7 Things You Didn’t Know Email Marketing Automation Could Do for You

7 Things You Didn’t Know Email Marketing Automation Could Do for You

7 Things You Didn’t Know Email Marketing Automation Could Do for You

To shed light on the unexpected benefits of email marketing automation, we’ve gathered insights from seven industry professionals, including CEOs and Digital Marketing Managers. From the enhancement of communication through sentiment analysis to the improvement of conversions with a “warm leads” list, discover the surprising capabilities of email marketing automation.

  • Effective Tagging Helps Segment Subscribers
  • Sentiment Analysis Enhances Communication
  • Personalization Boosts Engagement and Conversions
  • Monitoring Customer Preferences Increases Sales
  • Reminders Reduce Cart Abandonment
  • Cross-Selling Campaigns Skyrocket Profits
  • “Warm Leads” List Improves Conversions

Effective Tagging Helps Segment Subscribers

I discovered how to use “tags” to exclude some subscribers from certain messaging, which made my email campaigns much more effective and easier to keep track of. Before implementing tags, there were a few times where I sent new subscribers random broadcasts that weren’t very relevant to them, likely resulting in a few unsubscribes.

Now, I automatejust tagging subscribers after they’ve completed the welcome sequence, and I only send new broadcasts to the segment of people who’ve completed the entire sequence. I understand the annoyance of receiving too many emails from the same sender, especially with no real context, so I was pleased to see how easy it was to set up the automation.

Chloe BrittainChloe Brittain
Creator, Monday Roadmap


Sentiment Analysis Enhances Communication

Adding sentiment analysis to our email marketing and editing tools has enhanced our interaction with our audience. It helps us understand the nuances of their responses to better tailor the follow-up messages. In this way, we do our part in bridging the gap between automated efficiency and mindful communication, and elevate our members’ online experience.

Nataly Abousaleh, Marketing Manager


Personalization Boosts Engagement and Conversions

One aspect of email marketing automation that I initially underestimated was its potential for personalization. When I incorporated email marketing automation into our strategies at CodeDesign, I discovered how remarkably it could enhance personalization and its subsequent impact.

Email marketing automation allowed us to segment our audience based on their behavior, interests, and demographics. This enabled us to send highly targeted and relevant content to each segment. The result was a substantial increase in engagement, click-through rates, and ultimately, conversions. By tailoring our messages to individual preferences and behaviors, we achieved a level of personalization that significantly boosted the effectiveness of our email marketing campaigns.

The power of email marketing automation in personalization cannot be overstated. It has not only improved our campaign performance but also fostered stronger customer relationships and loyalty.

Bruno GavinoBruno Gavino
Founder, CEO, CodeDesign


Monitoring Customer Preferences Increases Sales

I didn’t know email-marketing automation could monitor what products my customers are most attracted to. When I did this, I found out that these same customers who opened my “Tech Gadgets” emails clicked more smartphone-related links than others.

Therefore, I began writing more letters on smartphones, and my sales for these products really grew. Understanding more about a customer’s preferences enabled me to tailor my emails towards each interest and resulted in more sales of certain products, which made my marketing strategy efficient.

Fahad KhanFahad Khan
Digital Marketing Manager, Ubuy India


Reminders Reduce Cart Abandonment

It’s no secret that most people who visit your website for the first time buy nothing. AI can help you get more people to your site with keyword analysis, but that doesn’t help with conversion rates. I had much more trouble with the fact that 80% of customers almost bought something.

Customers go as far as putting things in the shopping cart but don’t complete the checkout process. AI can track user activity on your website to see what customers browsed, what they bought, what they put in the shopping cart, and what they abandoned. Leverage this data by setting up a clever email campaign for cart abandoners! AI will send out an automated email reminding them to complete the purchase.

Research shows a single email can boost conversion by 10%, and three reminders can boost those numbers by 79%!

