Not long ago, we conducted an A/B Split Test with a 60 Second Marketer e-newsletter subject line.
Which subject line won? See if you can guess.
- Subject Line A: “Where Does Your Brand Fall on this Brand Spectrum Chart?”
- Subject Line B: “Apple, Google, GoDaddy and the Brand Spectrum”
Can You Guess Which Subject Line Won?
Normally, when we do tests like this, one subject line might beat the other by 10%. But in this case, the winner outperformed the loser by 40%.
Yup, you heard right. The subject line with “Apple” and “Google” in it generated 40% more opens than the “Your Brand” headline. Better still, the click through rate was 15% higher in the “Apple” email — even though the copy in the email was exactly the same.
My guess is that the higher click-through rate happened because the people who opened the “Apple” email were more engaged and interested in the content.
Action Steps for You:
If you aren’t already running tests on your marketing program, here are some things to consider.
- Build Testing Into Your Program: Make sure A/B Split testing is built into your marketing program. Don’t make it random — do it every time. (Truth-o-Meter: We don’t test every time, so do as we say, not as we do.)
- Keep it Simple: Only test one variable at a time (unless you’re doing multivariate testing with a sophisticated research company)
- Start with Easy Stuff: Test the simple things first (e.g., subject lines, “Buy Now” buttons, etc.), then work your way up to more complex tests (e.g., layout, design, e-commerce options, etc)
- Test Your Way Into Success: When you have something that’s a winner, use it as your control. Continue to test against your control to see if you can beat it
We’d love to hear from you about your experiences with A/B Split Tests. You can let us know what your results have been by adding your comment below.
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Posted by Jamie Turner, Founder of the 60 Second Marketer and co-author of “How to Make Money with Social Media” and “Go Mobile.” He is also a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe.
