We're back with another set of tests—and what you're all here for—the results!! 

CTA button on ad creative

What we did: For a demand campaign, we tested the same ad both with a CTA button as part of the image and without a CTA button for simplicity. 

Version A: With CTA button

Version B: Without CTA button

Why we did it: While a CTA button isn't required on social ad copy, we often include it as a way to highlight the action we want the user to take. It can feel redundant on social platforms though as there is typically a "Learn More" or "Download" button on the ad itself.

Results: As it turns out, the ad with the CTA button performed three times better than the one without it. Even though the simplified ad looked clean and crisp, users still preferred having the button.

Learnings: It's important to point out exactly what you want the user to do when it comes to ads and, redundant or not, a brightly colored button called enough attention to the action we wanted the user to take to get them to click. And that's all we want!