{"id":9373,"date":"2025-06-22T01:20:22","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T01:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/?p=9373"},"modified":"2025-06-22T01:20:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T01:20:24","slug":"a-b-testing-your-emails-what-to-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aderonkebamidele.com\/blog\/a-b-testing-your-emails-what-to-test\/","title":{"rendered":"A\/B Testing Your Emails: What to Test and Why It Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

A\/B Testing Your Emails: What to Test and Why It Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your digital strategy. But how do you know if your emails are working?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where A\/B testing<\/strong> (also known as split testing) comes in.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not A\/B testing your emails<\/a>, you\u2019re guessing. And in 2025\u2019s competitive inbox, guesswork<\/a> won\u2019t get you clicks, opens, or conversions.<\/strong> In this post, you\u2019ll learn what A\/B testing is, what elements you should be testing, and how to use the results to improve your email marketing performance.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2705 What Is A\/B Testing in Email Marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A\/B testing<\/strong> involves sending two different versions of an email to a small percentage of your list to see which one performs better. Once you determine the \u201cwinner,\u201d the best-performing version gets sent to the rest of your audience.<\/p>\n

Think of it as running a mini-experiment to discover what resonates with your subscribers.<\/p>\n

\n

Why A\/B Testing Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • \n

    Improve open rates, click-throughs, and conversions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Understand your audience’s preferences<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Make data-driven decisions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Avoid email fatigue and increase engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Optimize subject lines, content, and layout without guessing<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The best part? You don\u2019t need to overhaul your strategy\u2014just tweak one element at a time.<\/p>\n

    \n

    What You Can (and Should) Evaluate in Your Emails<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Let\u2019s break down the elements you can A\/B evaluate and why each one matters.<\/p>\n

    \n

    1. Subject Line<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> It\u2019s the first thing people see and determines whether they open the email at all.<\/p>\n

    What to test:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • \n

      Short vs. long subject lines<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Question vs. statement<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Use of emojis<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Personalization (e.g., first name)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Urgency or curiosity-driven language<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • \n

        A: \u201cNew Templates Inside!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        B: \u00a0Boost Your Content with These Free Templates\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \n

        2. Preheader Text<\/strong><\/h4>\n

        Why it matters:<\/strong> The preheader acts like a second subject line. It gives your reader more reason to open.<\/p>\n

        What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • \n

          Teasing the content vs. summarizing it<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Adding a CTA<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Asking a question<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Using personalization<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • \n

            A: \u201cClick to see what\u2019s new\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            B: \u201cCan this one tool save you 5 hours a week?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            \n

            3. Email Copy<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            Why it matters:<\/strong> The right tone and message can boost engagement and conversions.<\/p>\n

            What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • \n

              Short vs. long copy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Conversational vs. formal tone<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Listicle format vs. paragraph format<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Story-driven intro vs. direct approach<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Including first-person voice (“I” or “we”)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                \n
              • \n

                A: Short, punchy copy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

              • \n

                B: Story format with a personal touch<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                \n

                4. CTA (Call to Action)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                Why it matters:<\/strong> Your CTA is what gets people to take action, whether it\u2019s to read more, sign up, or buy.<\/p>\n

                What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • \n

                  Button vs. text link<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                • \n

                  CTA placement (top, middle, bottom)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                • \n

                  CTA wording (e.g., \u201cGet the Guide\u201d vs. \u201cDownload Now\u201d)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                • \n

                  Number of CTAs per email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • \n

                    A: \u201cRead the Full Blog Post\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                  • \n

                    B: \u201cStart Learning Now\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    \n

                    5. Images vs. No Images<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                    Why it matters:<\/strong> Visuals can enhance or distract depending on your audience and message.<\/p>\n

                    What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • \n

                      Including product or lifestyle images<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                    • \n

                      Plain-text vs. graphic-heavy layout<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                    • \n

                      Infographic vs. list format<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                    • \n

                      Hero image vs. none<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Pro Tip:<\/strong> Always include alt text for accessibility and deliverability.<\/p>\n

                      \n

                      6. Send Time & Day<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                      Why it matters:<\/strong> The same email can perform drastically differently depending on when<\/em> it\u2019s sent.<\/p>\n

                      What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • \n

                        Morning vs. afternoon<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                      • \n

                        Weekday vs. weekend<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                      • \n

                        Tuesday vs. Thursday (industry standard vs. experimentation)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • \n

                          A: Sent at 10 AM on Tuesday<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                        • \n

                          B: Sent at 3 PM on Thursday<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          \n

                          7. Sender Name<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                          Why it matters:<\/strong> People decide whether to open based on who<\/em> the email is from.<\/p>\n

                          What to evaluate:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • \n

                            Brand name vs. personal name<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                          • \n

                            \u201cJane at Company\u201d vs. just \u201cCompany Name\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              \n
                            • \n

                              A: From \u201cAyomi at SmartBrand\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                            • \n

                              B: From \u201cSmartBrand Marketing\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                              \n

                              How to Run an A\/B Test (Step by Step)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                \n
                              1. \n

                                Pick One Variable to evaluate <\/strong>
                                \u2192 Never test multiple things at once, or you won\u2019t know what worked.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                              2. \n

                                Segment Your List<\/strong>
                                \u2192 Split 10\u201320% of your list into two equal groups (A and B).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                              3. \n

                                Set Your Goal Metric<\/strong>
                                \u2192 Is your goal more opens, more clicks, or more purchases?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                              4. \n

                                Send and Wait<\/strong>
                                \u2192 Give it time to collect enough data\u2014usually 2\u20134 hours for open rate tests.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                              5. \n

                                Analyze the Results<\/strong>
                                \u2192 Pick the winner and send it to the remaining 80\u201390% of your list.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                              6. \n

                                Document Your Learnings<\/strong>
                                \u2192 Use the results to guide future emails.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                \n

                                \u00a0Pro Tips for Better A\/B Testing<\/h3>\n
                                  \n
                                • \n

                                  Always test one variable at a time<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                                • \n

                                  Repeat winning tests periodically, <\/strong>audience preferences change<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                                • \n

                                  Keep a record of what\u2019s worked<\/strong> in a \u201cwhat we\u2019ve learned\u201d doc<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

                                • \n

                                  Trust the data, not assumptions or personal preferences<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                  \n

                                  \u2705 Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n

                                  A\/B testing your emails is one of the simplest ways to improve performance and increase ROI, <\/strong>without changing your entire strategy.<\/p>\n

                                  Whether you\u2019re trying to improve open rates or get more clicks, testing even the smallest element can lead to better engagement, more conversions, and smarter marketing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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