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Split-Testing Autoresponder Sequences

by ItsDubC
10 replies
I did quite a bit of searching but couldn't really come up w/ a clear answer to this :confused:

Most autoresponder services allow you to split test emails, but it seems that this capability is only applicable to broadcasts. Does anyone know of any services that allow you to setup a follow-up sequence of emails like normal but also allow you to designate one or more alternative emails for each sequence step for the purpose of split-testing them automatically?

For example, say I have an autoresponder sequence consisting of 7 preloaded emails. If I want to split-test email #3, I can setup a different email at that step that is the same except it has a different headline, and then have the autoresponder automatically send this alternate email to 50% of the prospects that receive email #3 from that point forward.

I actually know of one service that does this but only at feature level whose price point I can't justify at the moment, and it's lower-cost feature level has some unappealing quirks. Does anyone know of an autoresponder that does this while being priced similarly to Aweber, GetResponse, iContact (not iContactPlus), etc? If not, are there any suggestions for accomplishing something similar using the toolset available in Aweber, GetResponse, iContact, etc?

TIA
#autoresponder #sequences #splittesting
  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    What you can do is to create two versions of a list
    (a and b) whenever you create a list.

    So, instead of creating say list1 for a given list, you
    can create list1a and list1b.

    Then on your landing page you alternate between
    signing people up to list1a and list1b.

    This will allow you to filter them down two different
    autoresponder funnels and split test one autoresponder
    sequence versus another one.

    It's a workaround.

    Dedicated to your success,

    Shaun
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    • Profile picture of the author ItsDubC
      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

      What you can do is to create two versions of a list
      (a and b) whenever you create a list.

      So, instead of creating say list1 for a given list, you
      can create list1a and list1b.

      Then on your landing page you alternate between
      signing people up to list1a and list1b.

      This will allow you to filter them down two different
      autoresponder funnels and split test one autoresponder
      sequence versus another one.

      It's a workaround.

      Dedicated to your success,

      Shaun
      Thanks for your input Shaun, you've been very helpful in the autoresponder threads I've been researching. So given your experience, at best we simply have a workaround for this type of thing until we have the funds, need, and willingness to deal w/ moving our lists to a more robust service?

      I just find it interesting that so many ppl use and recommend Aweber even though it doesn't offer this type of automated split-testing capability, which I would think is far more useful that split-testing a broadcast that may only be sent out once. I always thought testing was of utmost importance in anything we do online.
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      • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
        Originally Posted by ItsDubC View Post

        Thanks for your input Shaun, you've been very helpful in the autoresponder threads I've been researching. So given your experience, at best we simply have a workaround for this type of thing until we have the funds, need, and willingness to deal w/ moving our lists to a more robust service?

        I just find it interesting that so many ppl use and recommend Aweber even though it doesn't offer this type of automated split-testing capability, which I would think is far more useful that split-testing a broadcast that may only be sent out once. I always thought testing was of utmost importance in anything we do online.
        Thanks for your compliments ItsDubC

        Some autoresponder companies still don't have split-testing
        for broadcasts, let alone follow-up autoresponder series!

        For example, the basic iContact and Infusionsoft packages
        don't have the split-test functionality for broadcasting
        built-in.

        AWeber are pretty good in that they've had the split-testing
        for broadcast functionality for years.

        The a and b list split is a little workaround you can use to
        effectively compare the effectiveness AR Series 1 vs AR
        Series 2.

        It would be great to be able to split-test a lot of things,
        including multiple autoresponder message factors, but you
        need a lot of traffic to be able to get useful data.

        A simple a and b split into two AR series is likely enough
        for starters.

        I have a constant battle keeping things simple instead
        of doing all that could be done with technology and
        workarounds.

        Dedicated to your success,

        Shaun
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        • Profile picture of the author marcpsummers
          [DELETED]
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          • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
            Originally Posted by marcpsummers View Post

            This is a great post Shaun with lots of useful advice on split testing, just to confirm Infusionsoft does allow automatic split testing - how ever there is a FREE split testing tool for Infusionsoft available from InfusionToolbox
            Unfortunately, Infusionsoft don't have the split-testing
            built-into their platform within their interface so that it's
            easy for people to use - unlike AWeber.

            To be able to do split-testing with Infusionsoft, you either
            need to rely on a plug-in from other third-party vendors.

