Sometimes sending out emails feels like putting content out into the void. If nobody is opening your emails, it will seem like a rather pointless endeavour. But there are a number of easy ways to increase your email open rate, to ensure that you’re reaching as many people as possible.
The most important thing to remember with any email campaign is having your customers at heart. If you are providing personalised content, the emails are much less likely to be ignored or filtered into a spam inbox.
So if you’re looking to improve your email open rate, you can try following the tips below – hopefully you’ll see a difference quickly. It is good to keep in mind though, that seeing significant results can take a few months, and may require a bit of experimentation to see what works best for you.
Personalise Your Content
While you’re not trying to cultivate close friendships with your customers, you do want to create a sense of familiarity. A lot of email platforms allow you to include the recipient’s name in the subject line or greeting of the email, for example.
You also need to tailor your email to a specific audience. For this to work, you need to have a good understanding of your customer base. Find out about what type of products certain demographics are interested in, so that you can advertise these things rather than a random selection of your stock. Location is another thing to consider with personalisation – if one of your stores is having a huge sale, you can just email customers that live close by.
The Subject Line Matters
When a customer is deciding whether to open your email or not, the subject line could be the only thing they see. So crafting the perfect subject line is essential when it comes to email open rates. Don’t just go with the first thing that comes to mind, but draft a few options and try to get a second opinion.
We’ve come up with a few tips on creating an appealing subject line, which include:
- Use Numbers: People are generally more likely to click on something if they think it will be a short and easy read. Listicles are great because you know exactly what you’re getting into. For example, if the title is ‘The Top 5 Financial Magazines’, the email won’t be overly long, and you can skim the headings to find the bits you’re most interested in.
- Try Emojis: Although emojis are not always appropriate, for the most part they add colour to your subject line, and are always eye catching. A lot of businesses have found emojis to drastically improve email open rates.
- Keep it Simple: You need to make it obvious what the email is about while tempting readers to find out more. Try to keep the subject line short and snappy, without any unnecessary detail.
Don’t Forget a Call to Action
The emails you send out should have specific goals, so with each one it’s important to include a call to action. You don’t just have to include one either – it’s fine to have multiple calls to action in an email.
You need to ensure that the call to action is obvious, and includes a link to the service or product you’re promoting. There’s no point just mentioning a product and expecting your customers to hunt it down on your website! Perhaps separate the call to action from the rest of the text, or make it a button to click, so that it really stands out.
Optimise for Mobile Devices
As more and more people are checking their emails on mobile devices rather than desktops, it’s essential that you consider this when it comes to marketing campaigns. Mobile optimisation means that your customers can view your content properly, in the best possible format.
That’s not to say you should neglect those customers who still use PCs or laptops to view their emails – depending on your target demographic, this could be a large percentage of your customer base. You simply need to ensure that regardless of the device, your content looks how you intend it to.
Overall, if you follow the four steps we’ve gone through, you should see an increase in your email open rates. It may take a little time, as you probably won’t perfect your formula straight away, but as long as you keep making adjustments, you should be able to boost your success rates.