Optimize Your Email Campaign Performance With Our A/B Testing Checklist

Today is the day. 

You just launched your latest email marketing campaign, and you can’t wait to see what your audience thinks about it.

Only not much seems to be happening. 

So you wait another day. And another. And another until you finally realize the campaign may have been a flop. 

It’s happened to the best of us, really. 

Because here’s the deal.

You could think you wrote the most captivating hook, added the most value-driven images, and included content that just sings.

But will your campaign be successful if your audience doesn’t agree with you?

The harsh reality is that the only opinion that matters is your subscribers’.

And the only way to know which email campaigns appeal most to them is to put your campaigns to the test.

Enter: A/B testing. 

By A/B testing your email campaigns before going live, you can promote better open and click-through rates that encourage more sales. And we all want that, don’t we?

Let’s take a closer look at what A/B testing is, and how it fits into effective email campaign management.

We’ll also look at common elements and KPIs marketers test when performing A/B tests. And best of all, we’ll provide you with your very own A/B testing checklist so you can start testing your next email marketing strategy right away. 

Let’s begin.

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing, or split testing, is a means of testing in email marketing to see which email body copy or email design is most effective in terms of engagement rates (e.g., click-through rates, open rates, and conversion rates).

When you conduct an A/B test, you’ll create two variations of one campaign and send it to a small portion of your email list. You’ll split this sample size in two so that half of your test group receives Version A and the other half receives Version B.

Whichever email version results in the best email performance is the one you send to your remaining target audience. It becomes your winning campaign.

You can conduct A/B tests to:

  • Discover which abandoned cart trigger emails convert best (see the one below by Tailor Brands for reference)
Example of an email from Tailor Brands.

(Image Source)

  • See which welcome email series gels best with new subscribers 
  • Learn which promos your audience feels most excited about 
  • Discover which opt-in forms lead to more subscribers (see the one below by StudioSuits for reference)
StudioSuits Opt-in Form example.

(Image Source)

  • Learn which gated content assets your subscriber base finds most valuable 
  • See which CTAs, subject lines, and preview text convert best 

Common Elements and KPIs To Test When Performing Email Campaign A/B Tests

Before choosing which elements (or variables) to test in your email campaigns, consider your audience segments, campaign purpose, and brand identity. Then, choose accordingly. 

For instance, if you run a business finance firm, you’ll need to put your best foot forward to demonstrate to subscribers that your business knows how to deliver the best invoice factoring services. That means you’ll need to pay close attention to the financing details you include in your emails.

The same concept applies to any business. 

For instance, if you run a content agency, you’ll need to pay close attention to your email content elements. You can’t expect prospects to hire you for content production if your campaigns lack valuable content.

With that said, here are some common elements and KPIs you should consider testing when performing an email A/B test. This list is by no means exhaustive, and, again, not every element will apply to your campaign’s unique goals.

Aesthetic Elements:

  • Color palettes
  • Font choices
  • Infographics
  • Images 
  • Videos (often captured or curated by an event videographer to ensure high-quality, engaging visual content)

Composition Elements:

  • Negative space 
  • Email template 
  • Formatting 
  • Structure

Content Elements:

  • Value (e.g., actionable tips, thought leadership advice, and important information)
  • Social proof (testimonials, brand mentions, user-generated content) 
  • Call to action (CTA)
  • Email subject line 
  • Preview text 
  • Main topic 
  • Subtopics 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Test: 

  • Email sharing rate
  • Click-through rate
  • Unsubscribe rate 
  • Conversion rate 
  • Subscribe rate
  • Open rate

Official Email Campaign Performance A/B Testing Checklist

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for. 

Here’s the official A/B testing checklist:

A/B Testing Checklist

1. Aesthetic Elements

  • uncheckedFont choices
    • Tested the following font choices: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the font choice that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedColor palettes
    • Tested the following color palettes: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the color palette that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedImages
    • Tested the following images: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the image(s) that performed the best was/were: ______, ______.
  • uncheckedVideos
    • Tested the following videos: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the video(s) that performed the best was/were: ______, ______.
  • uncheckedInfographics
    • Tested the following infographics: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the infographic(s) that performed the best was/were: ______, ______.

2. Composition Elements

  • uncheckedFormatting
    • Tested the following formatting options: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the formatting option that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedStructure
    • Tested the following structures: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the structure that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedNegative space
    • Tested the following spacing options: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the amount of negative space that performed the best included: ______.
  • uncheckedEmail template
    • Tested the following email templates: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email template that performed the best was: ______.

3. Content Elements

  • uncheckedEmail subject line
    • Tested the following subject lines: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the subject line that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedPreview text
    • Tested the following preview text options: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the preview text option that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedCall to action
    • Tested the following CTAs: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the CTA that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedMain topic
    • Tested the following main topics: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the main topic that performed the best was: ______.
  • uncheckedSubtopics
    • Tested the following subtopics: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the subtopics that performed the best were: ______.
  • uncheckedValue
    • Tested the following value-driven content elements: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the value-driven content elements that performed the best were: ______.
  • uncheckedSocial proof
    • Tested the following social proof options: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the social proof option that performed the best was: ______.

4. KPIs 

  • uncheckedOpen rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest conversion rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedClick-through rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest conversion rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedConversion rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest conversion rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedSubscribe rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest subscription rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedUnsubscribe rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest unsubscribe rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedEmail sharing rate
    • Tested the following email campaign samples: ______, ______, ______, ______.
    • According to our test results, the email campaign sample with the highest email sharing rate was: ______.
  • uncheckedTop Lessons We Learned From Our A/B Test Results
  • Lesson 1: _________________________
  • Lesson 2: _________________________
  • Lesson 3: _________________________
  • Lesson 4: _________________________
  • Lesson 5: _________________________
  • uncheckedHow We Plan On Applying These Lessons Before Going Live
  • How we plan on applying Lesson 1: _________________________
  • How we plan on applying Lesson 2: _________________________
  • How we plan on applying Lesson 3: _________________________
  • How we plan on applying Lesson 4: _________________________
  • How we plan on applying Lesson 5: _________________________
  • uncheckedFinalized Email Campaign: 

According to our test results, here’s what our final email campaign will look like:

(Final Email Campaign Example Here)

*Use this checklist when planning your emails and any related assets, such as landing pages, opt-in forms, and ads. 

*This checklist promotes split testing for up to four email campaigns. Feel free to adjust it to your specific needs.

Wrap Up 

To truly captivate your email subscribers, you have to invite them into the marketing process. 

By split-testing your future campaigns before going live, you can better position your brand messaging, hook your audience, and, most importantly, encourage higher conversions.

Are you ready to witness the power of email A/B testing?

Save this article for reference before launching your next email campaign!  

Here’s to success in your email marketing efforts!