How Do You Know If Your Emails Are Going To Spam?

How Do You Know If Your Emails Are Going To Spam?

How Do You Know If Your Emails Are Going To Spam?

From discovering low open rates to receiving automated reactions, here are eight answers to the question, “What are a few important indicators that your emails are going to spam?”

  • Low Open Rates
  • High Bounce Rate
  • Inconsistent Sending Patterns
  • Blacklisting
  • Low Engagement Rate
  • Poor Sender Reputation
  • High Unsubscribe Rates
  • Receiving Automated Reactions

Low Open Rates

Low open rates can be a clear indicator that your emails are going to spam. When I notice that most of my recipients are not opening my emails, I usually wonder if my messages are even getting delivered to their inboxes.

It’s important to remember that spam filters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and they can easily flag your emails as spam if they contain certain trigger words, excessive use of capital letters, or come from an unverified sender. 

If I notice low open rates, I typically review the content of my emails and ensure that I am not using any spam-triggering words or phrases, and I also check if my email is properly authenticated to avoid being flagged as a spammer.

Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing and Outreach Manager, ePassportPhoto

High Bounce Rate

A higher bounce rate can be a solid indicator that one’s emails are going straight to the spam folder. Bouncing, of course, implies that the server itself rejected the emails because of their contents. 

When one server rejects emails as spam, it is highly likely that others will follow suit. Adjusting the content accordingly and following HTML best practices is a simple remedy for this ailment.

Max Schwartzapfel, CMO, Schwartzapfel Lawyers

Inconsistent Sending Patterns

Sending emails inconsistently could cause your emails to be marked as spam. Spam filters examine patterns in the frequency and timing of emails to assess whether they are real. If you suddenly start sending more emails than normal, or if you go for lengthy periods sending no emails, they may tag your emails as spam.

Max Whiteside, SEO and Content Lead, Breaking Muscle

Blacklisting

If your domain or IP address has been blacklisted by email providers, it signifies that recipients or email providers have identified your emails as spam. 

This can happen if your email practices violate the restrictions of your email provider or if you send emails to invalid email addresses. To resolve this issue, I believe that contacting your email provider to see why your domain or IP address was blacklisted and take corrective actions to enhance your email practices.

Rasa Bernotiene, SEO Specialist, No Win No Fee

Low Engagement Rate

You are sending enough emails to customers, yet the engagement rate is still so low. What could be the reason? It is possible that your emails are going to spam. A low engagement rate is a clear sign you need to work on your email strategy again. Spam filters can detect whether your recipients are engaging with your emails, and this is a common reason emails go to spam.

If recipients are not responding to your emails, they are more likely to be flagged as spam. When you receive low engagement from your email recipients, start working on content strategies to make emails more engaging and effective. This will help you increase the engagement rate.

You should stop sending emails to the same addresses that are not opening your emails after several tries. Take the help of some tools to easily find the reason behind email spam. This way, you can save time and leap from a low engagement rate to a high engagement rate.

Yogesh Kumar, Digital Marketing Manager, Technource

Poor Sender Reputation

I believe your sender reputation impacts whether your emails are labeled as spam. Your sender reputation is a score granted to you by email service providers that shows your sender reliability. 

If your reputation is bad, it might impair email delivery and cause it to be labeled as spam. Maintain a strong sender reputation by adhering to proper email practices, avoiding spamming activity, and cleaning your email list regularly to remove incorrect or inactive email addresses.

Matt Magnante, Director of Content and SEO, Fitness Volt

High Unsubscribe Rates

A clear sign that your emails are being spammed is a high rate of unsubscribes from your email list. This is especially true if you see more than average compared to what you typically expect. Typically, people flag intrusive messages as spam before eventually unsubscribing. 

So, if you’re noticing a sharp increase in your unsubscribe rate, it could indicate that your emails are ending up in the wrong places.

Karl Robinson, CEO, Logicata

Receiving Automated Reactions

Email providers’ automated answers, such as “undeliverable” or “blocked,” can indicate that your emails are not reaching the recipient’s mailbox. In my opinion, this is a clear sign that your emails are being routed to spam. To remedy this issue, contact your email provider to see why your emails are being blocked and take the necessary steps to enhance deliverability.

Adam Crossling, Head of Marketing, Zenzero

Fill in the Blank: Email Click-through Rates Can Be Improved by ___________.

Email Click-through Rates Can Be Improved by

From starting with a free offer to putting solutions front-and-center, here are 13 answers to the question, “Fill in the blank: Email click-through rates can be improved by ___________.”

  • Offering Something Free
  • Adding an Element of Play
  • Crafting Compelling Subject Lines
  • A/B Testing
  • Avoiding Spammy or Salesy Words 
  • Segmenting the Email List
  • Putting in an Infographic 
  • Personalizing the Content
  • Sending Fewer Emails
  • Testing and Adjusting Send Times 
  • Including Powerful Calls-to-Action
  • Using Emojis
  • Providing Value Through Solutions

Offering Something Free

You can improve your email click-through rate by offering something for free. For example, if you’re trying to sell a product online, you could give a free sample for people to try before purchasing. 

This way, you’re increasing your chances of them clicking through to your site to purchase. Offering something for free can help increase your click-through rate by making your emails more appealing to potential customers.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Paraphrase Tool

Adding an Element of Play

Get really creative and challenge your subscribers! Email gamification is a highly interactive way to increase your click-through rates. 

I’ve seen brands embrace games within emails by combining GIFs and landing pages to include “Spin the Wheel” games, or specially formatted “Where’s Wally?” style images with hidden objects to drive engagement. 

You can easily introduce occasional puzzles, mazes, or brain teasers. Ask subscribers to enter their answers in an email form or select a button to play.

Vicky Smith, Email Strategist and Copywriter, Flic Email

Crafting Compelling Subject Lines

Email click-through rates can be improved by crafting compelling subject lines. 

Well-crafted, specific, and concise subject lines have the power to grab your subscribers’ attention. It’s the first thing your subscribers see, and it can make or break their decision to read your email. 

Hence, a compelling subject line will stand out from the crowd and increase the chances of your email being opened.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

A/B Testing

A/B testing is a powerful tool that allows marketers to optimize their email campaigns. 

By testing different versions of an email, marketers can gain insights into what works and what doesn’t. This approach helps to identify the most effective elements of an email, such as subject lines, images, and calls-to-action. 

With this information, marketers can refine their emails to improve click-through rates and ultimately drive more conversions. 

A/B testing is a solid strategy for optimizing your click-through rates.

Jennifer Ayling, Content Marketer and Copywriter, The Mulberry Pen

Avoiding Spammy or Salesy Words 

Because of the huge number of emails received by prospects daily, your emails most likely won’t be opened. Creating urgency and excitement for the viewers should be the aim you’re striving for. Your subject line must be powerful enough to get recipients to open the email; that should be your priority.

As a rule, avoid using words such as “get,” “register,” and so on. The email algorithms and human minds are so well-versed in such words that they’ll either go into the spam box or just be ignored. A great hack I’ve been using lately is Mailmeteor’s spam checker, which checks and detects spammy words that might affect your deliverability.

Another point is, always make sure your CTA is highlighted and directed to the right landing page. Even if you’re not working on those creative branded emails, just make sure you use the right font and color schemes to grab attention. Testing regularly and retaining the ones that are working will turn your email campaigns into successes.

Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, Financer.com

Segmenting the Email List

Email click-through rates can be improved by segmenting the email list. The method refers to dividing the email subscribers into different groups based on specific criteria such as demographics (e.g., age, gender, location), behaviors (e.g., purchase or browsing history), interests (e.g., wish list), or actions (e.g., clicking on specific links, filling out a form). The underlying concept behind email segmentation is to deliver more targeted and personalized content to each group of subscribers, which can lead to increased engagement, open rates, and click-through rates.

Email segmentation involves tailoring the email content, design, and call-to-actions to each group. For instance, a company selling outdoor gear might segment its email list into hikers, campers, and rock climbers. The marketing team then crafts targeted emails with relevant products, tips, or promotions specific to each subgroup. Doing so increases the likelihood that subscribers will find the email content valuable.

Nina Paczka, Community Manager, Resume Now

Putting in an Infographic

Images are great—they draw the eye in and break up long paragraphs. But for click-through rates, I’ve found that infographics are even better. 

Studies have shown that the average customer only looks at an email for a single second. They’re scanning the contents, at best. By combining images with pertinent information, you’ll convey a concise message that they can quickly absorb, improving the odds that they’ll continue on to your site.

Remember though, to leave them wanting more, your infographic should hint at the conclusion, not reveal it. It’s about the tease and the chase.

Tim Walsh, Founder, Vetted

Personalizing the Content

One way to improve email click-through rates is to personalize the content to the recipient. By incorporating the recipient’s name, past purchase history, or other relevant details, the email feels more tailored to their interests and needs. This can lead to higher engagement and more click-throughs. 

For example, a digital marketing agency sent personalized emails to a client’s email list with customized product recommendations based on their past purchases. This resulted in a 35% increase in click-through rates compared to non-personalized emails.

Himanshu Sharma, CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing

Sending Fewer Emails

Email marketing is all about finding the right balance between content and frequency—a policy of more emails equaling more engagement simply doesn’t work here. 

When sending emails to a target audience, it’s essential to arrive at a frequency that does not overwhelm them because of high numbers. If they see too many emails from your brand, they’ll simply stop engaging or, worse, unsubscribe. The trick is to send fewer but more impactful emails that not only improve your click-through rates but also engage your audience without making them feel swamped.

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

Testing and Adjusting Send Times 

Testing and adjusting send times and frequencies can significantly improve email click-through rates (CTRs) by ensuring content reaches subscribers when they are most likely to engage. Optimal send times depend on factors like location, demographics, and habits; A/B testing and engagement metric analysis can help determine the best time to reach a specific audience.

