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Tips to Help Improve Email Open Rates

5/9/2022 | admin

Are you following “best practices” when it comes to email marketing?

It’s really frustrating to put a ton of effort into building an email list, putting together fantastic copy, and then sitting there and watching just a handful of people open the email. At AlphaGraphics of New Bern, we’re more than just a sign shop—we’re a one-stop-shop marketing agency. We’ve helped many New Bern businesses improve their email campaigns over the years. Read on to discover several great tips on how to improve your email open rates.

Email New Contacts Within 1 Day

As the old saying goes, strike while the anvil is hot. Be sure to email new email contacts within one day of receiving their email address—while you and your brand are still hot on their minds. Studies have shown that the longer you wait, the less likely that person will open any future emails.

Send Emails from a Human Being—Not a Company

When you send an email from someone in your company, such as the CEO or marketing manager, your email open rates tend to increase. It all boils down to trust. With as many unsolicited emails as people get, they’re warier about opening an email from an email address they don’t recognize. KJones@YourCompany.com looks a lot better than “Marketing@YourCompany.com.”

Subject and Preview Line Length

How long are the subject and preview lines that you’ve been writing? A general rule of thumb is to keep subject lines to 60 characters or less (“characters,” not “words”) and preview text to 100 characters or less. Also, avoid using exclamation points in the subject lines, as it gives off a spammy look and feel.

Keep Emails Short

Emails should serve one purpose: to quickly convey important information and get that person to click the link in your call-to-action, which will take them to a landing page or your website. Nobody will read a 300 to 400-word or longer email. Save it for a blog post or landing page. Try pretending that you’re talking to someone in real life. If you must write a long email, break it up and use subheaders that will allow the reader to skim it.

Use Alt Text for Images

More than a few email clients block images by default, and that goes for your call-to-action buttons as well. If you’re wondering why you’re getting such a low click-through rate, if an email client blocks an image, the recipient will see this:

If you set the alt text for the image, instead of seeing a blank box like above, people will see this: Click to Learn More Info

Preview and Test Before Sending

Before you click the “send” button, be sure to preview the email and then test it out to ensure it works on all devices. Click all included links and make sure they go to the right website or landing pages. Finally, use a tool like Grammarly to proofread your copy before sending it. Having spelling and/or grammar errors doesn’t look very professional.

Don’t Use Background Images

Microsoft Outlook will not allow background images. It’s the 5th most used email client in the world. If you use a background image, there’s a good chance people who use Outlook won’t be able to see what’s in your email.

Use an Email Forwarding Option

Provide your email recipients with a way to forward your email to their network. For example, you can add a p.s. to the end of your email that reads: “If you know someone who could benefit from this offer, click here to forward it to them”

Consider Mobile Users

Over 50% of all opened emails are done so on a mobile device. Whether it’s an iPhone, Android, or tablet, ensure that your emails render correctly on all devices—not just laptops and desktop computers. Be sure to optimize email images for smartphones. Otherwise, a portion of the image could get cut off when viewed on a small cellphone screen. There are many responsive email templates out there that will automatically adjust to the size of the screen they’re viewed on.

Email Marketing Help in New Bern

The above tips can help you improve email open rates and decrease the number of people who opt-out from your email list. If you need email marketing help, contact the marketing experts at AlphaGraphics of New Bern. We will sit down with you, listen to your goals, and then develop a game plan to put your business on the right track for success. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of New Bern can produce and design your next project, you may email us, request a quote, or call us at (252) 633-3199.

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