Since email remains one of the most efficient marketing tools, the way you design your emails basically defines the success (or the lack of it) of your campaign. Why? Because in the world of digital marketing, where trends now change faster than ever, email design plays a fundamental role in capturing attention and driving conversions.
So, if you want your email design to be not just appealing but also effective, A/B testing is so important. But what is A/B testing exactly? A/B testing, or split testing, is a method of comparing different versions of an email to determine which one performs better. By testing different elements such as design, subject lines, and calls to action (CTAs), marketers can optimize their email campaigns and define elements that are crucial for maximum impact.
The goal of this article is to provide you with best practices on how to design an email A/B test effectively, backed by real-life examples of successful campaigns. Whether you’re new to A/B testing or looking to refine your approach, here you’ll find some valuable insights to improve your email marketing strategy.
Three Main Types of Email Design
1. Plain text emails
Definition and characteristics: Plain text emails, as it follows from the name, are simple email messages that contain only text without any images, colors, or complex formatting. They are composed using standard characters and look like those good old emails we were writing to each other when email services just appeared.
Advantages: Plain text emails offer simplicity and a personal touch, making them feel more like direct communication from one person to another. This simplicity often leads to higher deliverability rates, as they are less likely to be marked as spam compared to HTML emails. Additionally, they are universally supported across all email clients and devices, which makes them a universal marketing tool.
Example of a plain text email
2. Rich HTML emails
Definition and characteristics: Rich HTML emails are designed using HTML and CSS to include various visual elements such as images, colors, fonts, and structured layouts. The specifics of this type of emails is that they can be highly styled and branded, incorporating logos, buttons, and other graphical elements to create an engaging visual experience.
Advantages: The visual appeal of rich HTML emails makes them a powerful tool for marketers that want to create a visually appealing campaign. They allow businesses to convey their brand identity more effectively through the use of colors, images, and design elements. This type of email is great for capturing attention more easily, which leads to better engagement and higher click-through rates.
Example of a rich HTML email
3. Interactive email designs
Definition and characteristics: Interactive emails are a step beyond rich HTML emails, incorporating elements that allow recipients to engage directly within the email. These can include animations, carousels, embedded forms, and other dynamic features that provide users with a more engaging experience.
Advantages: Interactive emails offer higher engagement rates by encouraging recipients to interact with the content directly within the email. This practice can lead to increased time spent on the email, higher click-through rates, and a more memorable interaction with the brand. Unlike plain text emails, interactive emails make emails feel more like a two-way conversation rather than a one-sided communication.
Example of an interactive email
Factors Influencing Email Design Effectiveness
1. Age of the target audience
Older generation: The older generation, such as Baby Boomers, often prefers plain text emails due to their simplicity and readability. If your target audience has a fair share of seniors, consider plain text emails as your preferred choice. They are a perfect choice for recipients who may not be as comfortable with complex or visually rich content.
Millennials and Gen Z: Millennials and Gen Z, on the other hand, are more likely to appreciate rich HTML and interactive emails. These age groups are accustomed to visually appealing and engaging digital experiences. So emails with images, colors, animations, and interactive elements will resonate much better with them than a plain text email.
2. Device usage
Mobile vs. desktop: Mobile users often prefer plain text or simplified rich HTML emails. These formats load faster and are easier to read on smaller screens, which makes the overall mobile experience with emails smoother. Conversely, desktop users can handle more complex and interactive email designs, benefiting from larger screens and better processing capabilities to engage with rich content.
Email clients: The effectiveness of email design can also be impacted by the email client being used. Some email clients may not support all HTML or interactive features, leading to a ruined user experience and overshadowing an overall brand reputation. So, if you want your email to look as you initially designed it, first ensure its compatibility with various email clients.
3. Content type and purpose
Transactional emails: Plain text emails are often more effective for transactional messages, such as order confirmations or account updates. Their straightforward nature makes sure that important information is easily accessible and quickly understood by the recipient.
Promotional emails: Rich HTML and interactive designs are ideal for promotional emails. By using visual elements and engaging features, these emails can better highlight products and services, making them more real for users.