Balancing email frequency is crucial: too many emails lead to subscriber fatigue, while too few result in missed opportunities. Monitoring metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates helps fine-tune frequency for maximum engagement.

Moreover, relevance and timeliness play a critical role in improving CTRs. Sending emails to coincide with relevant events or promotions creates urgency and boosts engagement. In summary, by optimizing send times, frequencies, and content relevance, marketers can significantly enhance email CTRs and foster stronger relationships with subscribers, improving CTR success.

Jorge Alberto Fuentes Zapata, Founder, Fuentes Zapata Co.

Including Powerful Calls-to-Action

Email click-through rates can be improved by seasoning your content with irresistible calls-to-action. Just like a delicious dish that entices people to take a bite, your emails should include captivating invitations that encourage readers to click and explore further.

Craft your calls-to-action to be clear, concise, and compelling, while ensuring they align with your email’s overall message. By sprinkling these tantalizing elements throughout your content, you’ll create a savory experience that leaves your audience hungry for more, ultimately boosting your click-through rates.

Robert Wolski, Co-founder, Halftone Digital

Using Emojis

Using emojis in email subject lines can improve click-through rates by adding visual interest and emotional appeal to the message. However, it’s important to use emojis sparingly and only when they align with the tone and content of the email. Testing different variations can help identify which emojis resonate with your audience and drive the most engagement.

Ben Lau, Founder, Featured 

Providing Value Through Solutions

When your email content provides valuable information and, more importantly, solutions to your audience, you can count on enhanced engagement. A good click-through rate is achieved by giving your subscribers enough reasons to click on those well-placed CTA buttons and taking that next step in building a beneficial relationship with your brand. 

One way to do this is to package your product or service as just the solution your subscribers were looking for. Whether it is a product tweak that ensures better quality or a service enhancement that reduces effort, it’s all about convincing your audience that what you have on offer is a problem-solver. This will eliminate any hesitation or doubt and give your subscriber a powerful reason for further engagement.

Wasim Kagzi, Director of Marketing and Development, MuscleLead

What Do You Put In The Subject Of An Email?

What Do You Put In The Subject Of An Email?

From putting the value front and center to using your sense of humor, here are 13 answers to the question, “What are the most effective things to put in an email subject line that inspire opening and action?”

  • Value
  • Numbers
  • Power Words
  • Personalization
  • “Alert”
  • Localization
  • A Question
  • Urgency
  • A Review Request
  • A Specific Call-to-Action (CTA)
  • Emojis
  • A Solution
  • Humor

Value

The subject line should convey the importance of the email to the recipient. The recipient should be able to understand why they should open the email. Employ phrases like “free,” “exclusive,” or “limited-time offer” to emphasize value. Providing value in the subject line can entice the recipient to take action and open the email.

Gerrid Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics

Numbers

I’ve tried it and it works great because using numbers in the subject line can catch the recipient’s attention and make the email stand out in their inbox. For example, “10 Strategies to Save Money” or “3 Sleep Tips.” In addition, using a number in the subject line can give the reader an idea of what to expect in the email.

Kenny Kline, President and Financial Lead, BarBend

Power Words

I believe that using strong words in the subject line can catch the recipient’s attention and make them more inclined to open the email. Power words elicit emotion and generate a sense of urgency or excitement.

“Discover,” “Proven,” “Limited,” “Breaking,” and “Secret” are examples of power words. When you use powerful words in the subject line, the recipient may feel as if they are missing out if they do not read the email.

Max Whiteside, SEO and Content Lead, Breaking Muscle

Personalization

We use a personalized subject line that includes the recipient’s name and a relevant topic. According to research, personalized subject lines can increase email open rates and engagement. 

By including the recipient’s name in the subject line, we can show that the email is personalized for them rather than a generic mass email. Including a relevant topic also helps pique the recipient’s interest and encourages them to open the email to learn more.

For instance, instead of using a generic subject line like “Important Update,” we use a personalized subject line like “John, Your Feedback on Our New Product Design,” which is more inspiring and more effective in encouraging opens and action. This subject line includes the recipient’s name and a relevant topic that they may be interested in.

Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com

“Alert”

Adding “alert” to your email subject creates a sense of urgency. This easily catches the recipient’s attention and makes them more inclined to open the email. It is also important to keep subject lines short and clear, and they should allow the recipient to know what they can expect and make them want to know the contents of the message.

Michelle Siy, Content Writer, Oliver Wicks

Localization

I believe that using localization in the subject line can make the email feel more relevant to the recipient. This can involve including the recipient’s city or state in the subject line, as well as terms relevant to the recipient’s area. 

For example, “Get Ready for Fall in New York City” or “The Best Tacos in Austin.” Localization can make the recipient feel as if the email is personalized to their interests, increasing the likelihood that they will open it.

Andrew Priobrazhenskyi, CEO and Director, Discount Reactor

A Question

I’ve found that one thing you can put in the subject of an email that inspires opens and action to be taken is a question.

I think people like to be asked questions because it makes them feel like their opinion matters and that they’re being listened to. It also gives them a chance to show off their knowledge or expertise, which can make them feel good about themselves. And of course, if they answer your question, they get the satisfaction of helping someone who might need it—and that feels good too!

Rengie Wisper, Marketing Manager, Check CPS

Urgency

Any specific phrase you may include to inspire action in an email subject should be concise and relevant to the topic at hand. Using a call-to-action such as “Act Now,” “Limited Time Offer,” or “Last Chance” can help motivate the reader to open the message and take the desired action. 

Word choice is an important factor when crafting an email subject because overly long, boring, or vague subjects may be overlooked by the reader. Furthermore, using words related to urgency, scarcity, or excitement can help capture the reader’s attention and motivate them to take action.

Victor Mathieux, Co-founder and CEO, Miracle Brand

A Review Request

Asking email recipients to leave a review is one surefire way to get more emails opened. People love sharing their opinions about things. For customers who just bought a product, the timing is perfect for them to share their honest feedback with others, for example. Providing a reward system, like points for a review, can further boost engagement too.

Alexandre Robicquet, Co-founder and CEO, Crossing Minds

A Specific Call-to-Action (CTA)

Using a call-to-action (CTA) that is obvious and specific to the reader’s needs or wants is one of the best subject lines for motivating action. Because it provides a clear CTA (joining the group) and speaks to the recipient’s desire to make a difference, a subject line like “Join our group and start making a difference today” can motivate action. 

Also, the use of terms like “today” conveys urgency and immediacy, which may inspire the recipient to act. An effective subject line should be brief, precise, and catered to the target audience. The advantages of taking action should be emphasized, and the next steps should be made obvious. You can improve your email’s chances of being opened, read, and responded to by doing this.

Dayna Carlin, Director of Marketing and Sales, NovoPath

Emojis

Emojis, when used appropriately, can be an easy win for boosting open rates. The aim of a subject line is always to grab the recipient’s attention, and even the most click-inducing copy can sometimes be overlooked. An emoji, on the other hand, instantly makes your email stand out, making it a lot more likely for your subject line to be acknowledged and allowing your copy the opportunity to encourage engagement. One especially effective use of emojis in subject lines is to consistently use one that is associated with your brand. 

Take Morning Brew, for example. This newsletter includes a coffee emoji at the start of every subject line. This emoji usage is obviously relevant, but as this is a frequent newsletter, it builds brand loyalty. The pitfall of emojis is, of course, over-usage, or using an irrelevant choice. Make sure you choose one that either relates to the content within the email or can be used consistently in line with your branding.

Joe Cowman, Head of SEO, FATJOE

A Solution

Everyone loves a solution to their problems, issues, needs, or wants, and if your email’s subject line promises this, you’re bound to open the email and act on it. This is the formula I invariably put to use, whether it’s my personal and professional emails or the email marketing campaigns I lead. 

With scores of emails making their way into people’s inboxes each day, the ones that directly offer a timely solution to a current problem invariably gain precedence over others. This email immediately conveys value and gives the receiver enough reason to click on it and learn more.

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

Humor

I believe that including humor in the subject line can help the email stand out in the recipient’s inbox. A subject line that makes the receiver grin or chuckle might form a favorable association with the sender and increase the likelihood that they will open subsequent emails. Yet, I believe it is critical to use humor sparingly so as not to insult the recipient.

Tiffany Hafler, Marketing Manager, FORTIS Medical Billing Professionals

Is It Legal to Buy Email Lists?

From damaging your reputation to violating rules for email marketers, here are eight answers to the question, “Is it legal to buy email lists?”

  • Results in Complaints and Unsubscribes
  • Legal but Not Ethical
  • Depends on Where and What You Do With It
  • Use Inbound Marketing Instead
  • It’s Not Worth the Risk
  • Nothing Good Will Come From It
  • Check Data Protection Laws First
  • Might Violate the Can-Spam Act

Results in Complaints and Unsubscribes 

In many countries, email marketing laws require that individuals have explicitly given their consent to receive emails from a company. This means that companies cannot simply purchase email lists from third-party providers and start sending emails to those addresses. 

Buying email lists can also result in a high number of complaints and unsubscribes, which can harm a company’s sender reputation and lead to email deliverability issues in the future. It’s important to note that email lists are often full of outdated or inaccurate email addresses, which can cause bounced emails and other delivery issues. 

Instead of buying email lists, companies should focus on building their own email list organically by offering valuable content and incentives for people to sign up for their email lists. This approach ensures that the individuals on the email list have given their explicit consent to receive emails and are more likely to be engaged with the company’s content and offers.

Mike Schmidt, Civil Trial Law Specialist, Personal Injury Trial Law Specialist, and Civil Trial Specialist, Schmidt & Clark

Legal but Not Ethical

Buying email lists is just a bad idea all around. While it’s not actually illegal to buy email lists, marketing to an audience that never consented to your emails allows them to take legal action. 

