Email marketing is still a core pillar of any organization’s digital content strategy. Checking off these boxes is the first step to getting it right. 

Email might feel dated compared with newer digital marketing channels like social media, but the numbers don’t lie.

For every dollar that businesses and nonprofits spend on email, they see a 36x return on average.

Yup, email still works!

So what can your marketing team do to bump up those email open rates?

1. WRITE CLEAR AND COMPELLING SUBJECT LINES

First impressions aren’t everything, but in email marketing, they’re the most important thing.

Your email subject lines can make or break your open rates.

So if you want to immediately pique your reader’s interest, make sure your subject lines are:

• Clear and to the point
• No more than 50 characters
• Action-oriented

And stay away from overused, clickbaity subject lines.

You’ll build trust with your audience and promote further engagement if you give your message to them straight … with enthusiasm but without embellishment.

2. WRITE FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

The occasional email blast can definitely serve its purpose (like for a limited promotion).

But sustainable email marketing is about building a relationship with your target audience.

With new AI tools popping up every day alongside email marketing platforms like MailChimp, it’s easier than ever to tailor content to your target audience without breaking the bank.

3. OPTIMIZE YOUR EMAILS FOR MOBILE

In 2019, about 42% of opened emails were pulled up on mobile phones.

And that was before a little pandemic turned many of us into digital junkies …

So your emails’ subject lines and content have to be mobile-friendly.

That means using fonts that are easy to read on a small screen, concise messaging, and clear call-to-action buttons.

If your audience can’t easily read your emails on a 5-inch screen, then you’ve already lost nearly half your readers.

4. SEGMENT YOUR AUDIENCE PERSONAS

Whether it’s purchasing history, location, age … you can use different criteria to break your audience up into personalized buckets.

Segment your email contact list to increase engagement and reduce the risk of your messages becoming victims of spam filters.

That’s because the more of your emails that go unopened, the higher the risk they end up in the junk pile. 

So make sure they’re going to the right people at the right times!

5. TRACK YOUR EMAIL MARKETING METRICS

The beautiful thing about email marketing? You can track just about everything.

Open rates, click-throughs, conversions … all the major data points you could ask for are measurable.

So check the numbers regularly to see what’s working, and what isn’t.

If you see them start to slip, then it might be time for a content upgrade.

EMAIL MARKETING IS A KEY COMPONENT IN YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY

These tips are a solid base for your email marketing campaign.

But a successful email strategy is like a well-oiled machine. If you’re not taking care of it, it’ll eventually break down.

What’s most important is that your messaging maintains its relevancy by adding value to your readers’ lives.

If you need a hand getting your email marketing on track, or it just needs a little fine-tuning, we’re here to help!