The truth is… even the most carefully crafted emails can fall flat without deeply understanding your audience’s preferences. That’s where the power of A/B testing in email marketing comes in.
A/B testing in email marketing is like having a conversation with your subscribers. You experiment with different approaches to see what resonates, allowing you to refine your email marketing strategy based on data, not guesswork.
In this article, we dive deep into the world of email A/B testing, providing you with actionable strategies to transform your email marketing efforts and achieve email marketing success.
What is A/B Testing in Email Marketing?
A/B testing, or split testing as some call it, is like a popularity contest for your emails. You create two slightly different versions (version A and version B), then send them out to two groups from your target audience.
The key here is to make sure these groups, or your sample size, are big enough to give you reliable results. You’re looking to see which version gets more clicks, opens, and, ultimately, conversions.
If one version wins by a landslide — like a difference that’s statistically significant, meaning it’s not just random luck — then you’ve found your winning version! This champ then gets sent out to the rest of your audience.
And hey, A/B testing isn’t just for one-off emails. You can use it for your whole email automation sequence to make sure every step is performing at its best.
With Sender, A/B testing your email automation workflows is a breeze — even on our free plan. Experiment with subject lines, content, and sending times to see what works best!
Why is A/B Testing Important?
A/B testing provides valuable data that helps you understand your audience’s preferences. By consistently testing different elements, you can:
- Increase email open rates. Craft compelling subject lines that entice subscribers to click;
- Improve click-through rates. Optimize email content and calls to action for higher engagement;
- Boost conversions. Identify which offers, messaging, and design elements lead to more sales;
- Reduce unsubscribe rates. Ensure your emails resonate with your audience and provide value.
Essentially, A/B testing allows you to make data-driven decisions to refine your email marketing campaigns and achieve better results.
The Best Email A/B Testing Strategies
Now, let’s explore some practical A/B testing strategies you can implement:
Testing Incentives
Incentives are what makes your audience click on your emails, so testing which ones work the best is a no-brainer:
Free Delivery vs. % Discount
This little test will show you which incentive your audience really loves and what makes them more likely to open their wallets.
It’s all about understanding what your customers value. Are they happy to spend a bit more if it means dodging shipping fees? Or are they all about that instant gratification of seeing a lower price tag?
Example:
- Email A: “Enjoy free delivery on your entire order!”
- Email B: “Get 15% off your next purchase!”
Here’s what Email A could look like:
% Discount vs. Exact Sum Discount
This test is all about figuring out which type of discount really gets your audience going! Seeing “$20 off” with a discount code might feel like a steal, even if it’s technically the same as a, let’s say, 20% discount.
Example:
- Email A: “Enjoy 20% off sitewide!”
- Email B: “Take $20 off your next order!”
It seems like the email B version worked well for Instacart:
Free Gift vs. % Discount
This test is like a giant game of “deal or no deal” for your customers.
You’re figuring out if the excitement of getting something extra sways them or if they’re more practical and want a discount on their cart items.
Once you know if they’re motivated by perceived value (free stuff!) or cash savings, you can tailor your offers to make them irresistible.
Example:
- Email A: “Receive a free tote bag with your purchase!”
- Email B: “Enjoy 10% off your next order!”
Here’s a good Email A example from Recess:
Smaller Discount + Free Shipping vs. Bigger Discount
With this test, you’re pitting a combo deal (think “discount + free shipping!”) against a single, larger discount.
This will show you if your audience loves a good bundle or if they prefer keeping things simple with one straightforward discount.
Example:
- Email A: “10% off + free delivery – shop now!”
- Email B: “Enjoy 20% off your entire purchase!”
It seems like Email B was the winning version:
Testing Offers for Different Products or Product Categories
This test takes a peek inside your customers’ brains to see what product categories really speak to them right now. It’s all about staying ahead of the trend curve and serving what they’re craving in your emails.
It helps you keep your email marketing fresh, relevant, and full of the things they’re actually gonna buy.
Example:
- Email A: “New arrivals: discover the latest trends”
- Email B: “Our best-selling styles are back in stock!”
Take a look at an example of email A:
Newest Products vs. Sale Products
This test helps you understand what motivates your customers’ purchases: the appeal of new products or the attraction of discounted items.
