If you’ve ever spent weeks (or months) waiting for a marketing video to get made, only to watch it flop, you’re not alone. These days, if you’re launching a product or campaign, testing different video ideas quickly isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s essential. This guide is for marketers, founders, and growth folks who want to actually know what’s working, not just guess.
Here’s how to cut the nonsense, use Hourone to whip up videos fast, and A/B test like you mean it. No fluff, no empty buzzwords—just what you need to get better results, faster.
Why Bother A/B Testing Video Content in GTM?
Let’s get real: most video fails aren’t because of production value. It’s messaging, pacing, or just missing what your audience cares about. But the old way of testing video—write a script, hire a crew, wait weeks—is dead weight. You need to know what grabs people before you blow your budget.
A/B testing lets you run two (or more) versions of a video, head-to-head. You can see what gets more clicks, leads, or whatever matters to you. Hourone’s AI video tool is built to help you do this fast, without blowing thousands on each experiment.
Step 1: Get Set Up with Hourone
First, you’ll need access to Hourone. There’s a free trial, but if you’re serious about testing, consider a paid plan—the free version has export and branding limits that can get in the way.
What you’ll need: - A clear idea of what you want to test (headline, call-to-action, visual style, etc.) - Raw materials: your script variations, product images, branding assets
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. You aren’t making a Hollywood film. Focus on the one or two elements you really want to compare.
Step 2: Identify What to Test
Don’t try to change everything at once. If you test five things in one video, you’ll never know what made the difference.
Common A/B video variables: - Hook or opening line - On-screen text vs. voiceover - Product shot order - Call to action wording (“Book a demo” vs. “Try it free”) - Visual style (animations, color, avatar choice)
What to ignore: Fancy transitions, background music, or tiny color tweaks. They rarely move the needle in early tests.
Step 3: Use Hourone to Make Video Variants
The magic here is speed. With Hourone, you can swap out scripts, visuals, or AI narrators in minutes.
How to do it: 1. Pick your template. Hourone’s library is big, but don’t get lost. Choose something simple and close to your brand style. 2. Upload your assets. Logos, product images, etc. Don’t stress if it’s not perfect—this is about testing ideas, not final polish. 3. Input your script(s). Paste in your text for each variant. If you’re testing hooks, make two versions with only the intro changed. 4. Choose your presenter. AI avatars can look a little uncanny, but for most B2B/SaaS, they’re “good enough” for a test. Real faces work better if you have them. 5. Export your versions. Name them clearly: “Video_A_CTA1.mp4”, “Video_B_CTA2.mp4”, etc.
Watch out for: Hourone’s avatars can sound robotic. If your audience is sensitive to this (say, high-touch sales), consider adding a real voiceover later if a version wins.
Step 4: Prep for Testing—Pick Your Channels and Metrics
Don’t just throw your videos out into the world and hope for the best. Decide where and how you’ll test.
Best places to run video A/B tests: - Landing pages (using an A/B testing tool like Google Optimize, VWO, or Optimizely) - Paid ads (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) - Email campaigns (test click-throughs on video thumbnails) - Social posts (but beware: organic reach is messy for testing)
Pick one clear metric: - Click-through rate (CTR) is easiest for most - Watch time is useful if you care about engagement - Conversion rate (signups/sales) is king, but needs more traffic
Pro tip: If you don’t have enough traffic, you won’t get meaningful results. Don’t bother splitting hairs over 10 clicks.
Step 5: Launch Your Test
For landing pages: - Set up your A/B test so half your visitors see Video A, half see Video B. - Use a consistent headline, button, and offer—only the video should differ.
For paid ads: - Create two ad sets, each with a different video. - Keep budgets, targeting, and copy the same. - Let the test run long enough to see a pattern (at least a few hundred impressions per variant).
For email: - Split your list randomly. - Send each group a different video thumbnail (don’t autoplay videos in email; link to a landing page).
Don’t sweat: - Small sample sizes. You’re looking for big, obvious differences at this stage. If Video B crushes Video A by 50%, that’s useful. If it’s a 2% difference, you probably need more data.
Step 6: Analyze Results (Without Fooling Yourself)
Here’s where most folks trip up: they see a tiny difference and declare a winner. Don’t. Unless you’ve got thousands of views, focus on clear, directional wins.
How to read your results: - Is one video clearly outperforming the other on your chosen metric? - Did you get enough data to trust the result? (A few hundred views is a good minimum.) - Did people actually watch the video, or just click past it? (Check drop-off rates if you can.)
If you’re unsure, rerun the test or try a new variant. The point is to learn, not to “prove” you were right.
Step 7: Double Down or Try Again
If you have a winning video, great—use it as your new “control” and test another element. If both videos flopped, don’t panic. It just means it’s time to try a bigger swing (maybe a totally new hook or offer).
What not to do: Don’t keep polishing a losing video hoping it’ll suddenly work. Move on and test something bolder.
Real-World Tips (and What to Ignore)
- Hourone shines for speed. If you need fully custom animation or emotional storytelling, it’ll fall short.
- Don’t worry about avatar “realness” at the test stage. If a version wins, reshoot with a human later.
- Ignore “engagement” metrics unless they tie to your goal. Likes and comments feel good, but leads and sales matter more.
- Don’t get stuck in endless tweaks. Ship, test, learn, repeat.
Wrapping It Up
A/B testing video for your GTM strategy doesn’t have to be slow or expensive. Tools like Hourone get you 80% of the way there, fast. Start simple: pick one thing to test, move quickly, and don’t get distracted by vanity metrics. Iterate until you find what actually works—then double down.
Marketing’s messy. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and let the data show you the way.