What A/B testing my subject lines taught me
I've collected some interesting data on subject lines from writing this newsletter. If you run a newsletter for your rentals or business, this might help.
Here's something you may not know. Not everyone receives this newsletter at the same time.
Every week, I A/B test 5 subject lines on a small group of subscribers first.
I write the subject lines, add preview text, and include my signature emoji so you can spot it in your inbox.
Then I set a timer, usually for 240 minutes, to see which subject line gets the highest open rate. In other words, which one you're most likely to open.
After 240 minutes, a winner emerges. Sometimes it's clear. Sometimes not so much. Then Kit, the platform I use, sends the winning version to everyone else.
There's a catch. A tiny one.
The winner at the 240-minute mark isn't always the final winner. More of you open the test emails after the deadline, and sometimes a different subject line ends up on top.
Here are recent winners and losers:
What I learned
1. Tell people what the email is about.
"Wrong question" got 38.5%. That's my lowest open rate ever. "How many cabins to build? Wrong question" got 54.7%. Same idea, but the second one tells you the topic.
2. Simple subject lines work.
"Insurance policy" got 60.4%, my highest open rate in the past few months. "Cabin layout" won its test too. No tricks. Just a clean, short label for what's inside.
3. Keywords help when the topic is clear.
"How to get your micro-resort in the press" got 55.9%. "A micro-resort domino effect" got 46.6%. Same keyword. The first one is clear. The second one is confusing.
4. Asking for your opinion didn't work.
"Which layout is your favorite?" came in last in its test. Maybe it felt like homework? I thought it could work because it created a curiosity gap.
5. Money in the subject line didn't help.
"$75K a year" and "$1,555 a night" both landed near the bottom. I expected the opposite.
6. Readers open emails about themselves.
"The physicist who fell in love with tennis" got 48.3%. "A physicist walks onto a tennis court" got 47%. Both were about someone else. "Build at the intersection" got 55%, and "Your past is your unfair advantage" got 51%. Same email, but these spoke to you and what you can do.
7. Don't trust the first result.
In 3 recent tests, the subject line that won at 240 minutes lost after more of you opened. This happened with my emails about PR, cabin layouts, and declining bookings. Check your results the next day/week.
That's all for today,
Till next week, dear readers.
