Message Testing for Startups: A Practical Guide

Why Message Testing Matters

You can have the best product in the world, but if customers don't understand it, they won't buy. Message testing helps you:

• Find words that resonate — Use their language, not yours
• Identify what to lead with — First impressions matter
• Remove confusion — Clarity beats cleverness
• Test before you build — Validate positioning early

Types of Message Testing

1. Qualitative Testing (Interviews)

Show your messaging to potential customers and ask:

• "What do you think this does?"
• "Who do you think this is for?"
• "What questions do you have?"
• "What would make you click/buy?"

5-10 interviews can reveal major issues.

2. Preference Testing (A/B)

Show two versions and ask which resonates more:

• "Which headline would make you more likely to click?"
• "Which description better matches your need?"

This works for headlines, taglines, and value propositions.

3. Live Testing (Ads and Landing Pages)

Run real ads or landing page tests:

• Google Ads headline testing
• Landing page A/B tests
• Email subject line tests

This gives behavioral data, not just opinions.

What to Test

Headlines

Your headline is the most important element. Test:

• Problem-focused vs. solution-focused
• Specific outcome vs. general benefit
• Short vs. long

Value Propositions

Test different ways to frame your value:

• Speed: "Get X in 2 weeks"
• Savings: "Save $X per month"
• Outcome: "Achieve X without Y"

Proof Points

Test which evidence resonates:

• Customer logos
• Specific numbers
• Testimonial quotes
• Case study summaries

Call-to-Action

Test CTA language and urgency:

• "Start free trial" vs. "Get started"
• "Book a demo" vs. "See how it works"
• "Try for free" vs. "Start for $0"

Running Message Tests

Step 1: Define What You're Testing

Don't test everything at once. Pick one element:

• The main headline
• The primary value proposition
• The target audience framing

Step 2: Create Variants

Create 2-3 variations. Make them meaningfully different:

• Bad: "Fast" vs. "Quick"
• Good: "Ship in 2 weeks" vs. "Cut your timeline in half"

Step 3: Choose Your Method

For early-stage startups:

• Interviews: Fast, cheap, qualitative
• Landing page tests: More effort, behavioral data
• Ad tests: Needs budget, real-world validation

Step 4: Gather Data

• Interviews: 5-10 people
• Landing pages: 100+ visitors per variant
• Ads: $200-500 per variant

Step 5: Analyze Results

Look for:

• Clear winners (>20% difference)
• Patterns in feedback
• Unexpected insights

Low-Budget Testing Methods

LinkedIn Polls

Post two headlines as a poll. Ask your network which resonates.

Twitter/X Tests

Post different framings and see which gets more engagement.

Fake Door Tests

Create a landing page for a feature before building it. Measure interest.

Founder Sales Calls

Test messages during sales conversations. Track what makes people lean in.

Common Messaging Mistakes

Too clever: Wordplay doesn't work when people skim. Too vague: "Better results" means nothing. Too feature-focused: Benefits beat features. Too long: Say it in fewer words. Copying competitors: You'll sound like everyone else.

Message Hierarchy

Not all messages are equal. Create a hierarchy:

1. Primary message: The one thing everyone must understand
2. Supporting messages: Evidence and specifics
3. Objection handlers: Address main concerns

Test your primary message first. Everything else flows from it.

Getting Started

Take your current homepage headline. Ask 5 potential customers what they think it means. If they can't explain it back to you clearly, you have a messaging problem worth solving.