In fact, you’re likely to annoy people who never asked to hear from you in the first place, which can actually damage your reputation and turn people off from your business. 

Plus, these lists are often outdated or inaccurate, which means you’re wasting your time and money sending emails to people who may not even exist anymore.

Jess Rodley, Director of Operations, Dialed Labs

Depends on Where and What You Do With the Lists

Can you buy and sell email lists in the US? Sure, there isn’t any law prohibiting that. In the rest of the world, you run into significantly more issues because of GDPR, especially if you try to send marketing emails to the list that you’ve bought. 

That is super illegal and can land you in a lot of hot water. Overall, these days I would caution against buying email lists as they are largely more trouble than they’re worth unless you’re doing something rather niche only in a non-GDPR country.

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

Use Inbound Marketing Instead

If you’re asking, “Is it legal to buy email lists?” you’re asking the wrong question. What you’re really trying to get at is, “How can I grow my audience and connect with leads that will buy?” 

So, the answer there is to use inbound marketing. By sharing content with your audience, you can rank more highly in search engine listings and build a loyal audience who already knows who you are BEFORE you email them. So, they’re much more likely to respond instead of marking you as spam and moving on to the next email. Build your list, don’t buy your list.

Matthew Stibbe, CEO, Articulate Marketing

It’s not Worth the Risk

After spending years as a marketer, I’ve seen many people tempted by the ease of buying an email list. Yes, it is legal to do so; however, any gain from such a list is likely to be short-lived. 

Without solid proof of the validity and value of the list, most emails will end up in a person’s trash. From my experience, it’s always best to build your own email list from scratch using quality content and promotions and offer valuable information to potential customers—that’s when you’ll see actual progress with your email marketing campaigns.

Lorien Strydom, Executive Country Manager, Financer.com

Nothing Good Will Come From It

No, it is not legal to buy email lists, and it puts your business at risk. It can lead to spam complaints, loss of reputation, and even legal action. Not only is it illegal to buy email lists, but it’s also bad for your business. 

You risk sending out emails to people who haven’t given you permission and don’t want to hear from you. Instead of buying an email list, I’d suggest focusing on building your own. 

Use content marketing and social media to draw in people who are interested in what you offer and are more likely to engage with your brand.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Check Data Protection Laws First

In many countries, buying email lists is legal, but it is important to note that the legality of purchasing email lists can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the specific circumstances involved. 

Sometimes, the purchase of email lists may violate privacy and data protection laws, particularly if the individuals on the list have not given their consent for their personal information to be used for marketing. In addition, sending marketing emails to individuals who have not given their consent may also violate anti-spam laws.

Dan Johnson, Business Development and Sales Manager, Pearl Scan

Might Violate the Can-Spam Act

The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003, which is extremely comprehensive, offers email users protection and stipulates rules for email marketers in the United States. 

The CAN-SPAM Act imposes stringent restrictions on unwanted emails, although it does not outright forbid the purchase of email lists. You could incur fines of more than $43,000 for violations. Be aware that you can experience similar problems with the CASL Act and the GDPR if you send emails the same way in Canada or Europe.

Inga Broerman, VP of Marketing, BluLogix

What is the Ideal Length of an Email Subject Line?

From between 6 to 10 words to 7 words being the ‘sweet spot’, here are 12 answers to the question, “What is the ideal length of an email subject line?”

  • Between 6 to 10 Words
  • No More Than 9 Words 
  • As Long as It’s Not Cut Off
  • There is No Ideal Length
  • Use Emoji to Reduce Characters in Subject Line
  • It Needs to All Be Visible On Mobile Phones
  • 25-30 Characters
  • Short and Sweet
  • Conduct Split Testing to Determine Your Answer
  • Ask a Question and keep it Under 50 Characters 
  • Between 40-60 Characters
  • 7 Words is The Sweet Spot 

Between 6 to 10 Words

The ideal length of an email subject line is between 6 to 10 words, or about 50 characters. This length ensures that the subject line is short enough to be displayed fully on most devices, while still providing enough information for the recipient to understand the purpose of the email. 

Longer subject lines may be truncated, causing important information to be omitted, while shorter subject lines may lack sufficient detail to entice the recipient to open the email. The best subject lines are clear, concise, and to the point, and they should accurately reflect the content of the email.

Ilija Sekulov, Marketing and SEO, Mailbutler

No More Than 9 Words Or 60 Characters

The main goal with an email subject line is to make sure everything you want said is captured on the page, regardless of which view, browser, or device your targeted reader is using. If we’re looking at mobile email browsers in particular, 60 characters is the absolute maximum that will typically be visible before the rest of the content fades and users will need to make an extra click to read the rest. Going longer than that is a waste of effort, as it will not be read–the email will work or not based on the first visible segment.

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

As Long as It’s Not Cut Off

The most important thing is that the subject line doesn’t get cut off in the reader’s view of the unread email that shows up in their inbox. Luckily, you can send yourself a test email to see whether or not this happens. If your subject line is too long and the reader can only see some of it before they open the email, they may not even bother opening it.

Drew Sherman, Director of Marketing and Communications, RPM

There is No Ideal Length

Do things that others aren’t doing, whether that’s creating really short subject lines or really long ones–there’s value in a subject line that looks different from the many others in a person’s inbox. Don’t focus too much on the character count, but rather do whatever you feel will allow you to connect with your recipients.

There are no concrete rules in terms of subject line lengths that are the most ideal. If your subject lines are longer, include the most relevant parts at the beginning. Test varying lengths with your audience to get a better feel for what best resonates with them. In the meantime, focus more on offering value rather than the length of your email subject lines.

Dakota McDaniels, Chief Product Officer, Pluto

Use Emoji to Reduce Characters in Subject Line

The ideal length of an email subject line is typically 40-50 characters, and should accurately convey the content of the message. An uncommon example would be utilizing an emoticon to provide a simple yet effective representation of the contents. Using such emoji or symbol allows for a considerable reduction in character counts while still impacting readers on an emotional level.

Kate Duske, Editor in Chief, Escape Room Data

It Needs to All Be Visible On Mobile Phones

The ideal length of an email subject line is generally considered to be between 41-50 characters. This allows the subject line to be concise and to the point while still providing enough information to entice the recipient to open the email.

However, it’s important to note that the ideal length can vary depending on the audience and the content of the email. For example, a subject line for a promotional email might benefit from being shorter and more attention-grabbing, while a subject line for a newsletter might be more effective if it’s longer and more descriptive.

Ultimately, the most important factor is to ensure that the subject line accurately reflects the content of the email and encourages the recipient to take action. Lastly, there are some excellent tools out there allowing you to check how effective your subject line will be; my favorite is most definitely: SubjectLine.com, which scores your effectiveness out of 100 and works really well.

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

25-30 Characters

25-30 characters is ideal, because it caters to the growing number of people who open emails on mobile devices. Thus, if a sizable portion of your target audience is using mobile devices, then it is in all parties’ best interest if you use shorter subject lines. Otherwise, you run the risk of users seeing an abbreviated version of your subject line, which could automatically decrease their interest.

Andrew Chen, Chief Product Officer, Videeo

Short and Sweet

The sole purpose of an email subject line is to be straightforward and outline exactly what the email will entail. This doesn’t mean a description of exactly what the content includes, but more of a clue, question, or hint as to what the reader should expect. The language used should be attention-grabbing and be no more than 9 words long.

Annie Everill, Digital Marketing Executive, Imaginaire

Conduct Split Testing to Determine Your Answer

The answer to the question about email subject line length can vary wildly. Some studies have mentioned a 7-word subject line, while others cite a 1-5 word subject line.

It’s important to remember that each person and audience segment is different, so split testing is vital to determine your brand’s specific answer. For example, I tend to open emails with shorter subject lines. It might be because the email looks more personal, which is a big thing in our highly digitized world. It’s important to keep in mind who your audience is, what they want, and how they interact with your brand.

To determine the ideal length for your audience, try split testing different subject line lengths and tracking the engagement. This will give you valuable insights into what works best for your audience, allowing you to optimize your email campaigns for maximum impact.

Axel DeAngelis, Founder, Jumpcoast

Ask a Question and keep it Under 50 Characters 

A good rule of thumb is to keep subject lines under 50 characters and make sure you are including relevant information that catches readers’ attention or asking a question!

A business offering an online course could use a simple subject like “Grow Your Career with Our Online Course,” which is shorter than 50 characters but still conveys what the recipient can expect from opening the email.

On the other hand, longer subject lines can also work if done correctly. For instance, saying “Grow Your Career Now – Learn Industry-Leading Digital Marketing Skills in Our Online Course” gives a better idea of what they will find when they open the email.

My last sneaky tactic to make sure I get the email opened on cold outreach is to include a personal question in the title, such as “Hey Sarah, is this true?” That is a surefire way to make sure to get the email opened.

Stephanie Jenkins, Founder, Stephanie Jenkins Photo

Between 40-60 Characters

Take a look at your email inbox on your laptop or PC and make a note of the subject lines that quickly grab your attention. Now, do the same on your mobile. If the same emails catch your eye and have you convinced that they have indeed gotten the length of their subject line right, go ahead and count out the number of characters.

Let me cut it short for you – in all probability, the number of characters in these subject lines is between 40 and 60. This is the ideal length for two reasons. One, a subject line of this length is easily visible across devices, and secondly, this rule guides you into delivering the topic of your email in a quick and impactful manner.

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

7 Words is The Sweet Spot 

Most email service providers recommend a short subject line. To optimize your email subject line for mobile devices, a recommended subject line length would be no more than 9 words or 60 characters.

