How to Send A/B Split Test with G-Lock EasyMail
The capability to send the A/B split test is available in the 6.50 version of G-Lock EasyMail (free upgrade for the users of the v6.0 or higher).
G-Lock EasyMail provides you with an easy way to conduct the A/B split testing, determine the best performing version of your email based on the specified criteria and automatically send the winner email version to your group. Here is a user guide how to create and send split tests with G-Lock EasyMail.
Before you start the split test, make sure you setup an account on G-Lock Analytics. Once you setup the account, go to G-Lock EasyMail Settings -> G-Lock Analytics and type your login email address and password for your G-Lock Analytics account. Click OK to save the settings.
Now you’re ready to add emails to a split test.
Adding Emails to Split Test
Create your email message.
Select the account in the From field and the group in the Group field.
Click on G-Lock Analytics tab on the Edit Message window.
Click on Enable Tracking.
Click on Add New Campaign and add a campaign to your G-Lock Analytics account.
When the campaign shows in the Campaign field, click on Add Links to Campaign and add the links you want to track to the campaign.
When done, click on Add Email to Split Testing.
Before you continue, it’s highly recommended that you save a ready email message as a template to keep the tracking links for the next test version. To save the email as a template, click File -> Save as Template.
After you saved the email as a template, click on the Message tab and then click on the Send button.
Select the sending option and click OK.
The email will be added to the Split Tester module.
You will see a note saying that the split test is possible with more than one message only.
Now it’s time to add an other test version of the message.
Go to your templates and open the message you’ve just added to the split test.
Change one element in this email. You can change either the From line, or the Subject line, or the offer or something else.
In our example, we change the Subject line and send 2 test versions of the email.
The version 1 will be sent with the "[Fast Blog Finder] 3 Easy ways to optimize your inbound links" subject.
In the version 2 we change the subject to "[Fast Blog Finder] Julia’s to optimize your inbound links".
You can send as many test versions of the email as you want. For example, the versions 1 and 2 may differ by the Subject line and the versions 3 and 4 may differ by the From line.
Select the same group for the version 2.
Click on G-Lock Analytics tab and then click on Enable Tracking.
In the Campaign field select the same campaign as for the 1st email copy.
When done, click on Add Email to Split Testing.
Now click on the Message tab and then click Send.
Select the sending option and click OK.
The version 2 will be added to the Split Tester module.
Customizing Split Test Settings
In the Split Tester you will see the name of your campaign, test email versions and a short description of the split test settings. The default settings are:
- test email versions are sent in equal quantity to 10% of the list;
- the winner email version is determined based on the email opens;
- the winner email version is sent to the rest of the list 4 hours later.
To customize the default split test settings, click the right mouse button any of test versions and select Split Test Settings.
In the Split Tester Settings you can customize:
- the percent of the list to use for the split test;
- the criteria to determine the winner email version;
- the time interval to send the winner email.
Apply these settings to the future split testing campaigns – check this option if you want to use the defined settings for your future split tests.
Click OK to save the Split Test settings.
The first email version you add to the split test is set as the default message and is marked by the light green color in the Split Tester. If the program is not able to determine the winner version due to totally equal tracking results, it will send the default message in xx hours to the rest of the list. You can set any test version as default by yourself. To do this, click the right mouse button on the test version and select Set Message as Default from the menu.
Sending Split Test and Monitoring Tracking Metrics
Now you’re ready to send your test email versions to the defined segment of your list.
Check the box next to the campaign name and click Start Sending.
After test versions are sent to the control group, you will see the date and time when the winner email version will be determined and sent to the rest of the list.
Do not exit the Split Tester after test versions are sent. The Split Tester must work to collect email tracking statistics and determine the winner email version. You can click on x at the top right corner of the Split Tester and minimize it to the system tray.
You can monitor the split test statistics in real time.
Click on Refresh button to see the updated statistics.
The current winner email will be marked by a green check mark icon.
You can set the winner email yourself if you don’t want to wait until the winner is determined by the Split Tester.
To set the email as winner, click the right mouse button on it and select Set Message as Winner.
To send the winner email immediately, click the right mouse button and select Start Sending Winner Message.
After the winner email is determined, you’ll see a note "Split Testing Finished".
Now the winner email is passed to the Delivery Monitor and sent.
At the bottom of the Split Tester there 4 tabs: Statistics, Message, Last error log and Emails.
In the Statistics tab you can view the tracking statistics for all the test versions you sent.
In the Message tab you can view the content of test versions you sent to the control group.
Last error log tab shows the log of the last error that may occur during the sending of test versions.
In the Emails tab you can view the recipients who received test versions.
Tags: email, split test, subject line, test version