            Or, use a hidden field on your lead capture page to split
            your list into 'a' and 'b' segments and then use tags to
            split-test broadcasts and autoresponders later.

            I will say this though...

            Infusionsoft does rock the house though for fine list
            segmentation and using their API to let it tailor your
            follow-up marketing to match the behavior of your list
            members and how they interact with your site and
            your e-mails.

            Dedicated to your success,

            Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author tribros
    Originally Posted by ItsDubC View Post

    I did quite a bit of searching but couldn't really come up w/ a clear answer to this :confused:

    Most autoresponder services allow you to split test emails, but it seems that this capability is only applicable to broadcasts. Does anyone know of any services that allow you to setup a follow-up sequence of emails like normal but also allow you to designate one or more alternative emails for each sequence step for the purpose of split-testing them automatically?

    For example, say I have an autoresponder sequence consisting of 7 preloaded emails. If I want to split-test email #3, I can setup a different email at that step that is the same except it has a different headline, and then have the autoresponder automatically send this alternate email to 50% of the prospects that receive email #3 from that point forward.

    I actually know of one service that does this but only at feature level whose price point I can't justify at the moment, and it's lower-cost feature level has some unappealing quirks. Does anyone know of an autoresponder that does this while being priced similarly to Aweber, GetResponse, iContact (not iContactPlus), etc? If not, are there any suggestions for accomplishing something similar using the toolset available in Aweber, GetResponse, iContact, etc?

    TIA
    Actually I proposed the same split testing feature to aweber about a year ago but never heard back any response from them. Now we almost split test each and everything and I wonder why these guys can't see the value with that simple feature their customers get and at the end more happy and profitable customers = more money for them. So I guess if many of us here send the same request to aweber then I'm sure they will notice and hopefully add that feature. What do you guys say?
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    • Profile picture of the author ItsDubC
      Originally Posted by tribros View Post

      Actually I proposed the same split testing feature to aweber about a year ago but never heard back any response from them. Now we almost split test each and everything and I wonder why these guys can't see the value with that simple feature their customers get and at the end more happy and profitable customers = more money for them. So I guess if many of us here send the same request to aweber then I'm sure they will notice and hopefully add that feature. What do you guys say?
      Ya, it just seems like one of those things that'd be fairly straightforward to implement from a development standpoint, but I guess not too many people are asking for it (which amazes me).

      I'm now currently leaning toward the service I alluded to in my first post, which is Sendpepper Habañero. It's $80/mo but it provides automated autoresponder email split-testing, contact tagging, custom fields for opt-in forms, offline postcard marketing, personalized landing pages, etc. Pretty sweet stuff. Hopefully the $80/mo will really put the pressure on me to monetize my list efficiently to the point where I can evaluate whether I should move up to the awesome rule-based triggering system in Office Autopilot (which I believe allows you to do things like automatically send a discount coupon email to someone who views your sales page three times in a week in order to finally get the sale).
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      • Profile picture of the author StrongerEveryDay
        I'm wondering if you ever started using SendPepper or went for the "manual" approach of split-testing entire LISTS. I too have been asking AWeber, Get Response, etc. for split-testing on follow-ups for quite a while now. I can't believe this isn't common place.
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        • Profile picture of the author ZenEight
          Reviving an old thread, I use Aweber extensively as well and it still looks like this feature to split test followup sequences has not been implemented. Good workaround suggestion Shaun. I've emailed Aweber requesting this feature, maybe if enough of us hammer at them maybe they will listen

          Do any other popular autoresponder services currently have this feature?
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          • Profile picture of the author vlada111
            Originally Posted by ZenEight View Post

            Reviving an old thread, I use Aweber extensively as well and it still looks like this feature to split test followup sequences has not been implemented. Good workaround suggestion Shaun. I've emailed Aweber requesting this feature, maybe if enough of us hammer at them maybe they will listen

            Do any other popular autoresponder services currently have this feature?
            Hehe, I will also start hammering them about that feature. I think it would be really usefull
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            • Profile picture of the author ZenEight
              The response from their CSR:
              Unfortunately, these are not features that we are currently
              able to offer. I'll certainly submit this as a feature
              request to our developers, though. If we do offer this as
              a new feature in the future, we'll announce it on our blog
              at: (blog url)

              We announce all new features on the blog. In the meantime, if you
              come up with any other questions or suggestions, please let me
              know!
              Let's keep hammering them!
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