| I. | Email testing |
| II. | What to test in an email |
Email testing options
What do we mean by testing? Assessing the quality of an email, be it in its concrete elements (i.e. words and format), or more abstract elements (i.e. readability), and seeking to improve them is the basis of testing. Of course, improvement is determined by your own set of metrics, e.g. the open rate and/or click-through rate. However, the choice of metrics may also change depending on the type of test (explained below). It is crucial to decide on which grounds you'd like to assess the success of an email before sending it out in its final version. There's a lot more that goes into it than you might think!
Email testing is still being neglected by many email marketers and only a small amount of companies conduct regular testing. The reasons why may include tighter budgets reducing its priority, time constraints, or perceived complexity. However, we stand by the importance of testing, so we've come up with a checklist of important elements which you can check before hitting send.
You can significantly improve your emails without falling into easily overlooked traps. For example, a simple subject line test can alert you to which subject line achieves 10% more opens. For an email sent to 1,000 people, that’s an extra 100 viewers, which could potentially be an extra 100 conversions. In email marketing, incremental changes can have huge consequences.
So, how do you test? We have created a feature which will allow you to find the most successful version of your email campaign. Keep reading to find out more:
A/B testing
Email version A is deployed with a version B, usually with one contrasting variable (e.g. subject line), both sent to a different small selection of the total recipient volume (commonly 5%). The winner of the two is determined, and sent as version C to the remaining majority (commonly 90%).
For more information on A/B Testing, click here.
What to test in an email
If it’s in the email, you can test it. Here is our checklist of the most essential elements to consider and why you should seek to improve these:
1. Subject line
A good one can be the difference between the email being viewed or deleted.
2. From line
It’s vital in first communicating your business brand.
3. Landing page optimisation
A click-through to an unsuitable page could greatly undermine the user experience.
4. Personalisation
Now more frequent at a basic level, it’s important to reach out directly.
5. Drop day
A send on your optimal day will see the best chance of immediate response.
6. Drop time
Similarly, a send at your optimal time will have the same effect.
7. Creative
Minor improvements in design can dramatically affect engagement.
8. Content
Exactly what is communicated is obviously paramount and must be relevant, gripping and informative.
9. Link placement
The positioning of key links and buttons strongly influences clickthroughs.
10. Link design
If you get it right, you will entice interaction which may get your recipients on board.
11. Link frequency
Too many or too few can cause confusion, so this should be balanced.
12. Social media integration
The right exposure may lead to greater email readership.
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