How to test Facebook ads creatives in 2025.

In Facebook advertising, success relies on more than creativity—it demands a strategic approach to testing. This guide breaks down how to identify top-performing creatives, optimize their impact, and scale campaigns effectively. Use these steps to stay ahead and achieve better results in 2025.

Creative testing can be broken into three distinct phases:

1. Pre-Flight
2. New vs. BAU (Business As Usual)
3. scaling

Phase 1: Identifying the Best New Creative​

The first step is testing new creatives exclusively against each other.
Avoid mixing new and old creatives, as the latter have advantages that can skew the results.

Scenario 1: Split-Test​

• Conduct a split-test at the campaign level with one ad set and one creative in each.
• Accuracy: 3/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 1/3

Scenario 2: Non-CBO Campaign​

• Run a non-CBO campaign with each ad set containing one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Scenario 3: CBO Campaign​

• Run a CBO campaign with each ad set featuring one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 4: Ad Ranking​

• Test all new creatives in one ad set using auction selection.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 5: Auto Rules​

• Test all new creatives in one ad set, using auction selection and auto rules to turn off ads that exceed a set number of impressions or conversions.
• Accuracy: 2/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Phase 2: Comparing New and Old Creatives​

The next phase tests your top-performing new creative against your best old one.
For new creatives to succeed, they must outperform historical data or, at the very least, match it.
Though challenging, this step is worth the effort.

Scenario 1: Split-Test​

• Conduct a split-test at the campaign level with one ad set and one creative for both the old and new ads.
• Accuracy: 3/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 1/3

Scenario 2: Non-CBO Campaign​

• Run a non-CBO campaign with two ad sets, each containing one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Scenario 3: CBO Campaign​

• Run a CBO campaign with two ad sets, one for the old creative and one for the new.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 4: Ad Ranking​

• Use one ad set to test the old and new creatives together via auction selection.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 5: Auto Rules​

• Test the old and new creatives in one ad set, using auction selection and auto rules to switch off ads after a specific number of impressions.
• Accuracy: 2/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Phase 3: Scaling​

Once your new creative proves its worth, start scaling immediately.
Add the new creative to ad sets where performance has dropped due to fatigue.
Keep old creatives running alongside the new ones.
Remember, CBO campaigns may require some time to adapt to changes.
To achieve the best results, scale as quickly as possible.

SpyLead said:

In Facebook advertising, success relies on more than creativity—it demands a strategic approach to testing. This guide breaks down how to identify top-performing creatives, optimize their impact, and scale campaigns effectively. Use these steps to stay ahead and achieve better results in 2025.

Creative testing can be broken into three distinct phases:

1. Pre-Flight
2. New vs. BAU (Business As Usual)
3. scaling

Phase 1: Identifying the Best New Creative​

The first step is testing new creatives exclusively against each other.
Avoid mixing new and old creatives, as the latter have advantages that can skew the results.

Scenario 1: Split-Test​

• Conduct a split-test at the campaign level with one ad set and one creative in each.
• Accuracy: 3/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 1/3

Scenario 2: Non-CBO Campaign​

• Run a non-CBO campaign with each ad set containing one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Scenario 3: CBO Campaign​

• Run a CBO campaign with each ad set featuring one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 4: Ad Ranking​

• Test all new creatives in one ad set using auction selection.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 5: Auto Rules​

• Test all new creatives in one ad set, using auction selection and auto rules to turn off ads that exceed a set number of impressions or conversions.
• Accuracy: 2/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Phase 2: Comparing New and Old Creatives​

The next phase tests your top-performing new creative against your best old one.
For new creatives to succeed, they must outperform historical data or, at the very least, match it.
Though challenging, this step is worth the effort.

Scenario 1: Split-Test​

• Conduct a split-test at the campaign level with one ad set and one creative for both the old and new ads.
• Accuracy: 3/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 1/3

Scenario 2: Non-CBO Campaign​

• Run a non-CBO campaign with two ad sets, each containing one creative.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Scenario 3: CBO Campaign​

• Run a CBO campaign with two ad sets, one for the old creative and one for the new.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 4: Ad Ranking​

• Use one ad set to test the old and new creatives together via auction selection.
• Accuracy: 1/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 3/3

Scenario 5: Auto Rules​

• Test the old and new creatives in one ad set, using auction selection and auto rules to switch off ads after a specific number of impressions.
• Accuracy: 2/3
• Cost-Efficiency: 2/3

Phase 3: Scaling​

Once your new creative proves its worth, start scaling immediately.
Add the new creative to ad sets where performance has dropped due to fatigue.
Keep old creatives running alongside the new ones.
Remember, CBO campaigns may require some time to adapt to changes.
To achieve the best results, scale as quickly as possible.

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Impressive. Cool contribution, bruh.

Thanks for sharing!

Great guide! I've been testing Facebook ads for a while now, and I totally agree with the approach of testing creatives in phases. Starting with a split-test between new creatives makes it much easier to identify what resonates best with the audience.