What we've learnt from randomly testing #EmailWeekly

If you receive the #emailweekly regularly, you have been subject to innovative/ridiculous designs, delayed sends, obscure subject lines and the odd error here and there. Some of these were on purpose, others weren't. I guess you could say we've kind of learnt something from each one.We like to think of the weekly as a playground for email code so we thought we would bare all for the eyes of our subscribers. Here is what we've found from AA/AB testing/sending the email weekly so far:A/A tests (on purpose)EmailWeekly #29Subject line: GOOD EMAIL ¿ pheasant! downpour! schist! aaaaaSend time: 6PMDeclare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 46%Grammar mistakes: 1Variance: 11.7%EmailWeekly #30Subject line: EmailWeekly #30: Keeping it alternativeSend time: 6:50PMDeclare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 44%Grammar mistakes: 1Variance: 9.7%EmailWeekly #43Subject line: EmailWeekly #43: Lots to reportSend time: 12:22PMDeclare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 45%Variance = 3.7%EmailWeekly #44 Subject line: Hey there [firstname,fallback=you], just testing subject line length, don't mind me. Enjoy these articles and I'll see you next week Send time: 1:20PM Declare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 47%Variance = 3.3%EmailWeekly #45Subject line: Time for a #cheekyemail Send time: 1:10PM Declare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 48%Variance: 3.8%Lesson learnt? Subject line B will always win, most of the time.Other tests:EmailWeekly #7Admitting you are testing your subscribers... but aren't actually. This is one of our best open rates so far.Subject line: [Subject line split test A: this group are much nicer than group B]Send time: 6PMOverall open rate: 54%EmailWeekly #58Burrito (version B) vs Burger (version A) in the subject line...Subject line: do the subject line later, it’s burrito FridaySend time: 4pmDeclare winner: 1 hourOverall open rate: 44%Variance: 2%EmailWeekly #57Subject line: SubjectlineSend time: 3pmObservation: We saw a 6% increase in open rate from the week before and week after. We'll put that down to curiosityOverall open rate: 48%EmailWeekly TriviaOur highest CTR: EmailWeekly #37. The mystery CTA of course.CTR: 60%Our lowest ever open rate:EmailWeekly #26Subject line: Decorations? Check. Presents? Check. #EmailWeekly newsletter? CHECK.Send time: 5pmOpen Rate: 39%Probable insight: This was sent at 5pm on the Friday before Christmas, most people have probably logged off by this point to spend time with their families if they aren't already on holiday. We can only assume.To sum up...We've learnt that our own random variance stays at about 3% (excl. the outlier), email marketers prefer burritos over burgers (just) and long subject lines are pretty awesome, don't knock them. We'll continue with our random tests so you don't have to.Until next time.