HubSpot Ideas

katharine

Enable A/B testing in workflow/automated emails

I was disappointed to see that I can't do an A/B test in an automated email:

https://knowledge.hubspot.com/articles/kcs_article/email/how-to-create-an-a-b-test-email

 

Marketo (a HubSpot competitor) allows this functionality.

Can you add this to the product sometime?

It's particularly helpful with a Welcome email sequence which is key to on-boarding new customers.

293 Replies
sarahcocos
Participant

@Shane_Janssens 

Wanted to share some feedback on our experience with the rollout. First, SO excited this is finally live for testing and using. 
One thing I'm noticing that seems like a product oversight is that you can't search and find these automated A/B emails within 'marketing email activity' for workflow logic. 

Here's our use-case scenario: We have if/then branches for engagement (ie if they opened or clicked x/y/z email, then move them to a hot leads branch and if they're not opening/clicking, move them to the cold leads branch). So, when we use A/B Automated emails, i can't find them as options to use for these open/click branches to get info on their email activities. 

Is there a reason these aren't showing up in workflows as options? Wanted to flag this, as it's a large part of our automation and lead segmentation process. 

Thanks for any info and updates you can provide here. 

-Sarah 

RebeccaS
Participant

Hi Joe. I just created an email for automation but I don't see where I can enable the split test, can you provide a screenshot please? 

JoeMayall
HubSpot Alumni

Hi @RebeccaS ! 

 

Here you go! 

2.png3.png

RebeccaS
Participant

Hi @JoeMayall 

I don't have that, we use plain html emails, is that the issue?

 

RebeccaS_0-1612508118247.png

 

ridingforlife
Top Contributor

I don't see the A/B testing option available either, no matter what kind of automated email template is used.

 

Also to confirm, this allows for A/B testing of automated email content, but not workflow functionality (ex. testing delays between emails)?

RebeccaS
Participant

@ridingforlife 

 

I emailed HubSpot support and they gave me access (you have to request it). I am now able to see the option, but only for new emails I create (can't apply it to any existing).  Yes you can test the content/subject lines etc and view the results in the email dash, and choose a winner. As far as I know, it's not about testing workflow functionality. Hope this helps 🙂

sarahcocos
Participant

@Shane_Janssens  and other Beta Users:
Just an FYI, the product team said the issue I reported earlier (not being able to search/select these A/B auto emails in the marketing emails logic in a workflow) has been fixed, but I'm running into these two other issues and curious if anyone else is seeing the same issues? 

 

1. When creating an if/then logic branch in a workflow to show anyone who's clicked or opened these A/B emails, I can see and select them, but then when you save that logic branch in the workflow, it throws an error on those emails that says 'This criteria couldn't be found. It may have been deleted.' so you can't actually use any marketing email activity data in the workflow with these emails. 

2. Contact records are not being updated with these A/B Automated marketing emails. I'm not seeing date stamps for these two fields: 'marketing emails delivered' or 'last marketing email sent'  when using these new beta emails.  

danielrnorris
Contributor | Elite Partner

Excited to see this is in Beta, such an important feature for my clients.

SamJigSpace
Participant

I would like to gain access to this beta program too. 

 

Will email my AM, but if someone else at Hubspot can activate it too that would be great.

 

Thanks!

Khalvin
Member

Hi, I would like to be enrolled into this beta program, thank you. 

ridingforlife
Top Contributor

I noticed documentation for A/B testing emails in workflows notes that an A/B email can only be used in 1 workflow:
https://knowledge.hubspot.com/workflows/automate-ab-emails-with-workflows

 

workflow-ab-test-email.jpg

 

 

 

 

Is there anything in the roadmap to allow an A/B email to be used across multiple workflows?

 

EDIT: I have created an idea on this here: https://community.hubspot.com/t5/HubSpot-Ideas/Use-A-B-emails-across-multiple-workflows/idi-p/421224

joelfed
Participant

@JoeMayall - Happy to see this is in Beta. However, with an Automated email template open, I'm not seeing any option to "Run a Test" in either the upper left of the email editor or anywhere else on the page. Can you provide some further direction? It does show when I create a Regular email, but of course that's not what this thread is about.

 

Thanks,

 

Screen Shot 2021-03-25 at 2.15.55 PM.png

spogue
Top Contributor
@joelfed I had a similar experience. My issue was that I created a new
email from a clone. Not good enough apparently. You have to create a new
automated email from scratch and then copy in the new information. Hope
that helps!

--
Steve Pogue
*Marketing Operations Manager*
*Workzone*
p: 484.263.2461 <+14842632461>
e: steve@workzone.com
w: www.workzone.com

ridingforlife
Top Contributor

@joelfed  Have you reached out to support to request your portal be added to the beta?

joelfed
Participant

@ridingforlife - No. An earlier message from the HubSpot team had indicated that it was in Public Beta, so I thought that meant available for all to use. But I'll be sure to request it.

jmacandrews
Participant

Can we be added to this beta?

fiachra_duffy
HubSpot Employee

@jmacandrews reach out ot HubSpot Support or your Customer Success Manager to be enrolled in the beta 🙂 

btuttle279
Contributor

Cant delete comments, so just ignore this, messed up.

Drishtii_
Participant

Hi, 

I know that this feature is in Beta and I have been using this. 

 

While I love this, I do have a quick question here: 

Do these emails that go out as A/B tests via workflows have the source tracking right? And by that, I mean the usual UTM values that Hubspot attaches to the links on the emails. 

 

I ask this because I noticed that my form fills did not capture the UTM source, campaign, and medium values. I did check up on the landing page and the way it is set up. I tested the form out and it seems to be working fine. 

 

Am I missing something here? 
@JoeMayall 

APlocinik
Member

@JoeMayall the A/B functionality for automated emails is great, however I was very disappointed to just learn that I cannot use it across multiple workflows. We have separate nurture workflows for US, EMEA and APAC and do use some emails across all three. Is there any plan to make this functionality allowable across multiple workflwos once this moves beyond beta?