{"id":9043,"date":"2025-06-10T02:55:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T02:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/?p=9043"},"modified":"2025-06-10T02:55:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T02:55:50","slug":"a-b-testing-what-you-should-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/a-b-testing-what-you-should-be\/","title":{"rendered":"A\/B Testing: What You Should Be Testing in Your Campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"297\"><strong>A\/B Testing: What You Should Be Testing in Your Campaigns<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"297\">If you\u2019re not A\/B testing your campaigns, you\u2019re leaving valuable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/10000-subscribers-in-6-months\/\">insights<\/a> and conversions on the table.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"299\" data-end=\"460\"><strong data-start=\"299\" data-end=\"333\">A\/B testing (or split testing)<\/strong> is one of the most effective ways to optimize your <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">email<\/a> marketing. It\u2019s not about guessing what works, it\u2019s about <em data-start=\"450\" data-end=\"459\">knowing<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"488\">In this post, we\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"489\" data-end=\"651\">\n<li data-start=\"489\" data-end=\"524\">\n<p data-start=\"491\" data-end=\"524\">What A\/B testing is (and isn\u2019t)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"525\" data-end=\"563\">\n<p data-start=\"527\" data-end=\"563\">Why it matters for email marketing<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"564\" data-end=\"603\">\n<p data-start=\"566\" data-end=\"603\">The most important elements to test<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"604\" data-end=\"651\">\n<p data-start=\"606\" data-end=\"651\">Best practices for getting reliable results<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"653\" data-end=\"720\">Let\u2019s dive into how to make your emails smarter, not just prettier.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"722\" data-end=\"725\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"727\" data-end=\"772\">\ud83d\udcec What Is A\/B Testing in Email Marketing?<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"774\" data-end=\"904\">A\/B testing is when you <strong data-start=\"798\" data-end=\"829\">send two (or more) versions<\/strong> of an email to a sample of your audience to see which one performs better.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"1043\">Typically, you test <strong data-start=\"926\" data-end=\"952\">one variable at a time<\/strong> \u2014 like a subject line or CTA \u2014 and then send the winning version to the rest of your list.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1045\" data-end=\"1059\"><strong data-start=\"1045\" data-end=\"1057\">Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1060\" data-end=\"1232\">\n<li data-start=\"1060\" data-end=\"1117\">\n<p data-start=\"1062\" data-end=\"1117\">Version A: Subject line = \u201cYour free guide is inside\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1118\" data-end=\"1232\">\n<p data-start=\"1120\" data-end=\"1232\">Version B: Subject line = \u201cUnlock your exclusive email strategy guide\u201d<br data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1193\" \/>Whichever version gets more opens wins.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-start=\"1234\" data-end=\"1237\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"1239\" data-end=\"1281\">\ud83d\udca1 Why Should You A\/B Test Your Emails?<\/h2>\n<ul data-start=\"1283\" data-end=\"1487\">\n<li data-start=\"1283\" data-end=\"1326\">\n<p data-start=\"1285\" data-end=\"1326\">\ud83d\udcc8 Improve open and click-through rates<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1327\" data-end=\"1370\">\n<p data-start=\"1329\" data-end=\"1370\">\ud83d\udcac Learn what your audience responds to<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1371\" data-end=\"1414\">\n<p data-start=\"1373\" data-end=\"1414\">\ud83c\udfaf Reduce guesswork in future campaigns<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1415\" data-end=\"1444\">\n<p data-start=\"1417\" data-end=\"1444\">\ud83d\udcb0 Increase ROI over time<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1445\" data-end=\"1487\">\n<p data-start=\"1447\" data-end=\"1487\">\u23f1 Save time by investing in what works<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1489\" data-end=\"1567\">Every test brings you closer to sending emails your audience <em data-start=\"1550\" data-end=\"1566\">actually wants<\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1569\" data-end=\"1572\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"1574\" data-end=\"1610\">\ud83d\udd0d What You Should Be A\/B Testing<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1612\" data-end=\"1672\">Not sure what to test? Here are the highest-impact elements:<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1674\" data-end=\"1677\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"1679\" data-end=\"1703\">1. <strong data-start=\"1686\" data-end=\"1703\">Subject Lines<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1763\">This is often the first \u2014 and only \u2014 thing subscribers see.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1765\" data-end=\"1774\">Test for:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1775\" data-end=\"1900\">\n<li data-start=\"1775\" data-end=\"1802\">\n<p data-start=\"1777\" data-end=\"1802\">Length (short vs. long)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1803\" data-end=\"1831\">\n<p data-start=\"1805\" data-end=\"1831\">Tone (casual vs. formal)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1832\" data-end=\"1876\">\n<p data-start=\"1834\" data-end=\"1876\">Personalization (\u201cHey John\u201d vs. generic)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1877\" data-end=\"1900\">\n<p data-start=\"1879\" data-end=\"1900\">Curiosity vs. clarity<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1902\" data-end=\"1931\"><strong data-start=\"1902\" data-end=\"1911\">Goal:<\/strong> Increase open rates<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"1936\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"1938\" data-end=\"1963\">2. <strong data-start=\"1945\" data-end=\"1963\">Preheader Text<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1964\" data-end=\"2027\">That little line of preview text can do a lot of heavy lifting.