Despite the importance of testing in making decisions and proving campaign ROI, more than one-third of email marketers (37%) aren't testing at all, according to an eROI study of how 623 email marketers are using, or not using, testing to improve their email marketing.
Similarly, a previous eROI study (reg. req'd) had found that nearly one in five email marketers are not recording the metrics of their email campaigns.
Considering that 73% of marketers say they plan to increase email as a priority in their future marketing plans, the current study sought to discover why some email marketers don't test—and in the case of those who do, what elements they test and what can be learned from them.
Some findings of the new study, "Use of Testing in Email Marketing" (reg. req'd):
Of the 37% of email marketers who don't test their campaigns:
- 33% say they don't test because they do not know how
- 27% say they don't have time
- 13% say their platform doesn't have testing capabilities
Among email marketer who do conduct testing, a wide variety of elements are tested, including design, frequency, calls to action and day/time sent:
- 85.2% test subject lines.
- 54.8% test calls to action.
- 50.9% test designs.
- 49.1% test copy.
- 41.7% test offers.
- 36% test timing of campaigns.
The survey found that 36% of marketers are testing timing, which includes day of week, time of day, and frequency. Although the most successful time and day for emailing constantly change, here are the findings on current trends:
- Time of day: 37.9% of marketers who are testing timing are testing time of day; among them:
- 49.4% find sending midday (10 AM - 2 PM) to be best.
- 31.5% find start of the business day (6 AM - 10 AM) to be best.
- Day of week: Tuesday ranks as the most successful day for emails, followed closely by Wednesday.
- Frequency: 34.9% of marketers who test timing are testing frequency; among them:
- 33.3% send weekly, 28.21% send bi-monthly, 28.21% send as necessary (no set frequency).
- The rest are divided roughly equally among sending quarterly, daily, more than once a week, and monthly.