A study done by Marketo suggested that the sweet spot for subject lines is 41 characters or 7 words. Make sure the subject line is unique and catchy, and work in a personal name if possible.

Chris Brooks, Senior SEO Specialist, Vervini

What’s The Best Time to Send an Email on Friday?

From before lunch to around 9am – 11am, here are 8 answers to the question, “What’s the best time to send an email on Friday?”

  • It Depends on Your Audience
  • Send Your Email Before Lunch 
  • 8 pm Guarantees More People Can Access Your Message
  • After Lunch is Ideal for Non-urgent Communications
  • Send Your Emails at Midday On Friday
  • Late in the Day to Avoid Getting Forgotten 
  • Friday Afternoon is Ideal, but Don’t Delay Past 5 pm
  • The Best Time is Around 9 am to 11 am On Fridays

It Depends on YOUR Audience

There is no send time that works the same for every business. You have to test what works best for YOUR particular Audience. The subscribers of a coffee shop are going to be different than that of a law firm. Utilize A/B testing to test different Friday send times to see what gets the highest open rate. After 2-3 months of testing different times, you should be able to find a time that works best for your subscribers. 

Emily Ryan, Email Strategist & Co-founder, Westfield Creative

Send Your Email Before Lunch 

Due to the fact that Friday is the end of the week, the best time to send an email is in the morning before lunch. Fridays are a day on which many people leave work early or don’t check emails after lunch. Therefore, you probably stand a better chance of your email getting opened if it is sent in the morning. Additionally, if you’re going to send emails on Friday, it is a great idea to have a very catchy and compelling subject line to ensure it gets viewed.

Lori Manns, President, Quality Media Consultant Group LLC

8 pm Guarantees More People Can Access Your Message

8 p.m. on a Friday night may seem like an unorthodox time to send an email; however, it can be a great choice for many reasons. 8 p.m. on a Friday night is when most people are completing their work tasks for the week and preparing for relaxation.

When an email lands in their inbox at 8 p.m., it gives them the weekend to read and digest the content rather than having to deal with the message immediately after arrival. 8 p.m. also provides plenty of time for potential clients and colleagues who are in different parts of the world to check and respond to emails before Monday morning.

Sending an email at 8 p.m. on a Friday guarantees that more people have access to your message but still allows you time away from work to relax over the weekend.

Jim Campbell, Owner, Camp Media

After Lunch is Ideal for Non-urgent Communications

After lunch, people have more time to read and respond to emails that aren’t time-sensitive, so I recommend sending them then (1 p.m. – 2 p.m.). It is a perfect time to send out communications like newsletters, updates, and other forms of messages that do not require immediate action from the recipient.

Kyle Basett, Chief Operating Officer, Altitude Control

Send Your Emails at Midday On Friday

The optimal time to send emails on Friday at noon is when the recipients are most likely to be in a productive frame of mind and not yet thinking about the weekend. The likelihood that your email will be read and answered promptly is higher at this time of the week because people are typically wrapping up their workweek and still preoccupied with work-related responsibilities.

Natalia Grajcar, Co-founder, Natu.Care

Late in the Day to Avoid Getting Forgotten 

The best time to send an email on Friday is usually late in the day. This ensures that your message is fresh in the recipient’s mind and they will be more likely to read it. Additionally, late in the day gives people time to respond before the weekend. If you send it too early on Friday, your message may get buried in other emails or forgotten about altogether until Monday. 

Furthermore, sending an email late on Friday ensures that if there is a reply needed before the weekend, the recipient will have time to respond. It’s important to note that different industries and individuals may prefer different times for an email on Friday. It’s a good idea to test out different times of day and track which emails get the most responses in order to determine what works best for your particular audience.

Martin Seeley, CEO, Mattress Next Day

Friday Afternoon is Ideal, but Don’t Delay Past 5pm

It is generally best to send an email on a Friday before 5 p.m. This gives the recipient time to read the email, think about it, and reply without feeling rushed or overwhelmed with work on Monday morning. Sending emails early in the day may mean that other tasks are prioritized first and your message gets overlooked among other important emails. Emails sent later in the afternoon may get tucked away for review over the weekend when people don’t have as much free time to dedicate to their inboxes.

By sending an email earlier in the day, you can ensure that your message at least has a chance of being seen right away so that it can be addressed sooner rather than later. Additionally, sending emails closer to the end of business hours shows that you respect other people’s time and don’t expect them to go above and beyond after hours.

Jose Gomez, CTO and Founder, Evinex

The Best Time is Around 9 am to 11 am On Fridays

At our business, we do a ton of cold email outreach, and the data shows that the best time to send emails on a Friday is between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. While it’s hard to determine the reason for this, I personally think that it’s because most people start off their Friday with simple tasks (reviewing their emails), before diving into deep work and finally wrapping up their week.

Nick Zviadadze, Founder, MintSEO

7 Reasons Why Images Aren’t Showing in Your Emails

From bad resolutions to firewalls, here are seven answers to the question, “What are the most likely reasons why an image might not show up in an email?”

  • Poor Image Resolution
  • Older Versions of Outlook May Not Support Images
  • The Email Client Blocks the Image
  • Special Characters in the Image File Name
  • Using an Unsupported Image File
  • Gmail Does Not Support .SVG Files
  • Aggressive Firewall Settings

Poor Image Resolution

Image resolution is crucial for their display quality, especially if you use them in digital media such as websites, emails, and print materials. If you have scaled your picture and it is still larger than needed, the image might not show up in the email for exceeding the size limit of the file format you have used. 

For instance, GIF files only allow 8-Bit images, with a limitation of around 2,000 pixels in width and 1,000 pixels in height. Therefore, if you have chosen a larger image, it will not display in the email. However, PNG files have no size restriction, and JPGs can have up to 50 MB, so if you have used a PNG or JPG file, the image will definitely show up in the email.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

Older Versions of Outlook May Not Support Images

Many emails use background images, yet because there are several Microsoft Outlook versions that do not support this format, they may not show up in an e-mail. 

Microsoft has continuously updated its Outlook programs; however, there are some older versions that are still preferred by some businesses that have not been formatted for images. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose a background that mirrors the colors of the image that you wish to display. This will act as a fallback mechanism in case your image is not supported by the recipient’s Outlook program.

Matt Miller, CIO, Embroker

The Email Client Blocks the Image

Some email clients block images by default to protect users from potential security risks, such as malicious code that might be embedded in a snap. If the shot is blocked, it will not be displayed.

Blocking images in emails can help to prevent the spread of malware and other types of malicious software, as well as protect users’ privacy by preventing the tracking of their online activity. However, it can also be inconvenient for users who want to view images in emails, as they may have to manually unblock the images in order to see them.

Overall, the decision to block images in emails is a balance between security and convenience, and different email clients may have different policies

Lukasz Zelezny, SEO Consultant, SEO Consultant London

Special Characters in the Image File Name

If you are receiving error messages when uploading your image, it is likely that the file name contains special characters or has a name longer than the recommended characters limit. So, if you’re having issues with your photos and images not being uploaded to an email, try using a shorter, unique file name. 

For example, do not use numbers in the file name. If you are adding special characters or other symbols in the name that do not allow for an easy upload, avoid using them in the file name. Try changing the name to something shorter and simpler, or look for an image with a shorter file name.

Kartik Ahuja, CEO & Founder, GrowthScribe

Using an Unsupported Image File 

Some mailboxes may not support specific image file formats, such as TIFF or BMP. If the image file is not in a supported format, it will not display correctly in an email. 

To ensure that an image shows properly in an email, it’s essential to use a supported image file format, such as JPG or PNG. Email clients widely support these formats, and they’re optimized for web use, making them suitable for email. 

If you have been using other formats until now, it is worth changing this practice. You can use a free image editing tool such as GIMP or Adobe Photoshop to convert an image file to a supported format. Simply open the image file in the device, select “Save As” from the File menu, and choose a supported format from the list of options. 

By using a supported image file format and optimizing the file size, businesses can ensure that images display correctly in emails and improve the overall effectiveness of their email marketing campaigns or simple email communication.

Nina Paczka, Community Manager, LiveCareer

Gmail Does Not Support .SVG Files

Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to embed a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) image in a Gmail message. While Gmail does support attaching and displaying SVG image files as attachments, it does not provide a way to directly embed SVG images in the body of a message. When marketers design their emails, they should always use .png or .jpg images of their logo, as .svg images will not be shown.

Daniel Gjokaj, CEO, Tolt

Aggressive Firewall Settings

Firewall settings can affect whether images will show up in emails. More aggressive firewall settings, like those you might find organizations and businesses using, may be set up to actively block images from appearing in emails. If your emails are being sent out to someone who uses these settings or whose system administrator prefers powerful protections, there isn’t much you can do personally. 

The firewall settings will need to be changed by the administrator, or you’ll need to have your emails whitelisted as a safe source. If you’re making legitimate contact with another person or entity and this is a problem for you, reach out to the administrator personally in order to resolve this issue.
Max Ade, CEO, Pickleheads

What Are The Average Email Open Rates Among Various Industries?

From using data to personalize subject lines to writing helpful and value-rich content, here are the 11 answers to the question, “What is your average open rate for email marketing, and what led to your open rate being so high, or low?”

  • 18% – Personalize Your Emails
  • 28% – Segment Your Users by Buyer Stage
  • 40% – Understand the Where and the Why
  • 50% – Use Consistent Storytelling With Relevant Information
  • 30% – Write Content That Resonates
  • 40% – Focus on an Engaged Audience
  • 23% – Find the Right Tools
  • 40% – Test With A/B Campaigns
  • 22% – Regularly Purge Your Lists
  • 21% – Send Emails at Optimal Times
  • 48% – Craft Helpful and Value-Rich Content 

18% – Personalize Your Emails

We have a high open rate, at 18%, because of the subject line. It is short, clear, and concise, with a limited-time offer included. 

