Use Google AdWords for MVP testing

Why use Google AdWords for MVP testing? 

People searching on Google are actively seeking something that will help them get a job done. You don't have to convince them they need what you are planning to build.  Also, when someone clicks on a Google ad, they don't know that your product is still under development or "coming soon." They're not telling you what they think they would do if your product existed; they are acting on their belief.

Take a look at Steve Blank's definition of an "earlyvangelist":

Someone using Google Search is already up to level 3, and you can screen potential customers for levels 4 and 5 through:

• the keywords you include and exclude
• for example, someone who includes the keyword "free" in their search doesn't have a budget
• how you write your ad
• you can include a price point in the ad copy to discourage casual clicks
• the landing page a person sees once they click your ad
• Even if your product isn't ready yet, you can ask for permission to contact the customer later and perhaps even obtain a commitment from a customer to buy once the product is ready

Using Google AdWords can help you discover which customers have the most burning need. So how can we use Google AdWords to help define a Minimally Viable Product (MVP)? 

While we as entrepreneurs typically have a vision of what a finished product might accomplish, we need to test that vision and figure out which parts of the finished product, if any, we are going to create first.  To do this:

• Create several groups of ads. Each group will attempt to sell a different benefit the finished product as envisioned would provide.
• Note: Each ad group should have at least two ads within it, so that we can split test which ad performs better
• Adjust your Google AdWords campaign settings to display ads evenly, so that each ad group (and ad within each group) has about the same chance of being seen and clicked.
• Make sure your ads run only on Google Search for now.
• While displaying ads on other websites might help drive sales in the future, for MVP testing we want to focus only on those people actively searching to solve a problem.  
• If you want results fast, set your campaign to maximize clicks and geographic reach.
• If you're trying to run your test rapidly (such as for Lean Startup Machine), then maximizing clicks will get you more attention in less time. 
• If you're less time constrained, you'll get more mileage for your AdWords dollars by manually setting your own bids for clicks, limiting your geographic reach to customers your business can serve,  and only serving ads during the times of day your best prospects are likely to be online.

After a while, one ad group will probably collect significantly more clicks than the others. The benefit the ad group addressed solve the need customers care about most. Try to satisfy that need first. Find the simplest way you can think of to demonstrate a solution to that need, and that solution might very well be your MVP!

If you've read this far, you're probably highly motivated :) If you could help me a bit by tweeting this page, I'd  like to give your testing a head start by sending you a free $100 promo code to open a new AdWords account! Tweet

Good luck and go Lean!