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2029\" data-end=\"2038\">Test for:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2144\">\n<li data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2084\">\n<p data-start=\"2041\" data-end=\"2084\">Supporting vs. repeating the subject line<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2085\" data-end=\"2108\">\n<p data-start=\"2087\" data-end=\"2108\">Using emojis or not<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2109\" data-end=\"2144\">\n<p data-start=\"2111\" data-end=\"2144\">Adding urgency or teasing content<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2146\" data-end=\"2175\"><strong data-start=\"2146\" data-end=\"2155\">Goal:<\/strong> Increase open rates<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2177\" data-end=\"2180\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"2182\" data-end=\"2212\">3. <strong data-start=\"2189\" data-end=\"2212\">Email Design\/Layout<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2213\" data-end=\"2265\">How your email <em data-start=\"2228\" data-end=\"2235\">looks<\/em> can affect how people engage.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2267\" data-end=\"2272\">Test:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2273\" data-end=\"2379\">\n<li data-start=\"2273\" data-end=\"2307\">\n<p data-start=\"2275\" data-end=\"2307\">Single-column vs. multi-column<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2308\" data-end=\"2332\">\n<p data-start=\"2310\" data-end=\"2332\">Button color or size<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2333\" data-end=\"2352\">\n<p data-start=\"2335\" data-end=\"2352\">Image placement<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2353\" data-end=\"2379\">\n<p data-start=\"2355\" data-end=\"2379\">Responsive\/mobile layout<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2381\" data-end=\"2421\"><strong data-start=\"2381\" data-end=\"2390\">Goal:<\/strong> Improve readability and clicks<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2423\" data-end=\"2426\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"2428\" data-end=\"2459\">4. <strong data-start=\"2435\" data-end=\"2459\">Call-to-Action (CTA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2460\" data-end=\"2502\">Your CTA is the \u201cwhat now?\u201d of your email.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2504\" data-end=\"2509\">Test:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2510\" data-end=\"2667\">\n<li data-start=\"2510\" data-end=\"2534\">\n<p data-start=\"2512\" data-end=\"2534\">Button vs. text link<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2535\" data-end=\"2590\">\n<p data-start=\"2537\" data-end=\"2590\">Different button copy (\u201cShop Now\u201d vs. \u201cGrab Yours\u201d)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2591\" data-end=\"2633\">\n<p data-start=\"2593\" data-end=\"2633\">CTA placement (top, middle, or bottom)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2634\" data-end=\"2667\">\n<p data-start=\"2636\" data-end=\"2667\">Number of CTAs (1 vs. multiple)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2669\" data-end=\"2707\"><strong data-start=\"2669\" data-end=\"2678\">Goal:<\/strong> Increase click-through rates<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2709\" data-end=\"2712\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"2714\" data-end=\"2744\">5. <strong data-start=\"2721\" data-end=\"2744\">Send Times and Days<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2745\" data-end=\"2788\">Timing can have a big impact on engagement.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2790\" data-end=\"2795\">Test:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2796\" data-end=\"2874\">\n<li data-start=\"2796\" data-end=\"2821\">\n<p data-start=\"2798\" data-end=\"2821\">Morning vs. afternoon<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2822\" data-end=\"2845\">\n<p data-start=\"2824\" data-end=\"2845\">Weekday vs. weekend<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2846\" data-end=\"2874\">\n<p data-start=\"2848\" data-end=\"2874\">Same day across time zones<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2876\" data-end=\"2930\"><strong data-start=\"2876\" data-end=\"2885\">Goal:<\/strong> Find your list\u2019s \u201csweet spot\u201d for open rates<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2932\" data-end=\"2935\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"2937\" data-end=\"2972\">6. <strong data-start=\"2944\" data-end=\"2972\">Personalization Elements<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2973\" data-end=\"3000\">Go beyond first name. Test:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3002\" data-end=\"3125\">\n<li data-start=\"3002\" data-end=\"3042\">\n<p data-start=\"3004\" data-end=\"3042\">Personalized product recommendations<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3043\" data-end=\"3086\">\n<p data-start=\"3045\" data-end=\"3086\">Dynamic content by location or behavior<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3087\" data-end=\"3125\">\n<p data-start=\"3089\" data-end=\"3125\">Custom offers based on past activity<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3127\" data-end=\"3171\"><strong data-start=\"3127\" data-end=\"3136\">Goal:<\/strong> Increase relevance and conversions<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3173\" data-end=\"3176\" \/>\n<h3 data-start=\"3178\" data-end=\"3212\">7. <strong data-start=\"3185\" data-end=\"3212\">Content Length &amp; Format<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3213\" data-end=\"3272\">Does your audience prefer quick bites or long-form content?