Brandon RubinshteinBrandon Rubinshtein
Founder, Howdy


Cross-Selling Campaigns Skyrocket Profits

We were not using email marketing automation for cross-sell campaigns. Our entire focus was on lead nurturing and win-back campaigns. Cross-selling skyrocketed our profits and retention rates.

We could use the emails to let our customers know about our other services and products. Although we had to spend some time on data analysis, it was worth it. It allowed us to personalize content for cross-sell campaigns based on customer preferences.

Perry ZhengPerry Zheng
Founder and CEO, Pallas


“Warm Leads” List Improves Conversions

Before delving deep into email marketing automation, I wasn’t aware that I could efficiently segment and nurture my audience by automatically placing them in a “warm leads” list.

This feature was transformative. Instead of manually sifting through subscribers, automation did the heavy lifting, ensuring those showing purchase intent were appropriately engaged.

This not only streamlined our communication efforts but also enhanced the user experience, leading to a noticeable uptick in conversions. For budding entrepreneurs, harnessing such subtle yet impactful tools can significantly elevate your marketing game.

The text provided did not contain any email-like introductions or sign-offs, so no changes were necessary.

Tobias LiebschTobias Liebsch
Co-Founder, Fintalent.io


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Should You Still Send Plain-Text Versions of Your Emails?

Should You Still Send Plain-Text Versions of Your Emails?

Should You Still Send Plain-Text Versions of Your Emails?

To shed light on the relevance of plain-text emails in today’s digital age, we asked eight professionals, including marketing managers and founders, to share their insights. From the potential resurgence of plain-text emails to how the recipient and purpose guide email style, discover the diverse perspectives on this topic.

  • Potential Resurgence of Plain-Text Emails
  • Authenticity Through Plain-Text Emails
  • Deliverability and Accessibility as Plain-Text’s Strengths
  • Enhancing Deliverability and Authenticity
  • Accessibility Advocacy in Plain-Text Emails
  • Audience and Goals Determine Email Format
  • Legal and Ethical Imperatives for Plain-Text
  • Recipient and Purpose Guide Email Style

Potential Resurgence of Plain-Text Emails

Email marketing platforms typically include a text version with every HTML sent, with no additional effort required. However, the question arises—is the plain-text version seen and used? Likely not, which may lead to platforms discontinuing this feature.

Consider the “view online” text link found at the top of many emails. Initially, this was included so recipients could read their email online if it wasn’t rendering correctly in their email client. Over time, it became almost obsolete as reports showed minimal clicks.

However, with the rise of mobile device usage for reading emails, these links experienced a resurgence in clicks.

Could a similar trend occur with plain-text emails? It’s uncertain. But for now, there’s no compelling reason to stop including them with your HTML versions.

Jeanne Jennings
Email Marketing Strategy, Consultant, Trainer, Speaker, and Published Author, Email Optimization Shop


Authenticity Through Plain-Text Emails

There are technical reasons for choosing plain-text emails over HTML-based ones, but there is also a psychological rationale to consider.

In today’s saturated landscape of sales and marketing emails, where graphics and HTML formatting are ubiquitous, a plain-text email, accompanied by compelling copy, can create a more authentic and personalized experience for the recipient.

Our minds have developed an association between heavy graphics and excessive formatting with advertisements, whether encountered on websites, through direct mail, or in email promotions. As a result, a plain-text email stands out from the crowd, presenting a more human touch that resonates with the recipient on a deeper level.

Nikhil Prasad
Marketing Manager, Fello


Deliverability and Accessibility as Plain-Text’s Strengths

Absolutely, sending plain-text versions of emails is a must, as deliverability is an enormous factor. Many corporate email filters suspect HTML-heavy emails and push them straight to the spam or promotions folder.

Plain-text emails have a better chance of bypassing these filters, so your message lands directly in the recipient’s primary inbox. We also have to think of accessibility. Visually impaired recipients might use screen readers, which work best with plain-text content.

