A/B testing results: What we learned about our audience

Remember when we talked about getting to know your audience better with A/B testing? Well, that’s exactly what we did.

Together with our video production team, we created and A/B tested four different LinkedIn ads using content from our internal comms video project with DHL Express.

Because of its internal comms focus, we made sure our target audience included senior internal comms leaders, alongside senior marketing and comms decision-makers (think Heads of Global Marketing, Directors of Brand Development, and similar roles).

We were curious about two things:

1. Would senior marketing and comms leaders engage differently with social-optimised video content versus traditional video formats?
2. Should our ads be simple and descriptive, or show off our creative chops from the get-go?

As we emphasised in our original blog, testing goes beyond surface-level metrics. It’s not just about identifying which creative performed better. The real advantage comes from understanding the underlying patterns and motivations behind those results.

What specific elements resonated with our audience? Why did it connect? And most importantly, what broader principles can we take away to inform not just our next campaign, but our entire strategic approach?

Test 1: Social-optimised vs traditional video

Initially, we wondered if the pendulum might swing the other way — perhaps video buyers would prefer content that better demonstrated our storytelling capabilities. Especially in a busy LinkedIn feed, where a well-produced horizontal video could stand out.

Our results told a different story:

The data speaks volumes. While the traditional format reached more people (over twice as many impressions), the social-optimised video drove 65% more website visits and had a click-through rate nearly four times higher.

Even for senior-level decision-makers on LinkedIn, optimised video formats significantly outperformed traditional ones. The audience we thought might buck the trend actually followed it more emphatically.

Test 2: Creative showcase vs minimal design

For our second test, we pitted two carousel ad approaches against each other:

Here, our hypothesis held true. Showcasing our creative work from the start generated more engagement across every metric. The creative carousel drove 22% more website visits with a higher click-through rate and lower cost per click.

So, what does this tell us?

1. Everyone loves snackable content — even executives

And while this might flip in the future, short content is still more relevant than ever. We might assume executives prefer traditional, long-form formats, but our data suggests they’re just as responsive to bite-sized content optimised for the platform they’re using.

2. Show, don’t tell

When potential clients are looking for creative services, they want immediate proof that you can deliver. Our creative-forward carousel outperformed the minimal version across all metrics. So, letting your work speak directly is way more powerful than simply claiming expertise.

3. Where they see it matters more than who they are

Perhaps the most interesting insight is that the setting (in this case, LinkedIn’s newsfeed) might influence behaviour more than their job title or seniority. Scrolling is scrolling, no matter what your title is.

The deeper why

Going beyond the numbers, these tests helped us understand not just what worked, but why.

The optimised video likely performed better because it respects the environment where it appears. It’s designed for the quick-scroll nature of LinkedIn feeds, making its message more immediate and punchy, regardless of who’s viewing it.

The creative carousel succeeded because it was both intriguing and immediately demonstrated our capabilities. By showcasing our work from the get-go, we captured attention and established credibility at a single glance.

The moral of the story

Test, don’t guess.

What we think our audience wants isn’t always what they respond to. Without these experiments, we’d have created content based on assumptions rather than evidence.

The next time you think you know what your audience wants, consider running a simple A/B test. The results might challenge your perspective in the most valuable way possible.

After all, understanding the “why” behind your audience’s behaviour is what turns good businesses into market leaders.

Need help gaining your own audience insight? Get in touch.

Written by Mitch Foot, Planning Executive at Definition.