The Image Optimizer widget lets you A/B test multiple versions of the same image for a set number of opens, before selecting the best-performing image and using that for the remainder of the campaign.
Introduction
With the Image Optimizer you can upload multiple versions of the same image and test them, without having to create multiple versions of the email. You select the number of opens for the test and Open Time Content will randomly display different images to that number of contacts. When the quota is reached, the best-performing image is selected and used for the remainder of the campaign.
Creating the Image Optimizer widget
To create an Image Optimizer widget, proceed as follows:
- In the Open Time Content page, navigate to the campaign you wish to add the widget to and open it, or create a new campaign.
- Click Create new Mailing and Tag and click the Image optimizer icon to open the wizard.
- Step 1: Give the mailing a name (we recommend to use the same name as the email campaign where you will add it) and click Next.
- Step 2: Upload your image. You do this in two steps.
- First, click Add images to browse for your images locally. You can select as many as you like.
- Then click Start to upload each image, or click Start upload to upload all the selected images at once.
- Click Cancel to remove an image, or click Cancel upload to remove all of them.
Once uploaded, you can Delete an image or select more than one using the checkbox and then delete them together.
- Step 3: Add a click-through URLs for each image (optional). For example, if you are testing particular category or offer, you can link to the corresponding webpage for the image:
- Step 4: Configure your tag.
- Description - This is the internal name for the widget.
- Href - This is the final landing page for when contacts click the image. This will be used for the winning image.
Open quota - This is the total number of opens for the test (an ‘open’ here means that the images in the email have been downloaded). When this number is reached the test is over and the winning image is selected and used. We recommend to use 10-20% of your expected open rate for this quota.
- Click Next to generate the tag and then copy and paste it into your email as normal.
Tracking the results
After you have added your tag to an email campaign and launched it, you can see real-time reporting on the A/B testing. Proceed as follows:
- Locate the mailing where you have added the Image Optimizer template and click the reporting icon.
- In the report you can see the total opens and clicks for the campaign, and the same figures broken down for each image.
- You can also see the progress of the A/B testing. When this reaches 100%, the winning image is highlighted.
FAQ
How do I decide on the open quota?
This depends on how many images you are testing. But as a benchmark figure we recommend selecting a quota that is between 10-15% of your expected number of opens.
What is the advantage of Image Optimization over the A/B testing available in emails and Automation Center programs?
The main advantage is that it is a quicker, more accurate way to test images, but only images. If you want to test other aspects of the email content then you will need to perform A/B tests on the whole email. It is more accurate because it randomizes the images at the point of open, so you can guarantee that every image is given an equal chance of success. Since non-responders are excluded from the test, the selection is based on the click-to-open ratio, which is a better way to measure potential conversion.
Can I track opens on an individual level?
Yes. To ensure that Image Optimizer tracks at the individual level you must add the email address placeholder &m$Email$ to the end of the href link in the tag:
<a href="https://img.kickdyn.com/clickancnt.ashx?c=3439.EbnkYziEZJhVJCWsP3OA&m$Email$">