skills and understanding to helping solve a serious humanitarian challenge — discovering drugs for neglected diseases.

Dr. Scott’s initiative helps students truly innovate and experiment. A major part of a chemistry student’s curriculum consists of running tests with a known outcome, like creating a specific molecule, or testing a known method against a competing method. In the marketing world, think of this as an A/B Test — for example with subject lines: A subject line that previously generated “x” amount of opens and clicks is tested against a competing subject line.

Dr. Scott wanted to interject more organic experimentation in his students' curriculum, and he uses his D3 project to do so. Students in the program are encouraged to experiment by developing new molecules, used as research to develop drugs for underserved and underfunded diseases. Pretty awesome, right? Listen to the full podcast for more details.

As marketers, we struggle with similar challenges when it comes to experimentation: Where do we start? What new outcome do we need to aim for? What platforms should we use? How much money should we be investing? A true marketing experiment begins with a hypothesis backed by intelligent data. The hard parts are the expectations we set and the fear of failure. Without these experiments and ongoing innovation, our marketing remains at the risk of producing stagnant results. 

Please login or register to add a comment.

Contribute Now!

Loving our articles? Do you have an insightful post that you want to shout about? Well, you've come to the right place! We are always looking for fresh Doughnuts to be a part of our community.

Popular Articles

See all
How to Collaborate With UGC Creators?

How to Collaborate With UGC Creators?

Learn how to boost your brand through UGC creator collaborations: define goals, identify and engage with creators, offer incentives, and measure success for long-term partnerships.

Shivam Rawat
Shivam Rawat 28 February 2024
Read more
Adapting B2B Digital Marketing for the Modern Buyer Journey

Adapting B2B Digital Marketing for the Modern Buyer Journey

Digital marketing also allows for precise tracking and measurement of marketing efforts, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimization. In an increasingly competitive B2B landscape, a well-executed digital...

Ghia Marnewick
Ghia Marnewick 21 February 2024
Read more
How To Be the Best Marketer in 2024: Traits According to Your Star Sign

How To Be the Best Marketer in 2024: Traits According to Your Star Sign

Have you ever wondered how your astrological sign might influence your marketing approach?

Jen Macdonald
Jen Macdonald 16 February 2024
Read more
7 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Important For Your Business

7 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Important For Your Business

In the past two decades social media has become a crucial tool for marketers, enabling businesses to connect with potential customers. If your business has yet to embrace social media and you want to know why it is...

Sharron Nelson
Sharron Nelson 29 February 2024
Read more
How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

Whether you're a startup or an established business, the company website is an essential element of your digital marketing strategy. The most effective sites are continually nurtured and developed in line with...

Digital Doughnut Contributor
Digital Doughnut Contributor 7 January 2020
Read more