9 Ways to Use A/B Testing to Optimize Email Marketing Conversion Rates

In the quest to perfect email marketing strategies, we’ve gathered insights from nine seasoned professionals, including growth marketers and CEOs. They delve into tactics ranging from testing significant subject line variants to segmenting users for targeted messaging. Discover their specific tips and techniques for using A/B testing to elevate your email marketing conversion rates.

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Test Significant Subject Line Variants

Go big. Meaning, test a significant difference in the A/B version of your subject line or message that you’re testing against. I’ve seen a lot of marketers run timid email split-tests that result in the same results between the A/B versions, testing different adjectives, small changes to the message, or the CTA link text. Testing drastically different subject lines is probably one of the best things to test first if you’re looking to run an email split-test.

Andrew Pfund, Growth Marketer, Scale and Prosper

Optimize With Distinct Subject Lines

To optimize email marketing conversion rates, one important technique is to test the subject line to see its significant impact on open rates.

To A/B test subject lines, create two variants for the same email. Ensure that each subject line is distinct enough to potentially influence the recipient’s decision to open the email.

Check the open rates, and once you identify the subject line that performs better, use it as the standard for future emails. Keep refining and testing new subject lines to continue optimizing.

Isha Parmar, Marketing Analyst, Slide Bazaar

Tweak One Email Element at a Time

The golden rule for A/B testing in email marketing campaigns is to tweak only one element at a time to identify which variants perform best. While key components like the subject line or CTA should be tested regularly, don’t stress about testing every single aspect, such as the salutation or signature. 

Focus on the most impactful parts of your email, determine what your audience loves, and keep repeating it to boost your conversion rate. Let the data guide your decisions; trust performance metrics to reveal what truly resonates with your audience. Analyzing the results will empower you to make informed choices, refining your strategy and maximizing your email marketing success.

Rob Clegg, Senior Content Manager, Exclaimer

Prioritize Testing the Email Body

The rate at which potential customers convert after encountering your email marketing content is dependent on how much care has been taken to guarantee the effectiveness of the email marketing contents, beginning from the first details of the email. 

As a digital marketer, one tip I would recommend for using A/B testing to optimize email marketing conversion rates is by making sure to test your email body. You see, today, most marketers have learned to place greater emphasis on other aspects of marketing emails, like subject lines, button color, and visuals, as these are both the first things to greet the eyes of email recipients and key to capturing their immediate attention. While all these are important, they are, however, not enough to justify shifting emphasis from the email body. 

The fact is, the email body is one element that should be equally prioritized when conducting A/B testing for email marketing campaigns because it is also vital to the impact that your email has on your email receivers.

Edmafe Eclavea, Marketing Manager, Couponsnake

Test Email Content Personalization

One effective technique for using A/B testing to optimize email marketing conversion rates is to segment your audience and test email content personalization. Here’s how:

1. Segment Your Audience – Divide your email list into smaller, targeted groups based on demographics, behavior, or past interactions.
   
2. Personalize Content – Create two versions of your email with varying levels of personalization, such as using the recipient’s name, tailoring content to their interests, or recommending products based on past purchases.
   
3. Run the A/B Test – Send version A to one segment and version B to another, ensuring the groups are similar in size and characteristics.
   
4. Analyze Results – Measure the conversion rates of both versions. Identify which personalized approach resonates better with your audience.
   
5. Implement and Iterate – Use the insights to refine your emails and continuously test new personalization strategies to further improve conversion rates.

This method ensures you’re leveraging personalization to enhance relevance and engagement, leading to higher conversion rates.

Arslan Abdul Rehman, Marketer & SEO Expert, Siznam.co

Make Small Changes and Use Ample Data

Probably the biggest thing you should do when making A/B tests for emails is to only make small changes. This will allow you to understand what the actual loss/win is. Another would be to ensure you’re using enough data to test. If you’re only testing with 10–15 contacts, it’s not a fair test. Ideally, you should test with 1000+ contacts.

Ross Jenkins, CEO, DigitalME

A/B Test Your Call-to-Action Buttons

A helpful technique to optimize email marketing conversion rates is to A/B test your call-to-action (CTA) buttons. For instance, try different wording, colors, or placements for your CTA. Send version A to one half of your audience and version B to the other half. Monitor which version gets more clicks. For example, you might find that a green “Buy Now” button performs better than a red “Shop Now” button. This testing helps you understand what encourages your audience to take action, boosting your conversion rates.

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

Compare Countdown Timers and Offers

I recommend using A/B testing to optimize email marketing conversions by comparing countdown timers and limited-time discount offers.

Countdown timers, displaying a ticking clock, create urgency and encourage immediate action. Place these timers prominently near your call-to-action for maximum impact. In contrast, limited-time discount offers, such as “Ending Soon: Save 20%!” emphasize the temporary nature of the discount to prompt quicker decisions.

By testing both approaches, you can identify which strategy resonates best with your audience and effectively boosts conversion rates.

Omër Güven, Co-Founder & CEO, Fintalent

Segment Users for Targeted Messaging

Try segmenting your email recipients based on their interactions with your platform. For example, split your users into two groups: one that receives personalized offers based on the features they’ve explored but haven’t fully utilized, and another that gets broader updates about our product. This approach lets you see whether tailored messages or general updates resonate better, helping you fine-tune your email strategy to connect more effectively with different types of users.

Amar Ghose, CEO, ZenMaid

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