How to do “A/B Testing in Marketo”

A/B testing in Marketo can help you answer these questions and unlock the secrets to crafting high-performing email campaigns.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a marketing research method that compares two versions of a variable to see which one performs better. In Marketo’s powerful A/B testing environment, you can specifically test focus areas of your email campaigns to optimize for maximum impact. These areas include:

• Subject Lines: A/B test different subject lines to find which ones capture your audience’s attention and lead to higher open rates.
• From Address: Conduct A/B tests on various sender names or email addresses to identify which ones build the most trust and engagement with your subscribers.
• Date/Time: Use A/B testing to experiment with different send times and days to discover when your emails achieve the highest engagement rates.
• Whole Email: Perform A/B tests on complete email drafts to compare different versions and determine which one performs better in terms of engagement and conversions.

By strategically employing A/B testing across these elements, you can gain valuable data-driven insights to craft high-performing email campaigns that resonate with your audience.

Why Use A/B Testing?

A/B testing takes the guesswork out of email marketing.  Here’s why it’s valuable:

• Data-Driven Decisions: A/B testing provides concrete data to identify the most effective elements for your audience.
• Improved Engagement: By delivering the right content at the right time, you can increase open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement with your emails.
• Boost Conversions: A/B testing can help you optimize your email campaigns for conversions, leading to more sales, leads, or website traffic.
• Cost Effective: It is the most cost-effective way to help improve your email performance. 

Add an A/B Test In Marketo Engage

Requirements

1. Set Up an Email Program.
2. Identify Your Audience: Use a Smart List or import a list to specify your target audience.
3. Select or Design an Email: Choose an existing email or design a new one for your email program.

Testing is crucial for enhancing your email engagement. Here’s how to get started:

1. Navigate to Marketing Activities.
2. Select Your Email Program.
3. Click on Add A/B Test under the Email tile.

A new window will appear with various test types to choose from. 

Note: Once you add an A/B test, the selected email will be locked for use in other programs.

Also, if there are duplicate records in your database, those individuals may receive both the test and winning emails. To avoid this, ensure you identify and merge any duplicate entries.

Implementing A/B testing can be complex, but consulting with Marketo experts can simplify the process and ensure you achieve optimal results.