Email is sometimes the neglected part of your marketing funnel but it shouldn’t be! Email is crucial to your brand’s success and your bottom line. Here are some ways were improving our conversion rates with email this year.
1. Text-based emails
Plain text is a format you can choose to send your emails in – but do you?
During some recent a/b testing we were conducting, we found that text-based (vs. image or HTML based) emails received higher open and click-through rates. So, why are text-based emails important and trending? For one, spam filters prefer plain-text alternatives to image-based emails. Also, some people may prefer a text-based email since it’s clean, easy to read, and does not run the risk of having images disabled by the email client.
2. More high-res images and emoji use
We’ve also recently seen an increase of emoji use in emails in pre-headers and subject lines – and for good reason – they’re working!
Emojis help marketers’ emails stand out in their subscribers inboxes. Some brands use a single emoji to set off their subject line. This is also a great way for emails to easily be spotted in a crowded inbox.
3. Interactive email design
Interactive emails allow subscribers to interact with an email directly in their inbox just like you can on a website. While options are limited, here are a few interactive elements that you can include in your email:
- Hamburger menus similar to what you see on mobile websites
- Interactive quizzes
- Countdown timers
- Hover effects on buttons, images and text
For interactive email design you will need to ensure you test throughly on all popular email clients as these items are not guaranteed to be supported. If your features aren’t supported on one client, try making sure both versions are still user-friendly.
4. Email accessibility
Accessibility is important and means making sure that everyone can receive and understand your message, regardless of any disabilities or assistive devices that may be on. Include usage of high color contrast photos and use colors in your email that are good for people with color blindness. Also avoid fast flashing animation that may be sensitive for some users. Ensure you have enough HTML text for screen readers and include alt and title tags in all of your images.
5. Humanization in emails
Aside from personalization in email it’s important that emails that are sent have copy that relates to your customer as an individual. Find your unique voice and keep it consistent.
If your brand is a very playful brand then your voice should be playful too. Your brand’s personality should really show in your emails. Have some fun!
If you’re a skincare brand you may want to maintain a caring and soothing voice so use that along with a soft color palatte to really add that full personailty to your email marketing campaigns.
6. Videos in emails
Having video in email has a great impact and can really tell your story visually. The problem is that most email clients don’t support video in emails. So what do you do?
While there are some email clients that do fully support HTML 5 we still have a ways to go to get all email clients to support full video options. We suggest inserting HTML 5 code into your emails with the video and make your back up image a short animated gif that can still tell your story.
Once you start thinking about video in email, the possibilities here are endless. You can include how-to videos, introducing a new product, and we find this type of content can go a long way in boosting customer engagement and conversion.
7. Email automation
A single automation series in 2018 will not be enough. Inboxes are flooded with emails each day and you will want to be different and stand out from the rest.
Your automation emails should be geared to your subscribers with different needs and interests. The more segmented and targeted your automation is, the more it will resonate with subscribers, increase your CTR and generate more sales.
One way to successfully automate your email campaigns is to allow your subscribers to choose the type of content they receive. Whether it’s a landing page where they can choose their opt-in email settings, a simple pop up online, or even a questionnaire email that allows them to choose what type of content they would like to receive – we recommend doing this with all of your subscribers.
8. Storytelling
Having a good story in an email can catch the reader by surprise. This helps you create a relationship with your customers by giving them a glimpse inside of your business. Telling a good story also builds a connection with your customers and trust.
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Email is a critical part to any marketing strategy. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to engage and convert more customers through this amazing channel.