By comparing the performance of emails featuring new arrivals versus those promoting sale items, you can gain insights into your audience’s buying habits. This information allows you to segment your audience more effectively and tailor product recommendations to their preferences.
Example:
- Email A: “Fresh finds: explore our latest arrivals”
- Email B: “Sale alert: save up to 50% on select styles”
Here’s how email B could look like:
Testing Timing
Timing is crucial in email marketing. A/B testing can also help you determine the optimal days and times to reach your audience when they’re most likely to engage.
Business Days vs. Non-Business Days
Ever notice how some days you get way more emails opened than others? It’s not just you! People check their email differently throughout the week. This test figures out if your audience is more likely to open and click your emails on weekdays or during the weekend.
Basically, you’re finding out when your subscribers are actually paying attention so you can send your emails at the best possible time.
Working Hours vs. Non-Working Hours
Want more people to see and open your emails? Sending emails at the right time is key. This test determines whether your emails do better when sent during typical work hours or at other times.
You’ll get a better idea of when your subscribers are actually checking their inbox, so you can send emails when they’re most likely to get noticed.
Once you know the best days or times to send, you can even do more testing within those windows to really fine-tune your strategy.
Countdown Timer vs. No Timer
This test checks if adding a countdown timer to your emails actually makes people take action.
You’ll find out if your audience feels that “fear of missing out” and acts faster because of the timer or if it doesn’t really make a difference. Then you’ll know if using timers in your marketing is a good idea or not!
Oakley often tries out countdown timers in its emails:
Create your countdown email in a snap! Just choose a template, drag-and-drop with Sender’s email builder & enjoy the boost in sales.
Testing Audiences
Okay, so you know how everyone’s different? Well, your email list is the same way!
Instead of sending the same email blast to everyone, try splitting them into groups and tailoring your message for each one.
Loyal Customers vs. New Customers
Think about it: your loyal customers already like you! They want different things for your email campaigns than someone who just signed up.
This test helps you figure out what kind of messages click best with each group so you can keep those engagement and sales numbers high!
Baublebar does email for loyal customers right:
Engaged Subscribers vs. Inactive Subscribers
We all know some people can’t get enough of your emails (yay!) while others need a little nudge.
This test lets you try out different ways to get those quieter subscribers excited again. You’ll learn what works best to win them back and keep them coming back for more.
Personalization vs. No Personalization
You know how annoying it is to get those generic emails that are totally irrelevant to you? In the mountains of emails people get every day, a little personal touch can make all the difference.
By testing a more personalized approach in your email campaigns, you’ll quickly learn if it makes people want to open, click, and buy more. Who knows, you might be surprised by how much a little “Hey [Name]!” can boost your results.
Example:
- Email A: “Hi [Name], based on your recent purchases, you might also like…” (featuring personalized product recommendations)
- Email B: “Check out our top picks for fall” (using generic product suggestions)
This is a good example of a personalized email:
Testing Sending Frequency
You don’t want to bombard your subscribers with emails, right? But you also don’t want them to forget about you. Figuring out how often to email is super important for keeping people engaged. That’s where testing comes in!
Daily or Every 3 Days
How often should you pop into your subscribers’ inboxes? Daily updates might excite some, while others might feel overwhelmed and hit unsubscribe.
Test sending some subscribers daily emails and others less frequent ones. By watching the unsubscribe rates closely, you’ll quickly learn if your audience craves constant contact or prefers a more relaxed flow.
Weekly vs. Bi-Weekly
If you send out a content-heavy newsletter, you need to find the sweet spot between delivering engaging content and respecting everyone’s inbox space.
This test compares sending your email newsletter every week versus every other week. This helps you see if your subscribers prefer a more frequent update or a less demanding schedule.
Testing Mobile Design
It’s super important because practically everyone’s glued to their phones, scrolling through emails on the go. If your email feels like a chore to read on a small screen, people will just toss it aside.
More Visual vs. Less Visual Content
One thing to test is the overall layout and how much content you’re packing in. Too much info can make your email too crowded. But too little content might make it feel a bit empty.
Experiment with different amounts of content and see if people prefer scrolling through bite-sized chunks or if they respond better to a more visual approach with less text.
Here’s how highly visual email could look like:
Longer vs. Shorter Content
Another thing to consider is how much time people actually have to read on their phones. Test out longer, more detailed emails against shorter, punchier ones.
