---
title: "A/B test subject lines & bodies (Template mode) | FirstSales"
description: "Create multiple email variants in a Template-mode campaign and compare their performance in analytics."
canonical: "https://firstsales.io/tutorial/template-ab-testing/"
---

[Home](/)/[Tutorials](/tutorial/)/A/B test subject lines & bodies (Template mode)

Campaigns

# A/B test subject lines & bodies (Template mode)

Create multiple email variants in a Template-mode campaign and compare their performance in analytics.

7 min read·Intermediate·7 steps

1. 1  
## Understand A/B testing in Template mode  
A Template-mode campaign can hold multiple email variants for the same sequence position, so you can compare different copy against each other.
2. 2  
## Open your campaign's Email Template  
Open the **Email Template** config for a Template-mode campaign.
3. 3  
## Start a new variant  
Click **A/B Testing** (top-right of the templates list) or **Add A/B variant** below it to open the **New A/B Variant** form.
4. 4  
## Fill in the variant  
Enter a **Template Name**, **Subject Line**, and **Email Body**. Insert merge tags where they help personalize the copy.  
![Fill in the variant](/tutorials/abtest-01-variant-form.webp)
5. 5  
## Preview and save  
Optionally click **Send Test** to preview the variant in your own inbox, then click **Create Template** to save it.
6. 6  
## Add more variants  
Repeat to add additional variants. Each one gets a numbered **#N** badge marking its position in the sequence; the gap between variants is controlled separately by **Wait/Delay** nodes on the canvas.
7. 7  
## Compare results in analytics  
Launch the campaign and let it run, then compare your variants' performance in **campaign analytics**. Winner selection is manual — there's no automatic winner — so review the metrics yourself and edit or delete the underperforming variant.

## Pro tips

Hard-won shortcuts that keep warm-up on track.

1

### Change one thing at a time

Vary the subject or the opener — not both — so analytics can tell you what actually moved the needle.

2

### Winner selection is manual

Check reply and open rates in campaign analytics yourself, then delete or rewrite the weaker variant — there's no automatic winner.

3

### Name variants descriptively

Give each one a name like “short-subject” or “case-study-open” so analytics rows stay readable later.

4

### Send Test on every variant

A broken merge tag looks worse when it's your best test variant — preview each one before launch.

## Frequently asked questions

How do I add an A/B variant?

Click **A/B Testing** or **Add A/B variant**, fill in the form, then click **Create Template**.

Does FirstSales pick the winner automatically?

No — comparison is manual. You review each variant's performance in campaign analytics and choose.

How do I know which variant won?

Compare their metrics side by side in campaign analytics.

What can I vary?

**Template Name**, **Subject Line**, and **Email Body**, including merge tags.

What does the #N badge mean?

It marks the variant's position in the sequence.

How do I set the delay between variants?

With **Wait/Delay** nodes on the canvas — not from within the variant form.

Can I test a variant before launch?

Yes — **Send Test** opens the test-email drawer so you can preview it in your own inbox first.

## Ready to put this into practice?

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