Newsletters: The design of newsletters can vary depending on the content. For example, you can use a mixture of rich HTML for visual elements and plain text for readability. Like this, you make your newsletters both engaging and easy to read, accommodating different content types and audience preferences.
4. Industry and brand identity
Professional services: Industries such as finance or law may find plain text emails more suitable. The simplicity and clarity of plain text emails showcases professionalism and seriousness, which aligns with the expectations and standards of these sectors.
Ecommerce and retail: Rich HTML and interactive emails are particularly effective for ecommerce and retail businesses. These emails are perfect for showcasing products in an appealing way. Engaging features of HTML emails will help drive sales and make the overall online shopping experience better for customers.
Technology and gaming: Interactive emails are well-suited for technology and gaming industries. These emails can engage tech-savvy audiences with dynamic content, enhancing the user experience and encouraging interaction. The innovative design aligns well with the cutting-edge nature of these fields.
Conducting A/B Tests to Determine the Most Effective Email Design Type
1. Set clear objectives
Define success metrics: Start the email design test by determining the key metrics that will define the success of your email campaigns. Common metrics usually include:
- Open rates (the percentage of recipients who open the email),
- Click-through rates (the percentage of recipients who click on links within the email),
- Conversion rates (the percentage of recipients who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase),
- Engagement rates (the level of interaction with the email content),
- Unsubscribe rates (the percentage of recipients who opt out of future emails).
Establish goals: Set specific, measurable goals for each success metric. For example, you might aim for a 20% increase in click-through rates or a 10% reduction in unsubscribe rates. These goals will provide a benchmark against which you can measure the effectiveness of the different email designs.
2. Segment your audience
Random sampling: To minimize bias, randomly divide your email list into three equal segments. This ensures that each group is representative of your overall audience and that the results are not skewed by any particular demographic or behavior pattern.
Ensure statistical significance: Make sure that each segment is large enough to yield statistically significant results. This means having a sufficient number of recipients in each group so that the data you collect will be reliable and any observed differences between the groups are meaningful and not due to chance.
3. Design the email variations
Plain text email: Create a plain text version of your email. This design should be simple and text-only, without any images or complex formatting. The focus should be on delivering the message clearly and concisely.
Rich HTML email: Design a rich HTML version of your email. This version should include visual elements such as images, colors, and a structured layout. The aim is to make the email visually appealing and to enhance the branding and engagement potential.
Interactive email: Finally, develop an interactive version of your email. This design should incorporate interactive elements like animations, carousels, and embedded forms. The goal is to create a dynamic and engaging user experience that encourages interaction.
4. Create consistent content
Message consistency: Ensure that the core message and content are consistent across all three email designs. This means that the information you are conveying, including the subject line, body content, and CTAs, should be the same in each version. This consistency is crucial for isolating the impact of the design itself on your success metrics.
Variable isolation: To accurately measure the effect of the email design, only vary the design elements while keeping the subject line, content, and CTAs identical. By isolating the design as the sole variable, you can confidently attribute any differences in performance to the design elements themselves rather than other factors.
Conducting A/B tests in this manner will help you determine which email design type is most effective for your audience and objectives. By setting clear objectives, segmenting your audience properly, designing distinct email variations, and maintaining consistent content, you can gather reliable data to inform your email marketing strategy.
5. Run the A/B tests simultaneously
Test timing: Send all three email variations at the same time to avoid external influences such as the time of day or day of the week. By testing simultaneously, you ensure that external factors do not skew the results and allow a fair comparison of each email design’s performance.
Consistency across segments: Ensure that all audience segments receive the emails under the same conditions. This means that factors such as email client, device usage, and geographic location should be as uniform as possible across the segments to maintain consistency in the testing environment.
6. Track and analyze results
Collect data: Use your email marketing platform to collect data on key success metrics. This includes open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, engagement rates, and unsubscribe rates. Accurate data collection is important for a thorough analysis of each email design’s effectiveness.
Analyze metrics: Compare the performance of each email design type across the defined metrics. Analyze the data to see which design leads to the highest open rates, click-through rates, conversions, engagement, and the lowest unsubscribe rates. This comparative analysis will help you identify the most effective design.