Our emails are also very personalized, as we use customer data to further specify the content. For example, if a customer has purchased an item before and returned it, we will acknowledge that in the email. This makes customers feel acknowledged and valued, which in turn increases the likelihood that they will open the email.

We also send emails based on the customer’s activity. By sending emails at the right time and with the right information, we have increased our open rate from 11% to 18%.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

28% –  Segment Your Users by Buyer Stage

Our email open rate over the last year is just over 28 percent. Compared to the industry average for marketing and advertising agencies, which is 22 percent, that is a high open rate. 

The reason we’ve seen these results is because of several factors. We A/B test all email sends with different subject lines, then choose the most effective options. We also updated our automated marketing emails so they are segmented by buyer interest and stage in the buyer journey. And, we use personalization to make emails more targeted as well. We avoid sending emails to disengaged contacts. 

As a business with a large audience, we send tens of thousands of emails every year, so it’s vital that everyone gets what they expect and are interested in seeing. These tactics ensure we don’t come across as spammy, as well as boosting our open rates.

Matthew Stibbe, CEO, Articulate Marketing

40% –  Understand the Where and the Why

I’ve seen less than a 15% open rate for small lists, and over 40% for very large lists with hundreds of thousands of contacts from all possible sources. 

The secret sauce is understanding the “where” (where did the leads come from?) and the “why” (why did they sign up?) of these contacts, segmenting them based on initial data and subsequent behaviors, and then going through the process of sparking desire and harvesting that desire with resonant story-telling.

Lots to unpack here:

1. Segment. Pop-up contacts will show lower CTR as compared to existing customers. Not knowing the baseline for metrics may lead you to deem campaigns successful or unsuccessful based on misleading averages.
2. Make sure you aren’t held back by Gmail. Send emails from your own domain, as opposed to the “shared reputation” of your ESP.
3. Understand & respect VoC data. Use it to create compelling offers supported by narratives your database recognizes as its own.

Trina Moitra, Head of Marketing, Convert.com

50% – Use Consistent Storytelling With Relevant Information

My average open rate for email marketing is between 45-50%. I consistently email my list each week with stories and relevant information designed to help them navigate their mid-career journey. 

My emails highlight their pain points, questions, and solutions that they are thinking about and talking with other colleagues, family, and friends. I’ve had my email list for over five years, and I consistently email them each week at the same time on a specific day. 

Being consistent has allowed me to earn my email community’s trust by having permission to be in their inbox each week.

John Neral, Owner, John Neral Coaching, LLC

30% – Write Content That Resonates

My average open rate for email marketing is 30%. These numbers have been achieved through personalized subject lines and content that resonates with the target audience. I also keep the emails concise, to the point, and relevant to ensure it captures attention quickly. In addition, we have optimized our send times to ensure maximum engagement from our subscribers.

It is important to remember that optimizing an open rate doesn’t always mean sending out more messages. Sometimes less frequent but higher-quality messaging will allow you to achieve better results with fewer messages sent overall—well-crafted drip campaigns often perform very well for businesses. 

To maximize your chances of achieving a high open rate each time you send out an email campaign, ensure you take advantage of A/B testing to determine which version works better with your particular audience and scenario.

Kate Wojewoda-Celinska, Marketing Manager, Spacelift

40% – Focus on Engaged Audience Members

Across the email marketing campaigns we run for various brands, the average open rate is around 40%. This is fairly high but we prefer to focus on the most engaged subscribers in an email list—the people who have really shown an interest in opening and clicking through previous email marketing campaigns.

We do this to improve email deliverability and increase the chances of landing in the primary inbox for every contact in our campaigns. We’ve seen good success with this more targeted approach across many different e-commerce markets.

If brands are wanting to experiment and increase average email open rates then a great starting point is to only email the people who have opened a campaign from you in the last 45 – 90 days. In most cases, this will improve open rates, and in time the overall deliverability across the entire email marketing program.

Ryan Turner, Founder, Ecommerce Intelligence

23% – Find the Right Tools 

My typical email open rate is 23%, and a lot of that is owed to the process of finding the right email addresses!

I have used and analyzed over 74 different tools, and in the end, I have narrowed my choice down to one tool that I rely on the most for finding the right email addresses and generating a long list of leads. It’s called Find That Lead, wherein you just have to put a company’s domain name and it generates a list of contacts from the company. 

You can also apply filters to separate out just the email, phone number, and address of CEOs, Founders, Managers, or other C-level executives. You can also use the tool for just verifying the email address of a person.

Kartik Ahuja, CEO & Founder, GrowthScribe

40% – Test With A/B Campaigns

We consistently see an email open rate of about 40%, which is about double the average for most businesses. We’ve achieved this largely through conducting A/B tests where we sent two different versions of subject lines, format, and copy to each half of the recipients. 

From there, we were able to measure which options performed best, and we fine-tuned our strategy. From there, our open rates really began to climb. Even with our open rate success, we still do frequent A/B/ tests because we don’t want our messaging to grow stagnant.

Annie Ricci, Sr. Manager of Digital Marketing, Prima

22% – Regularly Purge Your Lists

In terms of email marketing, my average open rate is 21.5%. Due to the fact that your audience connects with the subject lines we utilize, we have a higher open rate.

We also employ double opt-in. Double opt-in requires the user to confirm their desire to receive communications from your company (although this is not a requirement under GDPR). We don’t send emails to people who don’t care about them too much because if they did, they wouldn’t read them, which would decrease our open rates.

We request that our readers add us to their list of reliable contacts. We may improve the number of emails delivered by simply asking our readers to add the “from” email address to their contact lists

Then, we purge the emails on our list. Three consecutive unopened emails from a subscriber indicate that they may no longer be interested in receiving emails from us.

David Reid, Sales Director, VEM Tooling

21% – Send Emails at Optimal Times

Our average open rate tends to float around 21%, which is more or less in line with national averages for other small businesses our size. 

We have achieved this open rate by crafting engaging subject lines and providing content that is tailored to our customer’s interests and needs. Additionally, we make sure to only send emails at times when our customers are most likely to open them on their email platforms of choice. Having concise and relevantly tailored email content is the name of the game.

Ryan Delk, CEO, Primer

48% – Craft Helpful and Value-Rich Content 

The average open rate for my email marketing is 48%. I’ve cultivated an engaged list over the last four years offering high value or what I termed “irresistible freebies” to opt-in and then continuing to share tips and tricks on ways to make more money with their websites. 

Yes, email lists are there to sell your service, but in my opinion, it’s primarily to build that know-like and trust factor and to offer an immense amount of value.  And eventually, the subscriber may have a problem that you, as the service provider, can solve, and you’ll be right there in the inbox recommending a solution.

Jenny Belanger, CEO & Creative Director, JennyB Designs

What is a Good Email Click-Through Rate? 8 Experts Weigh In

From taking subscriber numbers into account to a standard 2-5% CTR, here are eight answers to the question, “What is a good email click-through rate?”

  • Adjust by Your Subscriber Count
  • Go for 7%
  • 5% Click Through Rate, Depending on Industry
  • Typically Considered to Be Around 3%
  • Usually Between 15% and 35%
  • Never Below 2%
  • 0.5% to 3%, Depending on Segmenting
  • Aim for a 2-5% 

Adjust by Your Subscriber Count

This depends on how big your subscriber list is. For instance, if you have a decent email click-through rate but your subscriber list is below 1,000, this is not necessarily a grand achievement. 

Try to get 1,000 or more subscribers first, and then you can accurately measure how successful your click-through rate is.

Maegan Griffin, Founder, CEO, & Nurse Practitioner, Skin Pharm

Go for 7%

A standard email click-through rate is 7%, so you should aim for that or higher, although most experts agree that even a 3-5% rate is good. 

You can increase your click-through rate by testing better subject lines and keeping your copy to a minimum. Don’t forget to list easy, social sharing options so more than your recipient sees your copy.

Baruch Labunski, CEO, Rank Secure

5% Click Through Rate, Depending on Industry

Typically, a good email click-through rate is around 5%, but this also depends on your industry. 

For example, nonprofits may have a higher industry click-through rate than brands in the tech or real estate industry. Thus, it’s best to optimize your emails, so that you hit the overall industry standard click through rate. 

Some things that affect click-through rates are the number of links in your email, call-to-action, and the length of the email. If your email is long and packed with a ton of links, it is harder for your audience to truly engage with it, and may be confused about what your overall message is.

Sacha Ferrandi, Founder & Principal, Source Capital

Typically Considered to Be Around 3%

We typically consider a good email click through rate to be around 3%.  This means that for every 100 emails you send out, three of your recipients will click through the links in your email. 

To improve your click-through rate, it is important to make sure that your emails are well-designed, properly formatted, and contain interesting content that encourages readers to click. 

Additionally, segmenting your email list into more relevant groups can help you target your emails more effectively and increase the likelihood of users clicking through.

Above all, it is important to test different subject lines, designs, and content to determine what resonates best with your audience. With a bit of trial and error, you should be able to find the perfect combination that will help boost your click-through rates.

Aviad Faruz, CEO, FARUZO

Usually Between 15% and 35%

With email marketing, the open rate is a very important indicator for campaigns. The open rate is obtained by dividing the total number of messages opened by the total number of messages delivered. This is why the goal of every email marketing campaign is to have a high open-rate percentage so that users are more likely to click through to the landing page. 

If you work with a large database, it is normal that the open rate is low. Although there is no average open rate, it is usually between 15% and 35%. 

However, there are certain strategies you can apply to increase this number. For example, the first mailings will have a high percentage of bounced emails, because of unsubscribed addresses, and misspelled, or full mailboxes. This will influence the open rate, but the purification of the database for subsequent mailings will increase the percentage.