Jon Mazza
Head of Marketing, DealPad


Enhancing Deliverability and Authenticity

Yes, plain-text versions of your emails should still be sent alongside HTML versions. Plain-text emails tend to bypass spam filters more often, increasing the chances of reaching the recipient’s inbox.

By including both versions, a wider audience is catered to, deliverability is improved, and the professionalism and authenticity of your communication is enhanced.

Jorie Wisnefski
Marketing Manager, Urban Machine


Accessibility Advocacy in Plain-Text Emails

For accessibility, it is recommended to still send the plain-text version of emails. HTML emails may not be as clear to the recipient for various reasons, such as device settings or user preferences.

In addition, plain text is a more inclusive form of email. Some visually impaired individuals use screen tools to aid them in reading messages. Communicating to attain understanding is the goal. If email is the available tool presented, then all possible ways to make it effective must be tried.

Tristan HarrisTristan Harris
Demand Generation Senior Marketing Manager, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency


Audience and Goals Determine Email Format

It really comes down to your goals and audience. For example, if you’re an e-commerce business, your audience needs to see visuals of what you’re selling, so sending plain-text emails would be a bad move. But if you’re offering some kind of personalized service or sharing industry insights, plain text works just fine.

In fact, it works better because you want to talk and act like a human and not as a commercial brand. We’ve seen impressive results with plain text because our content has fewer bells and whistles and more authenticity, so it helps us stay true to our brand.

Ewen FinserEwen Finser
Founder, The Digital Merchant


Legal and Ethical Imperatives for Plain-Text

The answer is a resounding yes—including plain-text versions is still crucial. When considering the accessibility of your emails, plain-text versions play a vital role. Not all recipients use email clients that support HTML formatting, and some individuals rely on assistive technologies like screen readers to consume content.

By sending a plain-text version alongside your HTML version, you ensure that your message is accessible to everyone, regardless of the technology they use or any visual impairments they might have.

Accessibility is not only a matter of ethical responsibility but also a legal requirement in many regions. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States emphasize the need for digital content, including emails, to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in legal consequences for businesses and organizations.

Harsh VermaHarsh Verma
SEO Head, CodeDesign


Recipient and Purpose Guide Email Style

Deciding this depends on who your email is going to and why you’re sending it!

Plain-text emails are great for cold outreach and any other email where your goal is to be personable and direct. On the other hand, if you’re looking to send out drip campaigns or promotions, a more visually appealing email is what we recommend.

Both plain and rich-text emails have a great place in marketing and e-commerce business management. Another easy way to determine which email style to use is to consider the sender: a corporation/brand or an individual?

If your email would perform best coming from an individual, plain-text is the better choice. If it would perform best coming from a brand, then a rich, polished email design is the better choice!

Chelsea Evans-FlowerChelsea Evans-Flower
Owner, Scott Social


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7 Mistakes to Avoid When A/B Testing Email Campaigns

7 Mistakes to Avoid When A/B Testing Email Campaigns

7 Mistakes to Avoid When A/B Testing Email Campaigns

To help you avoid common pitfalls in A/B testing email marketing campaigns, we’ve gathered insights from seven industry professionals, including directors and founders. From avoiding changing multiple variables simultaneously to limiting wholesale adjustments, these experts share the top mistakes to steer clear of for successful campaign testing.

  • Avoid Changing Multiple Variables Simultaneously
  • Consider Audience Behavior and Seasonal Effects
  • Account for Timing in Email Campaigns
  • Steer Clear of One-Variable Dependence
  • Don’t Direct All Traffic to Same Page
  • Allow Sufficient Time for Testing
  • Limit Wholesale Adjustments

Avoid Changing Multiple Variables Simultaneously

One critical mistake to avoid when A/B testing email marketing campaigns is changing multiple variables at once. Early in Click Intelligence’s journey, this error was made during a campaign. Both the email subject line and the call-to-action (CTA) button color were altered for the A/B test. When a significant difference in open and click-through rates was noticed, it was puzzling. Was the change due to the subject line, the CTA button color, or a combination of both?

