Lead generation is an extremely vital aspect of marketing for all businesses, regardless of their industry or size. As more people are becoming active online than ever before, email lead generation has become increasingly effective. To make the most of each email campaign, it is important to A/B test your message and improves them based on results.
But what is A/B testing and how does it exactly help you with email lead generation? Let’s find out.
What is Lead Generation A/B Testing?
Lead generation A/B testing is a method used by marketers to test different sets of variables and determine the most effective option to accomplish their lead generation goals. It offers immediate, measurable, and actionable results. The concept of A/B testing, however, is quite a simple one. It involves testing two different versions of an element individually on different sections of your target audience. The two versions can be as simple as two different subject lines of an email or including or removing your email signature. One version is sent out to half of the audience, while the other version is sent to the second half. The version that performs better is deemed more successful and is used for the remainder of the campaign.
4 Ways to A/B Test Emails for Better Lead Generation
Before you get started, make sure that you have two email versions that have a single variation between them. It’s important not to have multiple variations in the email versions because it will be impossible to determine which variation is the cause of the performance changes. This means the A/B test will require multiple phases to test the difference in the performance of each variation.
1. A/B Testing Email Subject Lines
The subject line of an email is inevitably the first thing customers get to see when an email enters their inbox. A carefully and attractively written subject line can have a significant impact on your email’s open rate. To carry out an email subject line test, send out two different subject lines to two separate groups of your target audience. You can then analyze the open rate of each subject line and determine which one resonates best with your audience.
2. A/B Testing Email Timing
Crafting a perfect message will mean nothing if your target audience does not get to see it. So, it is essential for you to send them an email on the right day and at the right time. When your prospects are considering converting, an email sent at the right time can be the determining factor in their decision. To determine when is the best time to message prospects, a company can conduct various A/B tests based on variations in sending time and date. Based on the results of this data, you can then determine when is the ideal time to email prospects.
3. A/B Testing Email Content & Design
Subject lines are meant to enhance open rates while strong content and design contribute directly to the conversion of these users. Content and design elements of an email such as tone, length, structure, colour, font and more can all impact the performance of your email. It is important to test these elements to determine what works best for your audience. Using the right content and design elements will help ensure your email lead generation campaign is a success in the long run.
4. A/B Testing Email Call to Actions
A call to action is an important element that helps convince your prospects to convert into customers. Thus, it is always advisable to make an effort to craft and find out the option that works best. The success of an email marketing strategy cannot be measured by the number of clicks and opens alone, but also the number of leads acquired, products sold, and revenue gained. For this reason, it’s important that your calls to action are as optimized as possible to generate better results. Even the most insignificant shifts can generate completely different results.
Using A/B Test to Determine the Ideal Email Marketing Strategy
Being able to execute a successful lead generation strategy through email can work wonders for your business. However, before knowing which email marketing strategy is best for your business, it’s important to A/B test various strategies. When it comes time to perfect your email strategy, make sure to A/B test your emails to generate the best possible results.
