Email marketing, while one of the first forms of digital marketing, is still resoundingly effective and hugely valuable to your overall campaign. But when was the last time you evaluated your email marketing, and made improvements? Bulk email software service providers can often help you with this task, but for Perth businesses who are tackling their own email marketing, we’ve broken down the basics for A/B testing and how to apply it. About A/B Testing

By using A/B testing, you can compare results from different variables, to see how some adjustments may positively or negatively affect your results. For example, you may choose to apply split texting to your subject line of the email, and send out the same email but with that adjustment made. You will be able to see from the results which subject line is more appealing to your audience, and use this information when you’re developing further campaigns. You can choose your variable, and you might be surprised by how the little things can affect your customer base! Some variables you may wish to test can include: Call to action (“Download Free Brochure!” vs “Click Here To Find Out How”) Subject line (“Storewide Discounts Today Only!” vs “Exclusive Offer”) Whether to include testimonials Message format and layout Personalisation, including the recipients name or other formalities Content, from text to imagery, or video links Headline The offer you’re promoting Then, your email list will be divided evenly, and each recipient will receive one of the variations. It gets really exciting when you the results start showing, and you get a tangible insight into what makes your consumers tick- or, you may find out that a certain variable is particularly unappealing to them, which is also extremely useful to know. Who To Test? Usually, testing your whole list is best, as it gives you the greatest amount of feedback. The aim of A/B testing is to continuously build on your buyer persona, so you want to ensure that you are casting the widest net possible. It’s also important to ensure that your email list will be divided up evenly and randomly, as this can skew results. For example, if you divide your list into age demographics, certain changes might have a huge return on one variable group and mislead you into thinking that your buyers are all looking for that style of communication.

Define Your Success Before you even decide on your variable, you’ll need to decide what you are going to look for. A great place to start is at your email conversion track record so far, and building goals from that. You might even just want people to open the email- which can sometimes be hard enough. Results can be determined through: The open rate, are they actually opening it? The click through rate, are they clicking into the email? The conversion rate, are they on your website and converting into customers? Extra Tips: Make your sample groups as large as you can for more accurate feedback Test early and often, to find the best results in time Split test simultaneously, to reduce any time-based factors which could alter results Only test one variable at a time, so you know where your results are coming from