How a tiny change in a Facebook ad doubled donations

Here’s an eye-opening test from NextAfter: Will Testing Different CTAs in Facebook Ad Copy to Increase Donor Conversions.

A Bible distribution agency in Canada ran a set of Facebook ads, with an interesting test:

The ad consisted of several paragraphs of text, with a one-minute video at the bottom.

The test was the wording of the call to action:

Control: Click to Learn More >>

Test: Click to Give Bibles >>

That was the only difference. Result:

• No change in traffic
• 117.6% increase in conversion rate (people who donated)
• No change in average gift

This was a new donor acquisition project, so the key metrics were gross cost per donor:

• Control $170
• Test: $87

And return on investment:

• Control 0.25:1
• Test: 0.61:1

Small change, big impact. As the test report says:

These results show us that clear, actionable language in Facebook ads not only encourages more clicks but also primes people to donate once they land. Ending our ad copy with a more direct giving prompt (“Click to Give Bibles”) aligned more strongly with donor intent and removed ambiguity about the ad’s purpose.

Being clear about what you want donors to do is a smart approach!