Identify trends: Look for patterns and trends in the data to determine which design type performs best. For example, you may notice that rich HTML emails have higher click-through rates, while plain text emails have lower unsubscribe rates. Identifying these trends will guide your decision-making process.
7. Draw conclusions
Summarize findings: Summarize the results of email design tests, highlighting which design type had the highest performance for each metric. Provide a clear overview of the data, noting any significant differences and the potential reasons behind them.
Contextual analysis: Consider the context of the campaign and audience preferences when interpreting the results. For example, an older audience might prefer plain text emails, while a younger audience might engage more with interactive designs. Contextualizing the findings ensures that your conclusions are relevant and actionable.
8. Iterate and optimize
Refine designs: Use the insights gained from the A/B tests to refine and optimize each email design type. Make adjustments based on the performance data to improve the effectiveness of your future email campaigns.
Continuous testing: Conduct ongoing A/B tests to adapt to changing trends and maintain high performance. The digital landscape and audience preferences can shift over time, so continuous testing ensures that your email designs remain relevant and effective.
Step-by-Step Example of an A/B Email Design Test on the Example of a Newsletter Campaign
Here we provide an example of what A/B testing steps can look like on the example of a hypothetical company—let’s call it EcoMerch—that needs to decide on an email type for their newsletter campaign.
1. Objective: Determine which email design type generates the highest engagement rates for a newsletter campaign.
2. Audience segmentation:
| Total Email List | Segment | Number of Subscribers |
|---|---|---|
| 45,000 subscribers | Segment 1 (Plain text email) | 15,000 subscribers |
| Segment 2 (Rich HTML email) | 15,000 subscribers | |
| Segment 3 (Interactive email) | 15,000 subscribers |
Don’t forget to split your email list into equal parts to see how different designs perform under equal conditions.
3. Email design:
– Plain text email: Simple, text-only message with a clear CTA link.
– Rich HTML email: Visually appealing design with images, structured layout, and a prominent CTA button.
– Interactive email: Engaging design with a carousel showcasing different newsletter highlights and an embedded form for feedback.
4. Email content:
– Subject line: “Discover What’s New in Our Latest Newsletter!”
– Message: Updates on recent articles, upcoming events, and exclusive offers.
– CTA: “Read More” link/button.
5. Simultaneous sending:
– Send all three email variations on the same day at the same time.
6. Data collection:
– Open rates: Track how many recipients opened each email.
– Click-through rates: Measure the number of clicks on the CTA.
– Engagement rates: Measure interactions with the email content.
– Forwarding rates: Count the number of times the email was forwarded.
– Unsubscribe rates: Count the number of unsubscribes for each email type.
7. Result analysis:
| Email Type | Open Rate | Click-through Rate | Engagement Rate | Forwarding Rate | Unsubscribe Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain text email | 27% | 6% | Medium | 2% | 0.4% |
| Rich HTML email | 32% | 7% | High | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Interactive email | 34% | 10% | Very high | 3% | 0.6% |
Best performing design: Interactive email, with the highest open, click-through, and engagement rates.
Recommendation: Utilize interactive emails for higher engagement and interaction, keeping an eye on the unsubscribe rate to ensure content remains relevant and valuable to subscribers.
Next steps: Implement interactive email designs for future newsletters and continue to refine interactive elements to maximize engagement and minimize unsubscribe rates.
Related articles:
A/B Testing Approaches to Personalization in Email Marketing
A/B Testing Software in Email Marketing
Subject Line A/B Testing Techniques and Examples in Email Marketing
To Sum Up
In this article, we tried to provide a comprehensive overview of what A/B testing is, how to perform it better, which advantages it provides, and how to test email design with this technique.
By systematically comparing different versions of emails, A/B testing helps identify which design elements resonate most with recipients, leading to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
The main advantage of this strategy is that A/B testing enables marketers to make design-related decisions based on real data, which ensures campaigns’ effectiveness.
We hope that through the insights you found in the article, you’ll be able to make your email messages not only visually appealing but also highly effective in driving engagement and sales.