By adjusting multiple elements simultaneously, the waters of the test results become muddied, making it challenging to pinpoint which change influenced the outcome. For precise, actionable insights, always change one variable at a time. This ensures clarity in results, allowing for informed, data-driven decisions in future campaigns.

simon brisk
Simon Brisk, Director, Click Intelligence


Consider Audience Behavior and Seasonal Effects

That one mistake is not considering the “time-sensitive nature” of your audience’s behavior and its impact.

Many experimenters send an A variant of the email on Monday and a B variant on Wednesday, which can impact the open rate. Not because there’s a problem with the content itself, but because people might be more receptive to emails at the beginning of the week, or perhaps they’re more active in the middle of the week.

Also, depending on your industry, there might be seasonal effects. Retailers experience this heavily around the holidays. If you test an email in December vs. January, user behavior might differ due to the holiday shopping mood in December.

Testing both email variants on the same day and time and repeating tests across varied periods for consistency is essential to overcome the time-sensitive issues.

Daniyal AlamDaniyal Alam
Growth Marketer, Talk Home


Account for Timing in Email Campaigns

Disregarding timing factors is a common mistake in overseeing email campaigns.

Once, two email designs were tested at completely different times of the day. The results were skewed, and it was realized that it wasn’t just the design affecting engagement, but also when the email hit the subscribers’ inboxes. Mornings might be better for some, evenings for others. Mixing up timing variables with content ones gave misleading feedback.

Therefore, it’s important to always ensure you’re comparing like with like, especially when timing plays such a pivotal role in engagement.

Talita MoraesTalita Moraes
CMO, Tarotoo


Steer Clear of One-Variable Dependence

When wielding the A/B-testing wand in the realm of email marketing, steer clear of the “One-Trick Pony” pitfall. Believe it or not, around 60% of marketers fall into this trap, according to the Data Wizards Guild.

Picture this—Unicorn Co. sent out two email versions, switching only the subject line. Bingo, they struck gold with a higher open rate! But beware, dear marketer, relying solely on a single variable like subject lines is like hoping a lone ingredient makes a gourmet meal.

To truly rock the A/B stage, spice things up! Tweak subject lines AND content, throw in call-to-action curveballs, and maybe even switch up the sender’s name. It’s like crafting a symphony—every note counts. So, no more one-hit wonders—let’s compose an A/B masterpiece!

Himanshu SharmaHimanshu Sharma
CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing


Don’t Direct All Traffic to Same Page

One of the biggest mistakes you want to avoid when running an A-B test on an email marketing campaign is sending all the traffic to the same landing page. Take the time to create two versions of the same landing page and send the A traffic to one and the B traffic to the other. You’ll be surprised how different the results can be based on the messaging of your email.

Adam WhiteAdam White
Founder, SquidVision


Allow Sufficient Time for Testing

One significant error to avoid in A/B testing for email marketing campaigns is prematurely forming conclusions based on insufficient testing time. Rushing the testing phase can lead to skewed results and misguided decisions.

For instance, evaluating responses within the initial hours may neglect variations in recipient engagement due to factors like time zones or varying open times. To ensure the credibility of your findings, it’s essential to allocate an appropriate testing duration. This timeframe should encompass a substantial portion of your target audience, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of their interactions with the email content.

By patiently allowing the test to run its course, you can gather statistically significant data, resulting in dependable insights. These insights can then be leveraged to fine-tune future email marketing campaigns effectively.

Casey PrestonCasey Preston
CRO and Founder, Stratosphere


Avoid Wholesale Adjustments

The biggest mistake I see when A/B testing emails is that people change their emails too much, then can’t pinpoint why their performance has improved or worsened.

If you are going to A/B test, start off with a few minor changes individually, e.g., the email layout or headline. What you can often see is that people will make wholesale changes to the content of the email and the headline, so they often become completely different emails. This makes it difficult to nail down the reason for performance changes.