Piergiorgio Zotti, Sr. SEO Specialist, Teacher, & Affiliate Marketer, Consulente SEO SEM

Never Below 2%

A good email click-through rate depends on the industry and is often used as an important performance metric. A higher click-through rate (CTR) shows that the content within the email was sufficiently engaging to entice readers to open it rather than discard it. 

Although CTRs will vary between types of businesses, those with higher success rates are typically between 2-5%. Anything higher than 5% or lower than 2%, depending on the industry, would indicate a campaign that is underperforming or outperforming expectations, respectively. 

Achieving a better click-through rate for emails depends on leveraging several strategies, including careful audience segmenting, personalized subject lines, and timely sending schedules.

Jim Campbell, CEO, Campbell Online Media

0.5% to 3%, Depending on Segmenting

A click-through rate (CTR) for email depends on several factors, including the content of the email, the nature of the offer, and the target audience. Generally‌, good email CTRs range from about 0.5% to 3%.

However, there are some exceptions. For example, if you’re targeting a very engaged group of subscribers who are likely to be interested in your offer, you may achieve a CTR as high as 10%. On the other hand, if you’re targeting less engaged subscribers or those who aren’t familiar with your brand, your CTR may be closer to 0.5%.

Kate Wojewoda-Celinska, Marketing Manager, Spacelift

Aim for a 2-5% 

A good email click-through rate can vary depending on the industry and the quality of the email campaign. However, a general benchmark for a good email click-through rate is around 2-5%.

If your click-through rate is higher than this, it may show that your email campaign is well-targeted and engaging. If it’s lower, it could mean that your emails are not relevant to your audience or that they are not effectively capturing the reader’s attention. 

To improve your click-through rate, you can try A/B testing different subject lines, calls to action, and email content to see what resonates best with your audience. You can also segment your email list to ensure that you are sending targeted, relevant messages to each group of subscribers.

Jason Moss, President & Co-Founder, Moss Technologies

Should Color And Design Be Used In Emails?

Should color and design be used in emails

From conducting A/B Tests with your email audiences to a chance of designs causing lower reply rates, here are the 11 answers to the question, “Should color and design be used in email campaigns?”

  • Build A/B Tests 
  • Brand Colors and Design Evoke A Sense of Relatability
  • Prioritize a Relationship With Your Audience
  • Give Your Message An Eye-catching Look
  • Keep Graphics to a Minimum
  • Maintain Campaign Consistency
  • Use Colors to Attract and Hold Readers’ Attention
  • Intelligent Use of Colors Will Make the Right Info Pop
  • White is the Only Color All Email Campaigns Should Have
  • Colors Help Grab Attention
  • Colors and Designed Emails Have Smaller Reply Rates

Build A/B Tests 

The only way that you can know what will jive best for your unique audience is by testing things. Choose an email marketing platform that allows you to build A/B tests. If your current email platform offers this, don’t be afraid to experiment with this feature, which will have a campaign monitor in place to reveal the winning strategy. Performing A/B tests has informed pretty much every part of my brand’s email marketing strategy. The insights we’ve gained are priceless.

Michael Green, Co-Founder, Winona

Brand Colors and Design Evoke A Sense of Relatability

Sending a simple email for communication only is different from running an email campaign for your product, service, etc. As a result of our own study, we performed A/B testing for email subject lines and found that emails with relevant emoticons had a 50% higher open rate than emails without.

A brand’s colors and design evoke emotions and a sense of relatability. Some brands, like Nike and Adidas, use templates with very little text in their email campaigns. The heart of effective marketing is color and design. Color accounts for between 62 and 90% of the impression your product creates. It is therefore necessary to have a cohesive brand message across all marketing channels. The right choice of colors and design makes a difference because they trigger associations.

At our company, we have run a ton of email campaigns with and without the color and design element and I can confidently say that color and design performs way better than text-only emails.

Simon Dayne, Sales Associate, Designitic

Prioritize a Relationship With Your Audience

Marketing is changing fast. It’s harder and harder to break through the noise. The more you can establish a real relationship with your audience the better – and it’s easier to do that with a simple email than with an overly designed “newsletter”.

Because of this, we have seen great results when moving brands from an overly designed newsletter template to a simple email from the business owners.

Ultimately, whether you use color and design in your email campaigns will depend on your audience’s expectations. So experiment, and see what works for your business.

Frank Prendergast, Brand Strategist, Frank and Marci

Give Your Message An Eye-catching Look

Regarding email campaigns, color and design make a big difference. Not only do they help draw attention to your email, but they can also be used to convey the main message. Color can help add interest and emotion to an email that might otherwise seem dull or boring. Design elements like fonts and graphics can help further emphasize the message and give it an eye-catching look.

However, there are also some negatives to consider. If the colors and design elements are too bright or loud, it can distract readers and take away from the message. On the other hand, if the design is too basic or plain, it may not be enough to grab people’s attention. It is important to strike a good balance between eye-catching and appropriate when it comes to email campaign design.

Color and design can effectively make email campaigns more engaging and impactful. Used properly, they can create an email that is visually appealing and conveys the email’s main message in a clear and concise way.

Natalia Grajcar, Co-Founder, Natu.Care

Keep Graphics to a Minimum

Logos ought to be used in an email. Think of it as email stationery. Putting that banner or that logo at the top of an email and at the bottom where you state your name and company information is the very least you can do. In fact, if that’s all you do, that’s perfectly fine.

Try not to go overboard with color and graphics. Try not to use interactive emojis or memes or an overabundance of videos and photos to grab the email recipient’s attention. Too much of that can actually look unprofessional – or worse, desperate.

Less is more. Do just enough that it isn’t too bland, but err on the side of restraint. That’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to email marketing. You want to give off the impression that you’re a reputable, authoritative brand. You won’t achieve that if your emails are too reliant on visual gimmicks.

Emily Saunders, Chief Revenue Officer, eLuxury

Maintain Campaign Consistency

Color and design should certainly be used in email campaigns in order to be more aesthetically pleasing and attractive to your customers. However, use color and design according to your brand style and aesthetic to ensure consistency across your marketing efforts. Your email campaigns, social media, website, blog, etc., should all use similar colors and designs to maintain this consistency.

Nabiha Akhtar, CEO/Founder, Lil Deenies

Use Colors to Attract and Hold Readers’ Attention

The impact of colors has been a topic of academic research for decades. Color and design can be powerful when used in email campaigns, as they can help evoke certain emotions in recipients and encourage them to take action.

A study found that color can attract and hold readers’ attention. With the right color, an email campaign can drive more engagement, generate more leads and help the brand stand out from competitors. However, it’s important to remember that color should be used judiciously not to distract readers from the message. Too much color can be overwhelming and less effective.

Burak Özdemir, Founder, Online Alarm Kur

Intelligent Use of Colors Will Make the Right Info Pop

Using colors is a great idea to help make your emails pop, but selecting muted and complimentary colors is essential in creating balance and harmony within the visual aesthetic of your email. Using too many bright, contrasting colors can make it difficult to read and can diminish the effectiveness of your campaign. Additionally, if you are not careful with the color scheme you choose, it can come off as amateurish and unprofessional. All in all, color is a great way to add visual appeal to your emails when done in good taste.

Ryan Delk, CEO, Primer

White is The Only Color All Email Campaigns Should Have

The colors you use in your email campaign will depend on the demographics and interests of your audience. An email campaign marketed to a 40-year-old woman will be different than that of an 18-year-old male.

The one color that all emails will need is white. Why? Because it is easy to read. Putting black fonts on a white background or white fonts on any color background is what you need for people to read your content without straining their eyes.

Jason Vaught, Director of Content, SmashBrand

Colors Help Grab Attention

If your goal is to create an email campaign that stands out and gets noticed, then incorporating color and design is a must. People are bombarded with emails every day, so it’s essential to make yours stand out in their inboxes.

Adding a pop of color or an eye-catching design will help grab attention and ensure your message is seen. However, using color and design sparingly is important, as too much can be overwhelming and actually turn people off. When used sparingly and thoughtfully, color and design can be powerful tools for creating an email campaign that gets results.

Tom Hamilton-Stubber, Managing Director, Tutor Cruncher

Colored and Designed Emails Have Smaller Reply Rates

In my experience both colored and designed nurturing emails have a much smaller reply rate. Nowadays people are getting a bit tired of their mailboxes full of automated emails and appreciate personal communication. The reason for not using email templates with colors and designs is to make an automated nurturing email mimic an email from a real person.

Andrei Iunisov, Digital marketing expert, Iunisov.com

Adding a Button In An Image + Text Block in Mailchimp

How To Code a Button Into an Image Text Block In Mailchimp

There are some things that the Classic Builder in Mailchimp cannot do and this is one of them. When you use the Drag N Drop Builder to pull in an “Image + Text” block, there is no option to have a clickable button within that same block.

Well, this little html code does the trick. What’s cool is that you can edit the HEX code in here to create the exact type of button you’d like.

First, when you’re in your text block, you will want to click this button <> and paste the code Into this.

Insert code button Mailchimp

 

You should plan to edit the coding some below to whatever you need for your button. Make sure you update the link in the coding below to your own link and you can also change the “Learn More” text too.

Simply copy and paste this coding below into your text block:

 

<table align=”center” border=”0″ cellpadding=”0″ cellspacing=”0″ class=”mcnButtonContentContainer” style=”border-collapse: separate !important; border-radius: 0px; background-color:#2A2A2A;”>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td align=”center” class=”mcnButtonContent” style=”font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; padding: 20px;” valign=”middle”><a class=”mcnButton ” href=”YOUR LINK WILL GO HERE” style=”font-weight: bold; letter-spacing:2px; line-height: 100%; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color:white;” target=”_blank” title=”Learn More”>LEARN MORE</a></td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

 

That’s it! Have fun coding in this button! 🙂

Learn More

10 Best Practices To Write The Perfect Email Subject Line

10 Best Practices To Write The Perfect Email Subject Line

What is your top tip for creating engaging subject lines for email content?


