Facebook's Split Testing feature allows advertisers to create multiple ad sets and test them against each other to see what strategies produce the best results. Here's how it works:

• Split Testing divides your audience into random, non-overlapping groups who are shown ad sets with identical creative.
• This randomization helps ensure the test is conducted fairly because other factors won't skew the results of the group comparison. It also ensures each ad set is given an equal chance in the auction.
• Each ad set tested has one distinct difference, called a variable. Your variable can be different audience types, placements, or delivery optimizations. Facebook will duplicate your ads and only change the one variable you choose.
• To get the most accurate results from Split Testing, you'll only have the opportunity to test one variable at a time. For example, if you test two different audiences against each other, you can't also test two delivery optimizations simultaneously because you wouldn't know for sure which change affected the performance.
• Split Testing is based on people, not cookies, and gathers results across multiple devices.
• The performance of each ad set is measured according to your campaign objective and is then recorded and compared. The best performing ad set wins.
• After the test is complete, you'll get a notification and email containing results. These insights can then fuel your ad strategy and help you design your next campaign.

You can create a split test using either Ads Manager or Power Editor.

Please note that Split Testing may not be available to all business objectives at this time. See the below section titled What objectives support split testing? for more information.

Anyone with a Business Manager account can create a Split Test within Ads Manager.

Facebook Split Testing supports the following business objectives:

• Traffic
• App installs
• Lead generation
• Conversions

Currently, you can run a split test using 2 strategies (an A/B test) or 3 strategies (an A/B/C test) within a single test.

Advertisers will have the option to split test the following variables:

• Target audience
• Delivery optimization
• Placements

Audiences: Currently, Split Testing is only available for saved audiences. For example, you can choose 2 different saved audiences and test them against each other. If you don't already have saved audiences, you can create new saved audiences within Ads Manager. Possible tests to run:

• Saved audience (A) versus saved audience (B)
• Saved audience (A) versus saved audience (B) versus saved audience (C)

• Optimize for conversions (A) versus optimize for link clicks (B)
• Optimize for conversions with a conversion window of 1 day (A) versus optimize for conversions for a conversion window of 7 days (B) versus optimize for link clicks (C)

• Select automatic placement (A) versus custom placement (B)
• It is recommended to test custom placements against automatic placement, rather than test custom placements against each other.

Setting your budget

Your split test should have a budget that will produce enough results to confidently determine a winning strategy. Facebook will provide a suggested budget, but there is no minimum budget requirement for Split Testing.

The budget and audience will then be divided between the ad sets. You can choose to divide it evenly or weigh one more than the other(s), depending on your preference.

The budget and reach will then be divided between the ad sets. You can choose to divide it evenly or weigh one more than the other(s), depending on your preference.

Setting your schedule

Facebook encourages a minimum schedule of 3 days and a maximum schedule of 14 days for split tests. Tests shorter than 3 days may produce insufficient data to confidently determine a winner, and tests longer than 14 days may not be an efficient use of budget since a test winner can usually be determined in 14 days or sooner.

In order to ensure that only one variable is tested at a time, Facebook does not support testing different creative for splits.

See the section above, What types of variables can I test?, for information on the variables available for split testing.

When the test is over, you'll receive a notification in Ads Manager and get an email with the results.

Learn more about how the winning ad set is determined.

Once you receive your split test results, you can review them to discover insights about the best performing ad set. These insights can help you determine your ad strategy and design your next campaign.

See the Understanding my Split Testing results article for more information.