> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mailgreet.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Testing Campaigns

> How to test your email campaigns before sending to ensure quality and deliverability

# Testing Your Campaigns

Before sending any campaign to your subscribers, thorough testing is essential. This guide covers all aspects of campaign testing to ensure your emails look great and perform well.

***

## Why Testing Matters

<Warning>
  An untested email can damage your brand reputation, hurt deliverability, and waste your marketing efforts. Always test before sending!
</Warning>

Common issues caught during testing:

* Broken links or images
* Formatting problems on certain devices
* Personalization tag errors
* Typos and grammar mistakes
* Spam filter triggers

***

## Types of Testing

### 1. Send Test Emails

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access Test Function">
    In the campaign editor, click **Preview & Test** or **Send Test**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Recipients">
    Add email addresses for testing (yourself, team members)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send and Review">
    Open the test email on different devices and email clients
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Create a testing group with emails from different providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail) to check rendering across platforms.
</Tip>

***

### 2. Visual Preview

Check how your email appears:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Desktop Preview" icon="desktop">
    View full-width layout as it appears on computers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mobile Preview" icon="mobile">
    Check responsive design on smartphone screens
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dark Mode" icon="moon">
    Verify readability in dark mode email clients
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plain Text" icon="align-left">
    Review the plain text version of your email
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

### 3. Link Verification

Ensure all links work correctly:

| Check                | Description                                 |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **URL Accuracy**     | All links point to correct pages            |
| **Tracking**         | Click tracking is properly enabled          |
| **UTM Parameters**   | Analytics tracking codes are in place       |
| **Unsubscribe Link** | Required unsubscribe link works             |
| **Social Links**     | Social media buttons go to correct profiles |

***

### 4. Personalization Testing

If using merge tags:

```text theme={null}
Hello {$first_name},

Thank you for being a part of {$company_name}!
```

**Verify:**

* Tags render correctly with sample data
* Fallback values work when data is missing
* Dynamic content shows correct variants

***

### 5. Spam Score Check

Run spam tests to ensure deliverability:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Common Spam Triggers to Avoid">
    * Excessive capitalization (FREE! BUY NOW!)
    * Too many exclamation points!!!
    * Spam words: "winner", "free money", "act now"
    * Poor text-to-image ratio
    * No unsubscribe link
    * Misleading subject lines
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Improving Spam Scores">
    * Use authenticated sending domain (SPF, DKIM)
    * Maintain clean subscriber lists
    * Include plain text version
    * Balance images with text content
    * Avoid URL shorteners
    * Include physical mailing address
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Testing Checklist

Use this checklist before every campaign:

<Check>Subject line is compelling and under 50 characters</Check>
<Check>Preview text provides additional context</Check>
<Check>Sender name and email are correct</Check>
<Check>All links are working and tracked</Check>
<Check>Images display correctly</Check>
<Check>Personalization tags render properly</Check>
<Check>Mobile view looks good</Check>
<Check>Unsubscribe link is present and functional</Check>
<Check>No spelling or grammar errors</Check>
<Check>CTA buttons are prominent and clickable</Check>
<Check>Spam score is acceptable</Check>

***

## A/B Testing

Beyond basic testing, use A/B tests to optimize performance:

| Element to Test     | How to Measure Success   |
| ------------------- | ------------------------ |
| Subject Lines       | Open rate comparison     |
| Send Times          | Open rate comparison     |
| Button Colors       | Click rate comparison    |
| Content Length      | Click rate, unsubscribes |
| Images vs No Images | Engagement metrics       |

<Info>
  Learn more about setting up A/B tests in our [Campaign Types](/campaign-types) guide.
</Info>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Campaign" icon="paper-plane" href="/create-campaign">
    Start building your tested campaign
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduling" icon="calendar" href="/scheduling">
    Schedule your campaign for optimal delivery
  </Card>
</CardGroup>