To help you create engaging subject lines for your email content, we asked marketing experts and business leaders this question for their best tips. From appealing to consumers’ desires not to miss out to highlighting a solution with the subject line, there are several ideas that you may adopt as best practices to help perfect your email subject lines.


Here are 10 best practices to write the perfect email subject line:

  • Appeal To Consumers’ Desires Not To Miss Out
  • Ensure The Subject Line is Under 50 Characters Long
  • Make The Subject Line Bold and Daring
  • Create Action-Oriented Subject Lines
  • Add Numbers To Grab the Attention
  • Use Emojis To Help Your Email Stand Out
  • Avoid Anything Spammy
  • Entice Readers With Actionable Subject Lines
  • A/B-Test and Iterate on Your Subject Lines for Mastery
  • Highlight a Solution With The Subject Line

Appeal To Consumers’ Desires Not To Miss Out

By appealing to consumers’ desires not to miss out, you can create engaging subject lines for your email content. Use words and phrases like “Limited time,” “going fast, “while supplies last,” and “limited quantities.” Put these words and phrases in your subject lines. You’ll boost your Click-Through Rates.

Janice Wald, Mostly Blogging

Ensure The Subject Line is Under 50 Characters Long

Because most consumers read emails on mobile devices, try to utilize shorter email subject lines. In mobile view, longer lines aren’t as effective. You won’t be able to pique your readers’ interest in your product or services if you can’t keep their attention for at least a few seconds after they read the subject line of your email. Ensure the subject line is under 50 characters long. Make sure you choose terminology that is easy to understand.

Axel Hernborg, Tripplo.com

Make The Subject Line Bold and Daring

Be bold and concise. Email subject lines need to grab the reader immediately while also being clear about the content you are delivering. Standing out is half the battle, but even a bold subject line needs to be relevant to your content. Boil down the essence of your email in a way that your target audience will understand and be drawn to. Don’t be afraid to stand out, and use the clearest words to inform them what they are opening.

Michael Ayjian, 7 Wonders

Create Action-Oriented Subject Lines

The most engaging email subject lines are action-oriented. Email is a quick and convenient way to receive information, but it doesn’t offer users many ways to engage with your content. Therefore, you should use a subject line that urges readers to click through and read your email, rather than offering a quick one-liner that gives them a basic overview of its content. Email is a more intimate form of communication than social media. Therefore, you should use a subject line that reflects your personal connection with readers, rather than a generic statement about the topic of your email.

Farhan Advani, BHPH

Add Numbers To Grab Attention

Saying ‘discounts on products’ and ‘discounts on 100+ products’ has a vast difference. While discount on products is just telling that you’re offering discounts, you’re not giving any data on how many products, how much discount, the offer is valid for how many days etc. On the contrary, saying discounts on 100+ products seem more attractive because the recipient knows they have 100 products to choose from.

Adding numbers is a must if you want to increase the open rate. It makes the subject line much more informative and gives data, and customers love that. But make sure you’re not overdoing it. Adding one number whether it be days, discount percentage, a number of services etc. is great. Adding two to three looks too cluttered which can also make the audience overwhelmed.

Isaac Robertson, Total Shape

Use Emojis To Help Your Email Stand Out

Using emojis in your email subject lines can be effective in grabbing the attention of your recipient and increasing your email open rates in an age of overfull inboxes. Emojis can also imply friendliness or playfulness which can help to improve audience engagement.
Plus, one emoji is worth a thousand words. Well, maybe not quite a thousand but they can help convey a theme or emotion when subject line space is at a premium.
But, be careful, as overuse of emojis can seem spammy or childish. Try to stick to a maximum of 1 emoji where possible.

Josh Smith, Roll To

Avoid Anything Spammy

Get rid of anything spammy. People have developed an amazing radar for sales copy, and they know now better than ever when you are trying to sell them something.
Common phrases and words like “special offer” won’t work anymore. There are many online lists of words that are now considered spam. Before writing any part of your email, make sure you are not using any of the words listed there.

Soji James, 1AND1 Life

Entice Readers With Actionable Subject Lines

Actionable subject lines create the desire to click open. Without this the email is a failure. With so many a day coming in, make yours stand out by being attention-grabbing and fun or dramatic. “We Need 20 Volunteers THIS Saturday!” or “Make Your Weekend Memorable”  is more likely to get a click than “Volunteering.” Grab your reader’s attention with an engaging subject line that has a call to action.

Amy Keller, Climate Candy

A/B-Test and Iterate on Your Subject Lines for Mastery

Constantly A/B test and iterate on your subject lines.  Once a campaign has run for a few weeks, drop the lower-performing subject line, and test a new one. Over time, the most engaging subject lines will emerge.

Paul Chesterman, EthOS

Highlight a Solution With The Subject Line

When you are selling a product or service and highlight a solution that will make the life of the customer easier, you trigger the curiosity of the customer and increase the chances of them opening the email. And this solution that you’re offering to the customer is something you should highlight not just in the subject line but elaborate on throughout the body of the email too. This way, while the subject line acts as the hook that engages the customer, the content you include in the email and the CTA will justify what you offered and enable the customer to take the next step.

Dillon Hammond, Achieve TMS East


Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.

10 Ways To Measure Success of Your Email Marketing Campaign

10 Ways To Measure Success of Your Email Marketing Campaign

What is the most effective way to measure the success of an email marketing campaign?


To help you best measure the success of your email marketing campaigns, we asked marketing professionals and business leaders this question for their best insights. From using the open rate to tracking how many subscribers reach your predefined goal, there are several ways you may adopt to effectively gauge the level of success your email marketing campaigns.


Here are 10 ways to measure the success of an email marketing campaign:

  • Use The Open Rate
  • Check The Average Click-through Rate
  • Consider The Spam Complaints and Forwarding Rates
  • Look at The Email Conversion Rates
  • Use The Outcomes of A/B Testing
  • Gauge Interest Levels by Unsubscribe Rates
  • Analyze Your Return On Investment
  • Track The Number of People Who Visit Your Website
  • Use The Bounce Rate
  • Track How Many Subscribers Reach Your Predefined Goal

Use The Open Rate

It’s my view that this is the best way to gauge the performance of an email marketing campaign because open rate is the most common metric to look at after running a campaign. Open rate is a metric that measures the percentage of your email recipients who clicked on the link in your message.

There are a lot of variables that go into what constitutes a “good open rate,” such as the industry and the quality of the email list. 18 percent is the average open rate forecast for 2021, according to Campaign Monitor’s recent benchmarks. However, open rates can be influenced by factors such as the sender’s name or subject line.

Gerrid Smith, Fortis Medical Billing

Check The Average Click-Through Rate (CTR)

This is, in my opinion, the most effective way to gauge the performance of an email marketing campaign, as the click-through rate (CTR), which measures the proportion of recipients who clicked on a link within your email, is widely used.

To get a high click-through rate, consider the industry, the topic of the material, the amount of links and calls to action just like you would with open rates. Similarly, a survey by Campaign Monitor found that last year’s average click-through rate was 2.6 per cent. Email campaigns that urge users to visit your website, such as a blog post or an online shop, necessitate a high click-through rate (CTR).

Edward Mellett, Wikijob

Consider The Spam Complaints and Forwarding Rates

Since there are so many possible activities recipients might do after receiving an email campaign, this is my preferred method of measuring its success. Keep an eye on a few of these to see if there are any abrupt spikes or trends. These activities include spam complaints, which measure how many individuals have reported your email as spam in their mail provider. Keep a watch on these metrics, even if you don’t expect any of your email campaigns to be flagged as spam.

You never know when a particular campaign or subject line can cause an increase in spam complaints. The forward rate is a metric indicating how many individuals forwarded or shared your email campaign with a recipient after they received it. By keeping an eye on this measure, you can determine whether or not a piece of content or a particular campaign has struck a chord with your audience and been forwarded to friends, family, or coworkers.

Sumit Bansal, TrumpExcel

Look at The Email Conversion Rates

Take a look at your email conversion rates. This is a great measure of a campaign’s success because it’ll let you know if your audience is interested in what you’re offering and how you’re offering it, but it will also provide some insight as to how your audience prefers to engage. For example, is your audience most likely to fill out a form for more information, or go straight to making a purchase? These considerations are crucial in measuring your email marketing campaigns and in determining what works best for your brand and product/service.

To determine your email conversion rate, divide the total number of completed actions by the total number of emails delivered, and then just multiply by 100! Track this metric, adjust your strategy accordingly, and watch your email marketing campaigns gain more traction over time.

Gigi Ji, KOKOLU

Use The Outcomes of A/B Testing

I believe this is the best way to measure the performance of an email marketing campaign since A/B testing or split testing is an excellent way to test certain components of your email campaign by sending two different versions of an email and comparing the results.

Sending the same email with two different subject lines or the same subject lines but with a different call-to-action (CTA) button works well when only one part of a campaign is being evaluated. With split testing an email campaign, you’ll have access to stats that you can compare directly against each other. Open rates for a specific subject line, for instance, might go up, but click-through rates for a specific CTA button might go up.

Kenny Kline, BarBend

Gauge Interest Levels by Unsubscribe Rates

As a consultant, my main method of measuring success for my email marketing campaigns is by monitoring unsubscribe rates in the 24 hours following a newsletter being sent. This is important for me because I’m speaking directly to a specific SEO audience of like-minded consultants and SEO’s, so unsubscribe rates keep me largely in check by outlining a direct correlation between whether the content is being seen positively or negatively by its target audience.

