A/B Testing in Email Marketing – Know your Customer Behaviour

What is AB Testing in Email Marketing?

AB testing in email marketing refers to comparing two different versions of an email to determine which one performs better. This process helps marketers improve their email campaigns and increase their chances of success. In this article, we will outline the basics of AB testing in email marketing and provide some best practices for getting the most out of your tests.

Email AB Testing Definition

In simple terms, A/B testing we are doing between 2 versions of the same thing to achieve a target. We are comparing the 2 modules by making a slight difference between them. It is also called split testing.

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Understanding AB Testing in Email Marketing

AB testing involves creating two versions of an email, one as a control group and one as a test group. The control group is the standard version of the email that you have been sending, while the test group is a modified version that you want to test. You then send these two versions to a randomly selected sample of your email list and measure the results.

The goal of AB testing is to determine which version of the email had a better open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, or any other metric that you are measuring.

Setting Up an AB Testing in Email Marketing

To set up an email AB test, you need to first identify the goals and objectives of the test. This will help you determine what you want to measure and what variables you want to test.

Then, you need to choose the right variables to test, such as subject lines, images, call-to-action buttons, etc. Next, you need to determine the sample email list, and the number of people you want to receive each version of the email.

Goals should be clear

Goals should be defined clearly to test such as-

  • Higher open rate.
  • For increasing click-through rates.
  • To land more users on your sales page.
  • Boost sales by modifying the sales page, etc.

It can be anything based on your requirement so, set your goals to receive a meaningful output.

How to implement Email AB Testing?

You have to be very clear about what you want to test, In the email content by changing what elements you will analyze the results. but one at a time. If you are changing the subject line and getting a success percentage more than the previous one then with the same subject line try different images or different content or font size and go on accordingly to increase your success rate. Send the 2 campaigns by splitting your email list and then analyze your recipient’s behaviour.

In email marketing, you can do A/B testing by changing the parameters. A few are mentioned below –

  • Subject Lines – Test 2 different subject lines.
  • Changing templates layout – Adding or removing columns.
  • Email content – Prepare 2 versions of email content and test which one is working better.
  • Adding / Removing images also you can try by placing images at different places.
  • Links placing – From where users are landing more on your website.
AB testing in email marketing. Reference image - Mailerlite
Image ref- Mailerlite. AB testing in Email Marketing. Know more about Mailerlite Features & pricing plans


You can do A/B testing for the Sales page by changing the web elements. A few are mentioned below –

  • Change the buy now button placement.
  • Change the font size of the text.
  • Buy now button design, colour and placement.

Best Practices for AB Testing in Email Marketing

There are several best practices that you should follow when conducting AB tests in email marketing:

  • Test one variable at a time to ensure that you are accurately measuring the impact of each change.
  • Test a variety of elements, such as subject lines, images, call-to-action buttons, etc.
  • Keep the control group consistent to ensure that the results are accurate and that you are not introducing any irrelevant variables into the test.

Why do we need A/B testing?

To analyze the user behaviour, to understand them better. If you want to get more sales then this is a must that you know your customers very well. A/B testing helps to get the stats. Using those stats you can calculate the efforts and success. It is cost-effective. With minor changes, you get major success.

Benefits of A/B testing

  • To get a high conversion rate.
  • Understand the user behaviour.
  • With the help of AB testing, you can achieve higher open rates.
  • Optimize your time and budget.

Tools available Online

You can do a lot using the tools. For Email A/B testing numerous tools are available in the market Such as – Mailchimp, Mailerlite, Sendinblue etc.

I hope this guide will help you understand what is A/B testing in email marketing and how you can use it to increase sales.

Conclusion

AB testing in email marketing is a powerful tool that can help you improve the performance of your email campaigns. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your tests are effective and that you are making the most of your email marketing efforts. So, start testing today and see how you can improve your email campaigns and achieve better results.

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