If you’ve been disappointed by your results from email marketing in the past, there are definitely some tips which you can make use of to achieve better results. One of the most important things you should keep in mind is that it will be necessary to make your email campaign more mobile-friendly, and that means you have to improve your email performance on mobile devices. This discussion will point out some of the ways you can accomplish that, so that your campaign results are more in line with your lofty expectations.
Make your subject lines concise
It is known that nearly half of all email recipients make the decision on whether or not to open an email based on the subject line. This should point out the importance of creating a subject line which captures the attention of the reader in as few words as possible. Keep in mind that mobile devices will only show the first 25 to 30 characters of your subject line, so you are limited even more to what you can include on that line. Before you ever think about sending out an email campaign, make sure that your subject line is brief, yet has the potential to be extremely effective.
Make your pre-header text engaging
The pre-header text is a kind of teaser text which is situated below your subject line, and it has nearly as much impact as the subject line itself. It’s no exaggeration to say that a weak pre-header text line can cause your email to be sent to the trash bin instead of being eagerly read and appreciated. Your best bet is to summarize the content of your email in a compelling fashion which will make readers want to open up the email to find out additional information. For instance, if your subject line were to read something like ‘Big Shopping Sale’, your pre-text header might follow up with a line such as ‘Final Days! Sale ends tomorrow!’.
Use personalization
If you didn’t already know, personalized emails are much more effective than email blasts, gaining at least six times more engagement and interaction than common blasts. Part of your personalization approach should be to segment your target audience into different groups, so that the message can be customized to their interests. This will result in more relevant emails which can recommend products based on purchase history, or on known preferences. It would also be a good idea to include your recipients’ first name, geographic location, or both in your email communication.
Insert a clear call to action
You should never include multiple calls to action in a single email. Amazingly, research has shown that including a single call to action will increase clicks by a whopping 370%, and that it will increase the number of conversions you get by 1,617%. That fact alone should be enough to compel you to stick to one call to action. Regarding the CTA itself, it should consist of no more than 2 to 4 words, and should have a high contrast color for its button. The placement of your CTA should be somewhere toward the top of your communication, and should be sized at something like 50×50 pixels.
Include whitespace strategically
Most emails get very crowded with text, as you try to make your point to the reader. The problem is exacerbated for users on mobile devices, and that can make it very easy for your CTA to be lost, and for links to be overlooked. If the reader is unable to locate your CTA, you will have lost the whole point of the email communication in the first place. If they click on the wrong link, that will end up getting them frustrated, so they’ll want to abandon the email entirely. The lesson to be learned here is to include plenty of whitespace around your CTA so it stands out, and to avoid stacking your links, because that can confuse the reader.
Keep your copy concise
When composing your text for an email campaign, you should make sure to include short paragraphs which are very readable, so that your users can tell at a glance what you’re saying, without having to really work for it. It’s a good idea to include bulleted lists as well, because they stand out very well on a page. Another trick you might want to consider is increasing the font size, at least on the most important points of your email. This will make it much easier for the reader to skim and obtain the most important information, and it will avoid the need for them to have to zoom in to find it.
Conduct testing as a preliminary
Before sending out any email communication, you should take the time to find out which kinds of mobile devices your main users have. Your testing should center around sending emails to these devices, and you should optimize your content for that specific format. There are a number of tools you can use to accomplish this, for instance Litmus, so that your email messages can be adjusted as needed. There may be some kind of visual problems on certain mobile devices which you can clear up before you send the actual email, and it would be well worth your while to do so.
Maintain a simple design layout
It’s very important that you maintain a simple design for your layout which can easily be scrolled, and which keeps your CTA directly in the line of sight. Don’t include any unnecessary images, because that will add to loading time, and if the user has to be kept waiting, chances are they will abandon the email. Instead, opt for clear, concise messaging which loads quickly and is extremely readable. Highlight your important points in bold text so that the user can’t miss them. Keep in mind that mobile device users are even less patient than desktop users, so you have to do everything possible to optimize your email message for maximum readability, and for easy response capability.
