Gain Insights on Your Subscribers

As part of the Deployment Team at Bridge Marketing, I come across many different email marketing strategies that are implemented in our client’s campaigns, but my absolute favorite is  Subject Line A/B Testing. What better way to gain insight on your subscribers than by performing a test to see how they engage with your campaign?.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing involves selecting a variable, in this case, a subject line, and creating two versions of it. One is called Subject Line 1, and the other is called Subject Line 2. By systematically deploying both versions of the subject line to your target audience, you can determine which line is more effective.Success can be measured on a variety of metrics, including opens, clicks, conversions, etc.

What makes a subject line test so important?

Aside from your company name, a subject line is one of the first ways to capture your audience’s attention. If your subject line is not captivating enough to pique your subscriber’s interest, it will most likely get lost in their inbox or, even worse, moved to trash. However, with an A/B Split Campaign, you can reduce the chances of your email being overlooked by testing the strength of different subject lines.

How does A/B Testing work?

Step 1: Segment Your Subscriber List

The way we perform the A/B test here at Bridge Marketing is by initially segmenting your subscriber list to designate a Group A and a Group B.

Step 2: Send Subject Line 1

We then take a percentage, say for example 25%, from Group A and those subscribers receive the email campaign with Subject Line 1.

Step 3: Send Subject Line 2

Next, we take a percentage, say again for example 25%, from Group B and those subscribers receive the email campaign with Subject Line 2.

Step 4: Measure the Results

From these two campaigns, the subject lines will be measured upon parameters set by the client. We suggest measuring success by opens and/or clicks.

Step 5: Determine the Winner

We monitor and track these parameters and the subject line that performs the best, is the one that we announce as the winner.

Step 6: Deploy the Remaining Promotional Emails

This winning subject line is then sent to the remaining 75% of your subscriber list.

Use A/B Testing To Improve Overall Campaign Success

It’s easy to see that Subject Line A/B testing is an efficient way to meet the wants of your subscribers. Once you’ve mastered the art of subject line testing, try A/B testing new variables. Test email from the name, send time, and content in a similar manner. Remember, It is imperative that you only test one variable at a time to ensure the most accurate results.

The more you can understand your subscribers and their behavior, the more strategic you will be with future messages, which will ultimately resonate with subscribers and drive conversions.

Interested in learning more about A/B Testing and how you can get started? Our Account Managers here at Bridge Marketing are here to help.