Don’t Hit Send Until You Run an Email Test

Around 70 percent of businesses use email marketing today. Goals vary, but people use it to share company news, offers, and more.

If you’re running an email marketing campaign, you want to be sure it’s actually going to be effective. That’s where an email test comes in.

If you’re not testing your emails before you hit send, here’s why you need to think twice.

Think About Deliverability

Your designer checked your templates, so you should be good to go, right? Or maybe you’ve been using the same template for some time now, and you’ve never had an issue.

Just because you haven’t had a problem doesn’t mean you never will. Any changes can impact the deliverability of your message.

Consider that about 20 percent of emails never make it to their destination. Without testing, you increase the chances your messages will disappear into the ether.

Even if you’ve tested before, email clients can drop support without warning. It never hurts to test, then test again.

An Email Test Can Improve Click-Through

You’re spending money on an email marketing campaign with the hope it will generate good returns. You’re ROI is likely to be tied to metrics like open rates and click-throughs.

Although open rates have been improving over time, the majority of your messages don’t get opened. They could be ending up in a spam folder. More often than not, they don’t resonate with your contacts.

Email testing can help you determine what headlines grab your contacts’ attention. When you send a test email, you can even compare different copy and find out which version gets people to click.

Keep Quality High to Delight Customers

Many businesses use email marketing to stay connected with existing customers. These people already trust you. Sending them high-quality email messages maintains that trust.

As we mentioned, email clients may stop supporting your template without warning. Strange formatting, broken links, and more result in emails that aren’t pleasant to look at. Receiving an email like this might mean a customer stops trusting your brand.

That’s why you should always use email preview tools before hitting send. You can fix anything that may have broken. You can rest assured your customers see the beautiful email you want them to see.

Improve the Preview for More Opens

Using email testing tools also allows you to customize email preview text. The preview pane only displays so much copy. Are you using it effectively?

When you send an email test, you can gather more data on this aspect of your campaign. The preview pane is what entices your customers to open the email. You want to use it as efficiently as possible.

Testing for Legibility

Another reason to send a test email for your campaign is legibility. You’ll want to be on the lookout for grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as formatting errors.

For example, blue links displaying on iOS devices can reduce legibility. It goes without saying that broken or missing content also impacts legibility.

Missing alt text or missing plain text can also affect legibility for some of your customers.

Get the Right Email Testing Tools

It’s easy to see why running an email test is so important for the success of your marketing campaign. If you’re looking for the right tools to conduct your tests, get in touch. We’ve got powerful solutions to help you make the most of your campaigns.