What day of the week gets you the most open rates? What subject line style is most effective? You can answer these and other questions through the use of A/B testing. A/B Testing plays a crucial role in a business’ marketing. Gone are the days where we had to rely solely on instinct or “what looks good.” A/B testing takes luck out of the equation by comparing the performance of a single variation in your marketing content. It looks at “A” and “B” to learn which converts better.??As the Holidays approach, businesses are striving to construct the perfect email plans, specifically within their subject lines, to see what resonates most with their audience. Here are some factors to consider in developing your own.
How Specific Should I Be?
In many cases, a client might think being as specific as possible in their email subject line is the best bet in terms of clicks. Being direct and to the point is often seen as the best strategy in a web of information overload. This method, however, isn’t necessarily the most successful. For instance “Ring in the Holidays” could be more effective than “Sale starts November 18th.” It’s best to try both a specific and a more general approach in your subject line testing. The results may surprise you.?
People like to feel like you’re looking out for them and their best interests. You may have information on your subscribers that you could use to your benefit in email subject lines. An example may be “A Special Birthday Wish for Michael from Brand Name Company.” In this case the subject line tells you what’s inside, who it’s from, and what the message is about. Be careful in including the recipient’s name in subject lines when the message isn’t about him or her. It could come across as spammy. For instance “Michael, Free Shipping, last chance, all orders!” doesn’t have the same ring as the first.
Your Brand?
Adding your brand to the subject line may also increase opens. When someone sees an email from a trusted source, their reaction may differ dramatically. Instead of “Save 10% off all Ink Cartridges” consider “Save 10% off all Epson Ink Cartridges.” The latter imprints the brand into your mind and gives you more reason to click.
Create a Sense of Urgency?
Another tactic worth pursuing is that of urgency. People tend to respond favorably when they feel they have a deadline to meet. Develop ways you can create a sense of urgency in your customers’ mind where they feel the need to open up the email and act immediately. Examples may be adding a ship-by-date to your subject line, like “Only 5 more days to get guaranteed shipping by Easter!” and compare it against a date-less one, like “Get guaranteed shipping by Easter!”
Conclusion?
Oftentimes, the hardest part of conducting A/B tests is deciding what to test. With these simple tactics, creating subject lines that inspire customers to act is easier than ever.
About Author
Ruben Corbo is a freelancer writer and writes for multiple websites including Maxymiser which helps evolve your website and by deploying A/B testing, multivariate testing, website personalization and multichannel marketing with one instance of a simple line of code, forever. When Ruben is not writing he’s producing or composing music for short films or other visual arts.