Audience testing isn't behaving

The three snags that stall an audience test: a launch that will not go, a fill that is crawling, a report with no winner, and the fix for each.

Most audience-testing snags are one of a few things: a test that will not launch, a fill that is crawling, or a report that refuses to crown a winner. Here is how to read each one and what to do.

What you're seeing

• The Launch button is disabled, or launching returns an error about credits or setup.
• The test launched but the count of finished participants is climbing slowly, or has stalled below your target.
• The report arrived and the Bottom Line says there is no clear winner, when you were expecting one.

Why it happens

A test will not launch when a required piece is missing: no primary question set, a version that has not finished processing, or a balance smaller than the quote. The wizard holds the launch until the setup is complete and the credits are there to cover it.

A slow fill is usually the audience, not a fault. A narrow group (a specific age band or gender) draws from a smaller pool and gathers more slowly than the general population, and evenings and weekends fill faster than a weekday afternoon. The test is working; it is waiting for the right people.

A "no clear winner" report is a real result, not an error. It means the two versions landed close enough that the difference could be chance, so naming a winner would be a guess. See Understanding your verdict.

Fix it

1. If it will not launch: check that you have set a primary question, that every version shows as ready to play, and that your credit balance covers the quote. Top up if the balance is short, then launch.
2. If the fill is slow: give it time, especially for a narrow audience. If you need speed, widen the group toward the general population, or lower the size a little. You can also recruit your own viewers with a share link, which is free and often faster.
3. If there is no clear winner: treat it as information. The versions are close, so decide on craft or cost. If the call truly matters, run it again with more people per version for a firmer read.

Still stuck

If a test stays stuck filling for far longer than expected, or the report looks wrong for what you saw land, contact us from the Support tab in the bottom-right corner of HoldFast. Tell us the test and roughly when you launched it, and we can see how the fill is going on our side.