|
It's when you test two similar versions of the same email blast. You randomly split the group into two groups, A & B, and deliver a unique message to each group to determine which message is more effective.
For example, you may send the same email out, touting your new vanilla ice cream. One group gets a subject line that says, "Creamiest French Vanilla Ice Cream Available Now" and the other reads, "Lowest Prices on Vanilla Ice Cream Around!" You can then test version A against version B to see which has a higher open rate, click through rate, and even conversion rate. As an email marketer, a/b split tests are a necessary tool of the trade.
One might typically test two different subject lines on an email blast. One would then outperform the other, and you would know which is the top-performing email subject line. However, there is more you can do with A/B Split testing.
You can use A/B split testing to better understand visitor behaviors and priorities when opening your email.
You can use A/B split testing to solve specific problems you have with your email pages. In other words, use it as a diagnostic tool to find out what is going wrong and how to fix it.
You can use A/B split testing to dramatically challenge assumptions you may have about the "best" way to design or write an email page. (Test not only changes in minor elements, but also complete and dramatic redesigns of an entire page).
This brings up another important point. Testing yields the most valuable results only when you test repeatedly. A one-shot test will tell you very little. But when you make a consistent habit of testing, cumulative tests over time can have a dramatic impact on the success of your email campaigns. Much can be achieved and learned though a "simple" A/B split test. Each test provides answers, but each test should also stimulate further thought and additional rounds of testing to learn more.
A/B Split Testing Protocol
Whether you have conducted any A/B split testing before or not, the following steps may help you formalize a regular testing program, and help you improve your results:
- Select the Right Tools - AnalyticApproach.com offers you full A/B Split Testing Capabilities for all of your email campaigns, it is easy to use and easy to understand.
- Identify Your Established Control Page - Your control page will be the page against which you test all subsequent optimization efforts. If you are just getting started with A/B testing, your control page will be your current landing page before any optimization. When a new page performs better than the existing control page, it then becomes your control page in subsequent testing.
- Establish Your Testing Goals and Parameters - What are you trying to accomplish with A/B split testing? Are you after more subscribers, a higher conversion rate, or a greater return on investment? Your goals will determine your testing parameters, which will determine the potential success of your testing efforts.
- Determine Your Sufficient Test Interval - This time period should allow you enough time to gather sufficient data to gauge real insight about your A/B tests. Identify the number of unique visitors and/or conversions needed to establish good data and then determine how long it will take you to generate this traffic. This number will vary from business to business, but should give you enough data to confidently declare a "winner."
- Create 1-3 Radical Redesigns - These pages should not be subtle optimizations changing only one or two elements on the page, but should be wholly different pages representing a radically different approach.
- Evaluate These Redesigns in A/B Split Tests - Test these alternate landing pages against the control page. Ideally, each page will be tested against every other page, but if that is impractical, test two pages at a time and keep the best as your control for subsequent testing.
- Based on Results, Determine Your True Control Page - The radical redesign method will be more likely to generate a quantum leap in improved conversion rate than optimizing a mediocre page with little potential. Once you have identified the best general approach, you are now ready to optimize individual elements on the page.
- Optimize with Traditional Variable-Specific A/B Testing Variables to test: Headlines, Call to Action, Page Copy, Graphics, Color, Configuration of Page Elements and Etc.
There are a few important points to remember about A/B split testing:
Testing gives you the opportunity to maximize conversion rates, solve problems, and challenge assumptions. And keep in mind that you have opportunities beyond testing small changes to a page. You can also challenge an existing page by designing and writing a radically different version, where almost everything is different. In fact, it is through these dramatically changed approaches that you are most likely to achieve breakthrough improvements.
Testing provides companies with an invaluable means to demonstrate to company heads and management the hard figures behind any suggested changes or improvements. Persuading management on the basis of subjective expertise alone is a tough road to follow. But if you have hard test results on your side, the persuasion process becomes much easier.
The absence of rigorous testing leaves you in the dark, depending on guesswork alone when creating your pages. Use of consistent testing will increase the knowledge base of your web group or company significantly. You will learn more, and soon be able to determine a set of optimized practices that work best for your particular business.
|