Do people prefer quick hits of info, or will they actually dive into something longer while they’re waiting for the bus? Finding the ideal content length will keep your audience engaged without making them feel overwhelmed
Testing Email Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first impression you make on potential readers. Test subject lines with A/B testing to discover which resonates best with your audience and improve open rates.
Try switching up things like:
- Questions vs. statements: “Ready to refresh your wardrobe?” vs. “New arrivals are here!”
- Emojis vs. no emojis: “✨New arrivals you don’t want to miss! ✨” vs. “New arrivals you don’t want to miss!”
- Personalized greetings vs. generic greetings: “Hi [Name], new arrivals just dropped!” vs. “New arrivals are here!”
- Promotional language vs. benefit-driven language: “Get 20% off your first order!” vs. “Discover styles you’ll love for 20% off”
Testing different subject lines, you get to see what really makes them click: curiosity, benefits, a personal touch, or even a well-placed emoji. These insights are gold, helping you write future subject lines that get people excited to open your emails.
Testing Email Content
Your email content needs to keep your subscribers hooked. It’s all about being interesting, giving them the info they need, and gently nudging them towards whatever action you want them to take.
A/B testing is your best way to figure out what really hits the mark.
Long-Form Content vs. Short-Form Content
Think about your audience – are they skimmers or deep divers? This test helps you find the perfect balance for content length.
Do people prefer short and sweet emails that get right to the point? Or do they like to really sink their teeth into something longer and more detailed? This way, you’ll know exactly how much information to give them to keep them interested.
If you’re testing content length, ensure it’s evident like Koala Eco does:
Image-Heavy Design vs. Text-Based Design
Pictures can make your emails look amazing, but too many can slow things down. This test helps you find the right balance.
Do your readers prefer emails that are like mini magazines, full of visuals? Or are they more into a clean, text-focused look that loads super fast? You’ll learn how to make your emails visually appealing without sacrificing a smooth reading experience.
Graza doesn’t shy away from image-heave design in its emails:
Single Call to Action vs. Multiple Calls-to-Action
You always want to give people a clear next step, but bombarding them with too many options can be confusing. This test helps you find the magic number.
Testing if it’s better to have one clear call-to-action, or give people a few different ways to engage, you’ll know how to guide your readers towards that conversion without overwhelming them.
Here’s an example of multiple calls-to-action email:
Best A/B Split Testing Examples
For your business to succeed in today’s competitive environment, it must build a culture of scalable experiments. And although the content of your marketing campaign matters, you cannot take away the magic A/B testing.
Below are some examples of successful A/B testing scenarios; they give you a picture of how some leading companies worldwide are benefiting from the practice of A/B testing.
#1 Example of A/B Split Testing
WorkZone is an email marketing software company based in the US providing documentation collaboration and project management solution tools. It is a competitive industry, and they must be on their A-game to get conversions.
As part of building a good brand, they decided to add a customer review section close to the demo request form. However, they soon realized that this new section overshadowed the request form, thereby distracting customers on the page.
They decided to change their customer testimonial colors from the original colors to white and black. This change was to help them study if the number of demo requests would increase.
They ran the test for 22 days, and after that, WorkZone noticed that the Variation copy performed better than the original copy. They witnessed a 34% increase in the submitted forms, with a 99% statistical significance.
#2 Example of A/B Split Testing
Grene is an Ecommerce company in Poland that sells various comprehensive agricultural products. This company has carried out A/B testing on different occasions, which has led to the success of its brand.
One such scenario involved adding prominence to their in-page elements by revamping the mini cart page. After the company analyzed its mini cart page, they discovered that:
- Users thought that the free delivery USP button was a clickable button where they could find extra details. But since it wasn’t a clickable button, it was causing some friction.
- Secondly, users found it difficult to see the total for each product in the cart.
- Users had to scroll to the bottom of the page to enable them to click the CTA button.
The company decided to make some changes by employing the A/B Testing tool. The following changes include:
- To help users quickly access the main cart page, they made an additional CTA button to the top section of the cart page.
- They also added a remove button to every item on the cart and the total amount of each product.
- They made the CTA more pronounced to make it very visible.
The company ran this campaign for 36 days, and they witnessed the following results:
- The visits to their cart page increased.
- There was an increase from 1.83% to 1.96% in their Ecommerce conversion rate.
- The number of their purchased items witnessed a 2x increase.
