Email split testing, also called A/B testing is one of the effective marketing techniques to help a marketer optimize email campaigns and boost their engagement levels. Splitting your list into multiple groups and emailing different versions of an email to them will allow you to gather data and find out which one works best. These are five email split testing suggestions you can apply today:
1. Subject Lines
Your subject line sets the stage for the rest of your email. It’s the very first thing recipients experience, and its influence is critical. A/B testing multiple subject lines will tell you what works best for your readers. Examine campaigns that use urgency, like “Last Chance!” vs. funky messages, like “Don’t Miss out on the Fun!” By pitting direct, straightforward messages against more playful or intriguing ones, you’ll know which one leads to the highest open rates. Think about experimenting with other lengths, too; sometimes it’s all about staying concise, sometimes you’re going to get more eyes on the ball.
2. Preheaders
Though mostly overlooked, preheaders are an essential factor when deciding whether or not to open an email. Consider the preheader as the secondary subject line: a teaser that might attract readers. You can experiment with different sentences, lengths and emojis to see what attracts your readers. For instance, you can contrast a preheader that details the subject line with one that raises an interesting question. This simple feature will dramatically improve open rates and make your message more enticing.
3. Send Times
Your email schedule can make a huge difference for customer engagement. Every audience is different, so what’s best for one group will not be good for another. Try different times of the day to find out when your subscribers check their inboxes. Think of standard office hours instead of early morning or evening messages. Segmenting by time zones can further optimize your strategy so that your emails reach people’s inboxes when they’re actively consuming them. A timely email could mean the difference between being opened or getting overlooked in a sea of unopened emails.
4. Email Design
Your email design and structure make a huge difference on how readers view your message. Through A/B testing different email templates, you can learn what visual features elicit more response. For example, compare a straightforward, text-heavy email to an image-rich, graphics-filled one. Consider how different aspects of content such as fonts, colors and images affect readability, engagement, and clickthrough rates. The right design will stand out and inspire the intended recipients to take action.
5. Call-to-Action (CTA)
Your CTAs act as the spine of your email marketing campaigns, steering your readers to actions they’d like to take. From buying to joining a webinar to reading a blog post, your CTA is the single most important piece of the puzzle that could be the difference between success and failure. You can A/B test CTA buttons with different text, colors, size, and position.
Consider, for example, comparing the simple “Buy Now” button to a more exciting “Discover Your New Favorite”. Secondly, take color psychology to the next level by experimenting with different colors to see which colours have the most clicks. And experimenting with different styles will ultimately lead you to find the CTA that generates the most engagement and conversion.
2. Email Content
Your email is the heart of providing value to your audience. A/B test different styles, lengths, and tones to find what works for your audience. For instance, think of the difference between a short, punchy email and a more narrative message.
Try the tone of your email, too. You can try contrasting professional words with a more conversational language and determine which way your target audience likes. It’s going to give your readers an edge over other people because you know exactly what they are reading.
3. Segmentation
Segmentation lets you target your email campaigns to certain audiences. A/B testing different parts of your list can give you insight into the way audiences react to a specific section. Create niches for, for instance, new subscribers, existing customers, or anyone who has seen your content in the past.
This personalized approach ensures your emails relate specifically to each group’s experiences and requirements, which improves engagement and conversions. Segmenting your content, so that you can send it out to each segmented audience, allows you to produce unique content that appeals to each segment.
4. Frequency
Finding the right email frequency is essential to avoiding subscriber fatigue. A flood of emails can become a flood, and a shortage can render you lost. A/B split tests the frequency between emailing one group every week and another group every 2 weeks.
By tracking your key engagement numbers (open rates, click-throughs, unsubscribe rates), you’ll be able to figure out what frequency will keep your visitors interested without being overwhelmed. Keeping your subscribers healthy and your campaigns running can ensure you maintain this equilibrium.
5. Mobile Optimization
Since most of the email openings are on smartphones, it is vital to make sure your emails are mobile friendly. Adapted A/B test designs to mobile users vs desktops.
Check how differences in font size, button access, and overall layout affect user experience across devices. Mobile opportunites are essential to getting engagement from email readers who read emails on the go and you want your call to action to be visible and simple to understand.
Conclusion:
In short, email split testing is one of the best ways you can utilize your email campaigns to generate higher engagement. You can measure and figure out what works best by experimenting with aspects of your email such as subject line, CTA, email body, send time, and customization. During testing, it is very important to only test one element at a time. The practice will help you accurately judge which change made the biggest difference. I hope you have a great testing experience!
