As a glance in your inbox will confirm, email marketing is alive and well. It’s an efficient and effective way to reach new and repeat customers, nurture the brand relationship, and provide a simple conversion path. But did you know that nearly four out of five marketing emails sent go straight in the trash?
In 2021, the average open rate for an email marketing campaign across all industries was 21.5%, while the average click-through rate (CTR) is just 2.3%.
In order to be effective, you need your audience to open your emails, and then take action by clicking on the links inside. If your email marketing strategy isn’t netting the clicks and results you were looking for, run through the checklist below to be sure that your email campaigns aren’t going straight to the trash bin.
Five tips to get more clicks to your email campaigns
1. Know your audience
No matter your niche, email marketing is a simple way to reach your target audience. Start by researching what your demographic is interested in. Are they motivated by industry insights, offers and discounts, or advice?
In addition, do some research into the best time of day to send emails for your target audience. Do they read emails at 10am, at lunchtime, or before bed?
Giving your audience what they want—when they want it—will increase your open rates and CTR.
2. Captivate your reader
The best way to increase your open rate is to write a subject line and preview text that captures your reader’s attention.
Ideally, keep the subject line between 40-50 characters. You can ask a question, make a joke, or leave your audience wanting more. Don’t be afraid to use emojis as well! These are a fun way to add to your messaging and branding.
The preview text should be a sneak peek into what readers can expect when they open your email. You can play off the subject line, or add a brief description to bring more personality in.
Avoid spam words, shouting in all caps, or special characters. These can flag your email as spam and send them straight to the spam folder, where they’ll never even be seen.
3. Find the ideal length
Aim for short and sweet: 100-200 words is a good starting guideline to keep your message straightforward and to the point. Too much text risks overwhelming your readers (and could cause them to stop reading before you invite them to take action).
Wondering if your audience prefers longer emails? A/B testing is a great way to send campaigns to different customers in order to understand what your audience prefers, leading to more clicks and more sales. You can test copy length, word choice, images, or other factors that could change the CTR of your emails. When you determine the length of copy your target audience best responds to, use that information to design future email campaigns.
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4. Use links and resources
An easy way to increase your clicks is to use relevant links to share knowledge and resources that your audience will find helpful. For example, link to an insightful blog post, or a website with more information. Include links to your website and social media accounts as well so that people can easily learn more about your business.
Try to use fewer than five links throughout your campaign so it isn’t marked as spam. Be sure to check your links before sending every campaign! You don’t want to lose credibility with your audience by leading them to the wrong link or having one that doesn’t work.
5. Make a call to action
Make it easy for readers to know what they should do by adding a call-to-action (CTA) button in your email. A CTA can point people to buy a product, schedule a meeting, or share the content.
Some examples of compelling CTAs include:
- Get 30% off
- Subscribe today
- Download now
Remember, your CTA should stand out from the rest of your email campaign. It can be a big button or hyperlink text in a standout color. This way, your audience will be able to easily recognize the next step they should take.
Looking for more email marketing tips?
Check out these simple, effective strategies to increase your email marketing ROI:
- Don’t Make the 10 Email Marketing Mistakes
- Using Segmentation to Unlock the Power of Email Marketing
- Four Email Automations to Simplify Your Marketing
Take your email campaigns up a notch
By following these five steps, you’ll be on your way to exponential email growth! If you’re not sure how to craft the ideal email campaign, we’re here to help. Schedule a no-cost, no-obligation call with us to watch your email ROI take off.