James Taylor, James Taylor SEO Consultancy

Analyze Your Return On Investment (ROI)

To measure the effectiveness of an email marketing campaign, analyze your return from investment (ROI). The profit (or loss) will tell you a lot about the efficiency and profitability of your actions and allow you to plan the next steps. So take a look at gained value and spend value and make calculations.

The basic formula for determining return is: ROI (%) = (Gained Value – Spent Value) / (Spent Value).

However, various online ROI calculators make your life easier. Depending on the score, you see what results your campaign is getting. Executing email marketing campaigns without knowing which strategy is profitable and which is not won’t make your actions successful. ROI is there to tell you whether campaigns generate revenue or deplete the budget.

Nina Paczka, MyPerfectResume

Track The Number of People Who Visit Your Website

This, in my opinion, is the best approach to gauge the performance of an email marketing campaign since it allows you to see exactly what percentage of your total website traffic is a result of your email campaigns. This measure must first be set up in your tracking platform before it can be accessed. All traffic that comes from email will be categorized as “direct” in Google Analytics (unless you help Google tell the difference between email traffic and direct traffic).

Max Whiteside, Breaking Muscle

Use The Bounce Rate

For me, this is the best method for measuring the performance of an email marketing campaign because if you want to analyze your emails’ ability to set goals, focus on the bounce rate of the landing pages connected to your emails. Bounce rates are a measure of how many emails you send but don’t receive any response from your intended audience. Soft bounces and harsh bounces are two different types of bounce rates.

The first can be caused by a fault with the recipient’s server or an overflowing mailbox. Emails can be resent in these situations, but it’s possible that the recipient will receive them after the issue is resolved on their end. A hard bounce occurs when an email is sent to an address that doesn’t exist, is closed, or is otherwise inactive. If you have a high number of hard bounces, your company may be perceived by internet service providers as a spammer.

David Janssen, VPNOverview

Track How Many Subscribers Reach Your Predefined Goal

Each email marketing campaign can have different objectives.
For example, an eCommerce sales email will want a goal around actual product sales. An email newsletter for a B2B company could simply be the amount of subscribers who clicked through to their website.

In some cases, organizations may focus on a vanity metric like open rates as well. Often this is misdirected, however if your email campaign is purely for branding then perhaps this would be a goal in itself.

Miles Burke, Australian Software Guide

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing

The Do's and Don'ts of Email Marketing

What is the most common mistake brands make with their email marketing campaigns?


To help you identify common mistakes with email marketing campaigns, we asked marketing professionals and business leaders this question for their best advice. From not ignoring email personalization and data to including a strong call-to-action, there are several do’s and don’ts that may help you conduct effective email marketing campaigns for your business.


Here are 12 do’s and don’ts of email marketing:

  • Don’t Ignore Email Personalization and Data
  • Make Emails Natural and Avoid Branding
  • Don’t Neglect Mobile Users
  • Allow Users Control Over Their Subscriptions
  • Avoid Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
  • Don’t be Desperate for Engagement
  • Test Your Email Content for Effectiveness
  • Avoid Obnoxious Subject Lines
  • Do Not Use Black Hat Techniques
  • Make Your Emails Load Fast
  • Don’t Leave Out The Value When You Email
  • Include a Strong Call-To-Action

Don’t Ignore Email Personalization and Data

The most common mistake brands make with their email marketing campaigns is that they do not work on email personalization and don’t rely on data when setting up email campaigns. This results in low open rates, high unsubscribe rates, and high spam complaint rates. To avoid making this mistake, brands should focus on email personalization and use data to segment their email lists. This will help them send more relevant and targeted emails that are more likely to be opened and clicked on. Additionally, brands should also use data to track the performance of their email campaigns so they can continually optimize and improve them.

Iryna Kutnyak, Quoleady

Make Emails Natural and Avoid Excessive Branding 

The first step for a successful email campaign is that people open your email. Second, people need to start reading your content. This sounds easy, but in reality, companies fail on precisely these two steps. Why? Because the email is recognized as an advertisement right away. Email is the one channel where the brand does not help. 

People read emails from people. We consider emails from a company (especially if we do not know them well) as spammy. Therefore, do not brand your emails. Do not use HTML markups too much. Do not try to deliver a shiny brand experience. Instead, mimic how a natural person would write. Just plain text and probably an image. Keep it short. Do not include multiple topics. Just send out the one fact you want to convey without much background noise. People will appreciate reading information. Not an advert.

Stephan Wenger, B2B Marketing World

Don’t Neglect Mobile Users

One common mistake brands make with their email marketing campaigns is neglecting mobile users. If someone cannot read an email at a glance, they will likely simply not read it period. Having messy or warped content anywhere in the preview can put people off from reading an email out of fear it is spam or malware too. Always remember that text, graphics, etc. look different on a computer screen, versus a phone screen.

Tony Chan, CloudForecast

Allow Users Control Over Their Subscriptions

One of the worst email marketing mistakes your company can make is limiting the control users have over their settings. Let your users manage their subscriptions and give them the chance to choose the type of content they want to receive. Not assuming that all of your customers want to sign up for all your emails or newsletters shows them that you care about their preferences and helps you keep them interested. Your customers should feel excited when they get one of your emails, not annoyed.

John Cheng, Baotris

Avoid Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

Simple spelling and grammar mistakes. I just don’t trust a brand when they send me marketing emails and I catch easy spelling and grammatical errors. The company loses my trust immediately because it shows me they don’t respect their customers. If a company can’t put the time and effort into doing a simple spelling and grammar check, why should I expect them to put time and effort into their product, or customer satisfaction? If a company doesn’t respect their customers, why should customers respect them?

Karim Hachem, Sunshine79

Don’t be Desperate for Engagement

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a furniture store and a salesman rushes you before you’ve even had a chance to get your bearings? Don’t be that. There are few bigger turn-offs to email list subscribers than being bombarded with front loaded content. Lambasting consumers with emails right after they sign up for your email listing are surefire ways to get labeled as spam in their minds. And we all know where spam goes. Don’t be desperate for engagement. Design your email flow to be conscious of your readers’ time and personal agency. It’s always better to have one email over a six that got tossed in the trash bin.

Alex Chavarry, Cool Links

Test Your Email Content for Effectiveness

We see many brands fail to test how effective their content converts their users. Use split testing methods to make sure the emails you send to generate leads or convert sales are using effective content to do so. Each target audience reacts differently to branded content. The best way for your business to know what they’re using as marketing content is effective is to test the content against other variations until they have optimal results. When you don’t test your content, you make a shot in the dark. To get the best ROI for your business, invest in strategic marketing testing to ensure your business can do what it’s made to do.

Kevin Miller, kevinmiller.com

Avoid Obnoxious Subject Lines

Obnoxious subject lines will deflate any email marketing campaign. Even the best products and promotions don’t stand a chance with consumers if the marketing campaign does not get its foot in the door. Annoying subject lines will get that door shut in an instance. Effective subject lines should peak the curiosity of the target audience and avoid utilizing a salesy tone. Consumers do not want to be sold over email. Email sales pitches equal spam in their mind. A true value add that is visible from the subject will grab the attention of customers. Every effective marketer should also consider testing subject lines in order to see what resonates with their customer base.

Katy Carrigan, Goody

Do Not Use Black Hat Techniques

When talking about email marketing campaigns, most mistakes fall within the category of black hat techniques for improving visibility online. One common mistake that we have experienced is adding people to newsletters that they haven’t signed up for, as well as buying subscribers. These practices might seem like they increase the reach at first glance, but can be very dangerous and harm the authenticity and legitimacy of your email marketing campaigns. This is so due to the fact that as a result of this practice, your emails will be sent to the “spam” folder, and consequently place the connection between your brand and the spam folder for the people that receive those emails. Make sure you avoid that, and only use white hat techniques to improve web traffic and brand visibility, as there are many ways to promote a successful email campaign.

Marco Genaro Palma, Genaro Palma

Make Your Emails Load Fast

If you’re sending an email to a customer or potential customer, make it a priority to create one that loads within two seconds or less of clicking. If a customer has decided to open your email, you only have seconds to make an impression. This shouldn’t mean that you stuff your email with heavy visual content like stock images and videos to a point where it affects the loading speed., set a cap on the number of images used and compress the media as much as possible to get the best of both – a shorter load time and an attractive email. Furthermore, you can consider using impactful content that grabs and keeps the attention of the recipient instead.

Igal Rubinshtein, Home Essentials Direct

Don’t Leave Out The Value When You Email

Marketing campaigns often include promotions that are content-rich, as we wish to entice our target audience by offering value, but somehow, many businesses make the mistake of removing that element in their email marketing efforts. It is important to understand that your business has more than products to offer your customers, it has knowledge and expertise. By designing your email to offer value, whether it is answering questions, providing the latest industry information, or offering helpful tips, you will motivate your customers to open your email. Neglecting to do this, and limiting them solely to advertisement status, will have your quickly losing interest, and you will see your open rates decline, as well as your subscribers.

Anthony Puopolo, Rex MD

Include a Strong Call-To-Action

Many brands neglect to include a strong Call to Action in their email marketing campaigns. One of the necessary components of driving good conversions through email marketing is including a colorful, ‘loud’ request to users to progress through the sales funnel. The best CTA’s pop out from an email, usually in blue, red, or orange, to get users’ attention about a product’s value. When the next steps to buying or browsing a product get lost in the content of a marketing email, businesses lose out on conversions due to expecting users to work harder than they likely will. 

The key to driving the best conversions is to use obvious CTA’s that make progressing through the sales funnel as easy as possible for users. Focus on your emails’ visual appeal and plant strategic CTA’s that grab users’ attention.

Shawn Munoz, Pure Relief

Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.