Email marketing campaigns are as essential in today’s rapidly changing digital world as they were a decade ago. It’s just that the frequency has increased. Both of the campaigns and the emails. And of businesses as well.
But sending emails is not enough anymore. You also need to send them to the right people. But how can we do that? Through A/B testing.
In 2022 alone, over 306 billion emails were sent globally. Can you really afford to miss out on this mammoth opportunity? Because it’s about time we considered email marketing real and avoided calling it a fad.
If you are wondering what the purpose of A/B testing is, think of it like a science laboratory experiment. You have two similar solutions in two separate test tubes. Unless you add two different liquids in similar solutions, you won’t be able to figure out what difference the two can make. That’s where custom email templates come in handy. They let you create two or more versions of an email along with personalization schemes.
Similarly, you create two different copies of one email. You can change a variable or two in the subject line, preheader, image, CTA text, or a link to see what difference it creates.
So, let’s dive right into testing and find out if it can without the strength of time (okay, fine?)
Table of Contents
What is A/B Testing?
Split testing, also known as A/B testing, is fundamental in assessing the efficacy of custom email templates. The core of email marketing revolves around discerning the superior performer among template variations. However, in A/B testing, we move beyond mere conjecture, adopting a strategic approach to craft campaigns that solicit subscriber feedback on their preferred template. Consequently, data assumes a pivotal role in this process, unraveling insights on open rates and click-throughs, imperative for precise decision-making. Ultimately, these tailored templates serve as conduits to decode subscriber preferences, offering a window into their individual tastes and preferences.
Setting Up for A/B Testing
Start with creating a roadmap that includes reason and purpose. The all-important why of it. It’s like planning a road trip with friends. If you don’t decide your destination, you will be lost. So, set proper goals and achieve your objectives in a set time frame. Ask yourself if you want more email opens, more click-throughs, or simply drive your audience to visit your website through a landing page.
Then, you need to segment your audience on the basis of their preferences and buying behaviors. You can’t send the same email to everyone.
Crafting Effective Email Elements for A/B Testing
It is often said that we should not change more than one variable to accurately find out the deciding factor that leads to a successful email campaign. Here are the elements that can prove useful while testing your emails.
- Subject Lines
Choose different variations of your subject lines. Try emojis in one and keep the other one plain. Try using numbers in one and the other one without it. Work hard on your subject line, as it is the first thing that catches the attention of your audience. They are the deciding factors for open rates and engagement.
- Email Copy
Try different body copies to create compelling content. Make your audience pause and read what you wish to convey. Your body copy is the build-up for the actionable outcome. They can lead to click-throughs.
- Call-to-Action (CTA)
Try placing your CTA buttons at different spots. You can also play around with the highlight color to create different kinds of contrast to the email. Keep it real so that anyone who clicks on your link lands exactly where you want them to. Optimize your links to open directly in the opening when clicked on a mobile device. Your audience will appreciate it. The CTAs can actually lead to conversions.
- Visual/ Interactive Elements
There are a lot of visual elements you can use in your email. Like interactive elements, background colors, typography, font style, etc. The purpose is to keep your audience entertained and interested. Remember, the more time they spend on your email, the more familiar they will get with your brand.
Best Practices to Implement A/B Testing
- Learn about your objectives first. Your target outcome should be predetermined.
- Choose the element you wish to test. It can be the subject line, body copy, or CTA, etc., that we have just talked about in the previous section.
- Create two different versions of the email now. And give them names – A and B.
- Ensure a fair test by sending both versions to a different set of audiences.
- Keep a keen eye on the metrics you receive. Look for the important factors.
- Analyze the data received and make an informed decision on which one performed better.
Key Takeaways
Now that we have figured out what works best for your audience, it’s time to implement the success recipe in your marketing campaigns. A/B testing was just the beginning of a large campaign. It’s like breaking up a large task into smaller tasks and testing which of the two known methods will generate better results. So, once you learn that, you can apply the winning tactic to other tasks as well.
Take the help of analytics tools to measure the data because everything depends on it accurately. You can integrate your email development platform with, let’s say, Google Analytics to measure the success of your campaigns in real-time and execute your plans accordingly.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
