What to Test First
Test hooks before you test anything else.
You can keep the same chorus and change only the first 2 seconds, and watch CPM swing 3x.
Start with 3 to 6 hook cuts:
- lyric punchline hook
- visual moment hook
- reaction hook
- performance hook
The Angle Matrix
Once hooks are competing, test angles. An angle is the story the listener thinks they are stepping into.
Common music angles:
- identity: “this is for people like me”
- moment: “this is the soundtrack to a specific feeling”
- scene: “this belongs to a cultural pocket”
- proof: “other people already love this”
Run the same hook with two angles and see which one wins attention and intent.
How Much to Spend on Tests
Spend small until you see a signal.
A simple rule:
- $10 to $30 per creative per day
- 2 to 4 days
If a creative cannot clear a basic watch‑time bar at low spend, it will not magically fix itself at scale.
The Metrics That Matter
For cold discovery tests:
- 3‑second view rate
- ThruPlay rate
- average watch time
- CPM
For intent tests:
- save or follow rate
- cost per save / follow
Clicks are useful only as a path to intent. If clicks rise and saves do not, you found curiosity, not fit.
When a Creative Is a Winner
Call a winner when:
- CPM is stable or improving as spend rises
- ThruPlay rate holds above your hub benchmarks
- intent rate does not collapse when you broaden delivery
When all three are true, move the creative into your intent campaign and scale slowly.
When to Retire Creative
Retire when:
- CPM rises fast and watch time falls
- frequency climbs and intent rate drops
That is not “bad targeting.” It is creative fatigue.
Your job is to keep feeding the system new hooks while a track is hot.