<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3274\" data-end=\"3279\">Test:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3280\" data-end=\"3369\">\n<li data-start=\"3280\" data-end=\"3307\">\n<p data-start=\"3282\" data-end=\"3307\">Short vs. detailed copy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3308\" data-end=\"3337\">\n<p data-start=\"3310\" data-end=\"3337\">Plain text vs. HTML email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3338\" data-end=\"3369\">\n<p data-start=\"3340\" data-end=\"3369\">Bulleted lists vs. paragraphs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3371\" data-end=\"3422\"><strong data-start=\"3371\" data-end=\"3380\">Goal:<\/strong> Improve engagement and time spent reading<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3424\" data-end=\"3427\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"3429\" data-end=\"3461\">\ud83e\udde0 A\/B Testing Best Practices<\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"3463\" data-end=\"3498\">\u2705 Test One Variable at a Time<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3499\" data-end=\"3573\">Don\u2019t change everything at once \u2014 you won\u2019t know what made the difference.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3575\" data-end=\"3604\">\u2705 Segment Your Audience<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3605\" data-end=\"3695\">Use a portion of your list for testing (usually 10-30%). Then send the winner to the rest.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3697\" data-end=\"3720\">\u2705 Set Clear Goals<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3721\" data-end=\"3827\">Are you testing for opens, clicks, conversions, or replies? Know what success looks like before you start.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3829\" data-end=\"3859\">\u2705 Let It Run Long Enough<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3860\" data-end=\"3955\">Don\u2019t rush. Give your test 24\u201372 hours (depending on your audience size) to gather enough data.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3957\" data-end=\"3979\">\u2705 Trust the Data<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3980\" data-end=\"4051\">Even if the winning version isn\u2019t your favorite, the numbers don\u2019t lie.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"4053\" data-end=\"4056\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"4058\" data-end=\"4089\">\ud83e\uddea Real-World A\/B Test Ideas<\/h2>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_16hzy_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_16hzy_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"4091\" data-end=\"4410\">\n<thead data-start=\"4091\" data-end=\"4131\">\n<tr data-start=\"4091\" data-end=\"4131\">\n<th data-start=\"4091\" data-end=\"4106\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Test Element<\/th>\n<th data-start=\"4106\" data-end=\"4118\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Version A<\/th>\n<th data-start=\"4118\" data-end=\"4131\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Version B<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"4173\" data-end=\"4410\">\n<tr data-start=\"4173\" data-end=\"4238\">\n<td data-start=\"4173\" data-end=\"4188\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Subject Line<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4188\" data-end=\"4208\" data-col-size=\"sm\">\u201cYou&#8217;re Invited!\u201d<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4208\" data-end=\"4238\" data-col-size=\"sm\">\u201c\ud83c\udf89 Don\u2019t Miss This Event\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"4239\" data-end=\"4286\">\n<td data-start=\"4239\" data-end=\"4252\" data-col-size=\"sm\">CTA Button<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4252\" data-end=\"4267\" data-col-size=\"sm\">\u201cLearn More\u201d<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4267\" data-end=\"4286\" data-col-size=\"sm\">\u201cGet the Guide\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"4287\" data-end=\"4330\">\n<td data-start=\"4287\" data-end=\"4302\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Email Layout<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4302\" data-end=\"4316\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Image-heavy<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4316\" data-end=\"4330\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Minimalist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"4331\" data-end=\"4370\">\n<td data-start=\"4331\" data-end=\"4343\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Send Time<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4343\" data-end=\"4356\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Tues 10 AM<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4356\" data-end=\"4370\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Thurs 3 PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"4371\" data-end=\"4410\">\n<td data-start=\"4371\" data-end=\"4385\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Copy Length<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4385\" data-end=\"4397\" data-col-size=\"sm\">100 words<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"4397\" data-end=\"4410\" data-col-size=\"sm\">300 words<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"sticky end-(--thread-content-margin) h-0 self-end select-none\">\n<div class=\"absolute end-0 flex items-end\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr data-start=\"4412\" data-end=\"4415\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"4417\" data-end=\"4458\">\ud83c\udfc1 Final Thoughts: Test, Learn, Repeat<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4460\" data-end=\"4607\">The best email marketers aren\u2019t just creative \u2014 they\u2019re curious. A\/B testing helps you move from \u201cI think this will work\u201d to \u201cI <em data-start=\"4588\" data-end=\"4594\">know<\/em> this works.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4609\" data-end=\"4713\">And remember: what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Keep testing. Keep learning. Keep optimizing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A\/B Testing: What You Should Be Testing in Your Campaigns If you\u2019re not A\/B testing your campaigns, you\u2019re leaving valuable insights and conversions on the table. A\/B testing (or split&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-email-marketing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9043"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9056,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9043\/revisions\/9056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}