Terms below appear throughout guides on email A/B testing. Each definition is one or two sentences; follow the links in the sidebar for the full guides.
Core terms#
Email A/B testing
A/B testing sends two or more variants of a message to random samples and measures which performs better on a chosen metric before sending the winner to the rest.
SPF
A DNS record listing servers authorized to send for a domain. Checked against the connecting IP.
DKIM
A cryptographic signature on each message, verified with a public key in DNS.
DMARC
A policy record telling receivers what to do when SPF and DKIM fail alignment, plus reporting.
Alignment
Agreement between the visible From domain and the domain that passed SPF or DKIM.
Sender reputation
A provider's running assessment of a domain or IP based on complaints, bounces, engagement, and authentication.
Inbox placement
Share of accepted mail that lands in the inbox rather than spam.
Spam trap
An address that never opted in, used to catch senders with poor list practices.
BIMI
A DNS record pointing to a brand logo displayed next to authenticated mail; requires DMARC enforcement.
Feedback loop
A provider program that reports recipient spam complaints back to the sender.
Frequently asked questions#
What should I A/B test first in email?
Subject lines, then the primary call to action, then send time. These have the largest measurable effect.