[FAQ]

Our marketing team here in Wellington is pretty comfortable with A/B testing text elements in our email campaigns, like subject lines and CTAs. Now, we’re looking to get more sophisticated and start testing our images.

I’m just not sure about the best methodology for it. Should we be testing big, different concepts, like a lifestyle photo versus a simple product shot? Or should we test smaller things, like different background colours on the same image?

Also, what metric is the most important for deciding the winner? Is it the click-rate on the image itself, or the conversion rate of the whole email? Just trying to figure out a structured process for this.

[Jeff Bullas]

An excellent question. Moving to test creative elements is a sign of a mature email marketing program.

Brief Answer: To effectively A/B test images in an email, you must isolate the image as the single variable. The best practice is to start with high-contrast tests (e.g., lifestyle image vs. product image) and measure the impact on the email’s primary goal, which is usually the click-through rate of the main call-to-action.

The goal of the test is not just to see which image gets more clicks, but to understand which type of image better motivates your audience to take the key action you want them to take.

First and most importantly, you must isolate the variable. For the test results to be meaningful, the only difference between version A and version B of your email must be the single image you are testing. The subject line, the preview text, all body copy, and the call-to-action button must be identical in both versions. If you change more than one thing, you will have no way of knowing what actually caused the change in performance.

Start with big, conceptual tests rather than minor tweaks. Before you test a blue background versus a red one, you need to test more fundamental hypotheses. For example, test a clean product-on-white image against a dynamic lifestyle image of your product in use. Test an image featuring a person’s face against one with no people. These high-contrast tests will give you clear, directional data about what style of creative resonates with your audience.

When it comes to measuring the winner, the most important metric is usually the click-through rate on your primary call-to-action text button. While clicks on the image itself are worth noting, the ultimate purpose of the image is to support the main goal of the email. You want to know which image was more persuasive in getting someone to click ‘Shop Now’ or ‘Learn More’.

Finally, remember that the insights from these email tests can inform your entire content strategy. If you discover that lifestyle images double your click-through rate in emails, that’s a powerful signal that you should also test that style of image and video creative in your social media ads and on your website.

Cheers,
Jeff

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