A/B test your email campaigns the right way

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Hello, and welcome back to another edition of eCommerce Alchemy - your one-stop destination for everything related to ecommerce growth.

Ever wondered how some brands seem to effortlessly nail their campaigns while others struggle to gain traction? The secret lies in A/B testing.

Getting Started: A/B Testing Fundamentals

A/B testing, also known as split testing, involves comparing two versions of a marketing asset to determine which one performs better. Before diving into testing, it's crucial to define clear objectives and hypotheses.

Start by identifying the key elements of your campaign that you want to test, whether it's email subject lines, ad copy, images, or landing page layouts. Remember, the goal is to isolate and test one variable at a time to accurately measure its impact on performance. Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas to consider:

Testing for Improved Placed Order Rates

If your goal is to increase the number of orders generated by your campaigns, consider testing the following elements:

• Social Proof: Consider testing different types of social proof, such as customer testimonials, product ratings, or endorsements from influencers.

• Offers: Consider testing different types of offers such as different percentages of discounts, bundles, free shipping, free gifts, etc.

• Send Timing: Dive deeper into your audience's behaviour patterns to identify the optimal days and times for sending your campaigns. Test different time zones if your audience is spread across multiple regions.

• Call to Action (CTA) Copy: Experiment with variations in CTA copy to see which prompts more conversions. For example, you could test phrases like "Shop Now" versus "Discover More."

Strategies to Boost Click Rates

To encourage more clicks on the links in your campaigns, consider testing the following variables:

• CTA Placement: Test different placements for your CTAs within your email or ad copy. Try placing them strategically within the content, at the end of the message, or even as a pop-up overlay.

• Visual Content: In addition to images and GIFs, consider testing other types of visual content, such as videos or interactive elements. These can often capture attention and drive higher engagement rates.

• Personalization: Experiment with personalised content tailored to specific segments of your audience. This could include personalised product recommendations, dynamic content based on past behaviour, or location-specific offers.

Tests to Improve Open Rates

Getting recipients to open your emails is the first step towards engagement. Here are some advanced tactics to test:

• Subject Line Tests: Experiment with different types of subject lines, such as statements versus questions, varying lengths, personalization using dynamic tags, or the use of emojis, to see which approach generates higher open rates.

• Preview Text: Test whether including preview text in your emails influences open rates by providing recipients with additional context or incentive to open the message.

• From Name: Compare different sender identities, such as your company name versus a more personal name or even a specific individual's name, to see which sender identity resonates best with your audience.

• Send Timing: Explore how the timing of your email sends, including different days of the week or times of day, affects open rates and overall email engagement.

Reviewing A/B Test Results and Selecting a Winner (Optional)

Once your A/B tests are live, it's important to monitor their progress and analyse the results. Navigate to the A/B Test Results tab of your campaign to review performance metrics and determine which version has performed better. If you choose to end an ongoing A/B test, follow these steps to select a winner:

1. Navigate to the A/B Test Results tab of the campaign you are testing.

2. Click the additional options menu next to the version you'd like to choose as the winner.

3. Click "Choose as Winner" to select the winning variation.

Keep in mind that when you manually select a winner, recipients who haven't yet received the campaign will receive the winning variation immediately. If your A/B test size was 100% of recipients, data will continue to be collected throughout the conversion window, and the winner may change as new data comes in.

Key Takeaways

• A/B testing is a powerful tool for optimising your marketing campaigns and improving performance.

• Test one variable at a time to accurately measure its impact on campaign metrics.

• Experiment with different elements such as social proof, CTA placement, and subject lines to identify what resonates with your audience.

• Monitor A/B test results closely and use them to inform future campaign strategies.

In Conclusion

A/B testing is not just a one-time activity; it's an ongoing process of experimentation and refinement. By continuously testing and optimising campaign elements, marketers can stay ahead of the curve and drive better results over time. So, don't be afraid to experiment, analyse the data, and iterate on your campaigns to unlock their full potential.

For more information on how to review your email A/B test results and optimise your campaigns, check out our comprehensive guide here.

Happy testing!