In email marketing, small changes can make a huge difference—and here’s proof.
At the Smart Marketer Agency, we ran a split-test for our client RedDrop. And while the test involved small tweaks, it generated some big results:
A 31.36% increase in clickthrough rate (CTR) and roughly 500% more buyers.
This experiment is a perfect example of why testing is so important, even if you’re only making modest tweaks.
In this quick post, we also share 4 big picture takeaways from these results that you can use to guide your split-testing strategy.
Let’s dive in!
What We Tested—And Why
Our goal with RedDrop was simple: we wanted a quick win to improve CTR, without overhauling their existing email design.
Here’s what the original email design looked like:
So how did we approach this goal?
First, we came up with 2 potential problems that we wanted to address. These turned into the hypotheses for our test.
- Problem 1: The email is 100% image-based, which can be problematic because some users and email platforms (gmail, Yahoo!, Outlook, etc.) may have images disabled. This can negatively affect CTR, sales, and even deliverability in the long run.
Hypothesis 1: If we test a more text-based email with “live text,” we’ll generate better results because the content will be visible for everyone.
- Problem 2: There’s no visible call-to-action (CTA) in this email when you open it; you have to scroll down to find out what you’re supposed to do. This means people will end up closing the email before they ever see the CTA.
Hypothesis 2: If we test the addition of a CTA above the fold, we’ll increase clicks and sales.
With those hypotheses in mind, here’s the new email design we tested:
Why These Changes Matter
Text-based emails have a lot of advantages over image-based emails.
Don’t get me wrong, a really good image can be a great way of grabbing someone’s attention, but when it comes to email text brings clear benefits:
- Speed: Text loads much faster
- Accessibility: It’s more accessible across devices
- Spam: And it works better with spam filters
The result? Better deliverability, reduced loading times, and a smoother reading experience.
Similarly, an above-the-fold CTA can have significant benefits.
First and foremost, it ensures that every recipient sees the CTA immediately. This prompts faster and more decisive action, especially from users who are already sold on the subject line.
A high CTA also eliminates the need for readers to scroll to find the link they’re looking for.
From Small Changes to Big Results
Needless to say, we were THRILLED by the results of this test:
- 31.36% increase in CTR (with 92% statistical significance)
- 500% increase in buyers (with __% statistical significance)
We aimed to increase CTR, which we did, but we ended up having an even bigger impact on sales—which is fantastic.
These results show that even relatively minor adjustments in layout and content can have a dramatic impact on performance.
4 Big Takeaways from this Split-test
Here are the most important lessons to take away from this test:
- Test incrementally: You don’t need to completely redesign your emails to see big improvements. Small, targeted tests can have a huge impact—as long as you’re testing the right things.
- Leverage live text: “Live text” is directly coded into an email or website (as opposed to image text, which can only be read after the image loads). It improves load times, accessibility, and deliverability, which all play a role in increasing engagement.
- Pay attention to CTA placement: It’s considered a best practice in landing page design to put a CTA above the fold… so why not emails, too? Placing a button and/or link high up in your email ensures everyone will see it, reduces friction, and captures the reader’s attention as soon as they open.
- Let data drive your decisions: The impressive results from this test underscore the value of continuous and incremental optimization. Seemingly small changes, based on data, can drive real business results.
A Final Note on Testing
In this post, I’ve tried to drive home the point that small tests can have big results.
And that’s true! If you run small tests continually over time, you can iterate your way to success. Think of it like tweaking your coffee’s milk and sugar every morning until it tastes just right.
But radical testing of big changes also has its place.
If your email results are in the toilet—think super-low open rates, CTR, and conversions—then you might be better off with a dramatic shakeup to aim for big results right off the bat.
Then, once you get closer to your benchmark, you can start iterating on that new design with smaller tests to continually refine it over time.
That’s it for this post. Thanks for reading!
