How to Conduct A/B Testing in Emails: Crazy Simple Guide

If all your friends were A/B testing, wouldn’t you do it too?

In the world of digital marketing, A/B testing is pretty much the gold standard. I use it all the time for the best open and click through rates.

But here’s what so many people don’t realize: A/B testing is crazy easy to do. 

I’ll break down exactly how you can conduct A/B testing in your emails quick and easy.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing is comparing two versions of an email to see which one performs better. You send out two variants (A and B) to a small percentage of your audience and analyze which one gets more opens, clicks, or conversions.

Think of it like letting a small group of customers vote on the winning email first.

Then you send the winner to the rest of your list. 

Why A/B Test Your Emails?

• Boost Open Rates: Test subject lines to see what catches your audience’s eye.
• Increase Click-Through Rates: Experiment with different call-to-actions or email content.
• Enhance Conversion Rates: Determine what content drives your audience to take action.

Step-By-Step Guide to A/B Testing Your Emails

Step 1: Set a Clear Objective

What do you want to achieve with your email? Whether it’s increasing open rates, click-through-rates, or conversion rates, having a clear goal will guide your testing process.

Step 2: Choose One Variable to Test

Focus on one aspect of an email at a time.

For instance, if you’re testing open rates, you want to look at your subject lines. 

Note that you should never test more than one variable at once. If you change the subject lines and first lines in both A and B emails, you will not know for sure which email truly gets more clicks.

Step 3: Create Your Email Variants

After you determine which performance metric to measure, and choose which factor to change between A and B emails, your next step is to write both versions of your email.

Keep them identical except for the one variable you are testing.

Step 4: Segment Your Audience

Divide your email list into two random groups. Ensure they’re as similar as possible, or randomly selected to get accurate results.

Step 5: Send and Analyze

Send Version A to one group and Version B to the other. Then, analyze the results based on which metric you choose. 

Did one email outperform the other in terms of your set goal?

Step 6: Implement and Optimize

Use what you’ve learned to optimize your future emails. 

Even after you discover one improvement, there’s always room for more. A/B testing is not a one-time task. It’s a continuous improvement process.

Best Practices for Effective A/B Testing

• Test Continuously: Regular testing keeps your strategies fresh and effective.
• Keep It Simple: Test one variable at a time for clear insights.
• Use a Significant Sample Size: Ensure your test groups are large enough to provide meaningful data. Industry standard is 100 people but 30 is enough to start out.
• Be Patient: Give your test enough time to produce results.
• Document Your Findings: Keep track of your tests and results for future reference.

Conclusion

A/B testing in emails doesn’t have to be complicated. With this crazy simple guide, you’re well on your way to creating more effective and engaging email campaigns. Start small, test regularly, and watch as your email marketing strategy transforms, leading to better engagement and higher conversions. 

So, are you ready to give your emails the A/B test boost?

Excited to test this out? Share this guide with your network and help others master the art of simple yet effective A/B testing in emails!

But before you go, I’m curious, what A/B strategies have you discovered that help you best?

Photo by  Stephen Phillips - Hostreviews.co.uk