Apart from the name debacle I think what they are doing is fascinating. I imagine this would be immensely useful for marketing.
Does anyone have an idea how they would be doing this? I suppose they would need data from previously posted facebook stories.
A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
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Re: A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
#12I thought this was in reference to Apache Spark.
Is it using Apache Spark maybe? I'm confused, even their logo reminded me of Apache Spark in terms of color at least. There are other "Spark" projects out there as well.
Actually it's practically the SwiftStack logo reversed:
Re: A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
#13Apart from the name debacle I think what they are doing is fascinating. I imagine this would be immensely useful for marketing. Does anyone have an idea how they would be doing this? I suppose they would need data from previously posted facebook stories.
This is purely a guess, but I'd imagine they boost posts (aka pay to display a post to more people), and show them to people who already like the page to collect initial CTR/Like/Share stats.
Then take the winner of that test and post to the rest of the people who like the page, where "organic reach" takes over.
Re: A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
#14I wonder if FB will buy them or build this in themselves. Given the shift to charging for any sort of significant organic reach, it seems natural for anyone marketing on FB to want to do this since the posts they are putting out there are essentially ads this point, and should be tested as such to the extent possible with the tools available.
Having a native tool to do this lets FB assure people that they are getting the most bang for their buck now that they need to pay to play.
Re: A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
#15The way this is described is kind of confusing, especially since "dark posting" isn't really a thing anymore (i.e. unpublished posts are simply just ads). Basically how the manual process works:
1. Post several ads (which will show up in people's newsfeed's along with their friend's updates, Page post, etc) that mimics the exact phrase and imagery that you would otherwise put in your Page post.
2. Create like 5-10 of them with different creative, verbiage, etc.
3. Whichever ad gets the most engagement, you copy that ad to a Facebook post which does show up in a Page feed (and if you're lucky in people's newsfeeds). Hope it goes viral and you'll end up with clicks to your content.
Unless you have viral headlining and content ("30 things these 6 girls never thought was possible until now") this won't be that useful, as the cost/benefit of it probably isn't worth it.
Re: A/B test Facebook posts with Spark
#16Why not just write something that's worth a damn and isn't just filler?
I agree. I still understand exactly what 'dark testing' is. Is there an audience that sees the 'unpublished page post?'
You show multiple ads to a small selection of the facebook world, and then compare the performance of the various ads and select the best one for publication.