With a split test, you can test different versions of a campaign by sending each version to a portion of your list. The version that produces the best results is then sent to the rest of your list. By conducting split tests, you can determine what works best with your contacts and improve your email marketing.
In this article, you will learn:
The two different types of split testing a campaign
You can test five different versions of an email and specify how many contacts each version can be sent to.
There are two types of split testing:
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Test the subject line and/or sender information
Here you can test a subject line, pre-header text, and the sender information.
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Test the subject line, sender information, and/or email content
In this type, you can test not only the subject line, pre-header text, and sender information but also the content of the email.
How can I perform a split test?
- Click on 'Campaigns' in the menu and then on 'Create a campaign' in the top right corner.
- Give the campaign a name and select 'Split testing' under campaign types. Then click on 'Next'.
- You can now select the list to which you want to send the campaign and indicate the type of split test you want to perform. Then click on 'Next'.
- Choose the designer you want to use, click on 'Continue', and then select the template you want to use by hovering over it and clicking on 'Select'.
- Fill in the sender information and subject line, then click on 'Continue'.
- Customize the template as desired.
If you have chosen to test the subject line and/or sender information:
You can create up to five versions by clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner and then clicking on the '+' sign.
You can switch between versions by clicking on the tabs at the top of the screen.
If you have chosen to test the subject line, sender information, and/or content:
You can create up to five versions by clicking on the plus sign at the bottom of the page.
The version you are working on is indicated in blue. To change the subject line, pre-header, or sender information, you can click on the gear icon in the same way as described above.
You can switch between versions by clicking on the version at the bottom of the screen that you want to open.
- Once you have all versions ready, click on 'Next' in the top right corner.
8. In the summary, you will see an overview of your versions. Scroll down to find the 'split test options'.
With 'do not determine a winner', the campaign will be sent to equal parts of the list. Once the test is complete, you can view the reports to determine which version was most effective.
With 'determine (and send based on) the winner', you can specify based on what the winning version should be determined (open ratio or click ratio) and after how much time. Most opens and clicks occur within two days after the campaign is sent, so this is a good time frame to consider.
In the email ratios, you can specify the exact percentage of contacts that each version will receive. Usually, you want these to be equal numbers. The final value indicates how many contacts the winning version will ultimately receive.
Once everything is set up, click on 'Send now' in the top right corner.