Elliot RushtonElliot Rushton
Freelance Marketer, EPR Marketing


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8 Best Practices for “Thank You for Your Purchase” Emails

8 Best Practices for "Thank You for Your Purchase" Emails

8 Best Practices for “Thank You for Your Purchase” Emails

Crafting the perfect “Thank you for your purchase” email can be a challenge. To help you navigate this, we’ve gathered eight best practices from founders, CEOs, and other marketing professionals. From personalizing your thank you email to offering incentives, discover the insights these experts have shared.

  • Personalize Your Thank You Email
  • Keep It Human
  • Send a Message from the CEO
  • Address Customer by Name and Purchase
  • Promote Further Action
  • Include a Feedback Survey
  • Highlight the Product Benefits
  • Offer Incentives

Personalize Your Thank You Email

Running a digital marketing agency has led to the realization that the key to a powerful “Thank you for your purchase” email lies in its personal touch.

A client once launched a line of artisanal teas. A buyer’s comment about her love for chamomile tea during a previous interaction was remembered, and a thank-you email acknowledging her preference was crafted. “We hope this chamomile blend brings a touch of serenity to your evenings!”

This detail, though small, showed care beyond the transaction, making the communication more memorable. Experiences like this illustrate how tailoring messages can truly elevate customer engagement.

Ryan SteinolfsonRyan Steinolfson
Founder, Accelerate Marketing


Keep It Human

When thanking your customers, make sure that you keep it human, sincere, and, as much as possible, personalized.

Where possible, create segments for efficiency so you can send out a few versions of your email blast to different audiences. Explore, too, the features of your email tool, like including the recipient’s name in the subject line or in the opening part of your message.

A thank-you note forms part of a customer’s experience of their purchase and a channel for feedback. It is also the perfect opportunity for you to build and strengthen your relationship with them.

Tristan HarrisTristan Harris
Demand Generation Senior Marketing Manager, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency


Send a Message from the CEO

Working with hundreds of e-commerce brands has shown that a best practice when crafting a “Thank you for your purchase” message to customers is to send an automated, yet personalized, message from the founder or CEO.

This can be achieved by creating a secondary sending address from the founder or CEO and creating the message as plain text instead of a typical graphical marketing message. This approach gives the customer the impression that the founder or CEO took the time to send them a one-off message thanking them for their purchase.

Steve DinelliSteve Dinelli
Founder, MarketerInterview.com


Address Customer by Name and Purchase

Addressing the customer by name and mentioning the specific product or service they purchased is important. Tailoring the language to their specific interests is also beneficial. For instance, if the customer is a frequent buyer of the products, this could be mentioned.

Also, try to be timely, clear and concise, and informative.

Brenton ThomasBrenton Thomas
CEO, Twibi


Promote Further Action

You can even use your thank-you emails to promote further action. All you need to do is insert a call-to-action button that invites a customer to participate in further engagement. You can ask them to check out more products or leave a review for the ones they’ve purchased.

The CTA can even lead them to your blog posts, sign up for your newsletter, or enable them to follow your social media channels. This email is an opportunity for you to encourage further engagement, and a call-to-action button is the best way to persuade your customers to act.

Ariav CohenAriav Cohen
VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep


Include a Feedback Survey

This is an excellent opportunity to provide a feedback survey so that you can get a feel for your customers’ experience with things like checking out, pricing, and navigating your website. When analyzing how your customers have responded to your feedback survey, you can recognize what they like as well as what improvements need to be made.

Miles BeckettMiles Beckett
Co-Founder and CEO, Flossy


Highlight the Product Benefits

Understand the importance of choosing the right [product/service] to meet your needs efficiently. It’s crucial to comprehend all the amazing advantages the new [product/service name] provides. [Explain the top 2-3 characteristics or benefits in detail]. It’s believed that it will surpass your expectations.

Cindi KellerCindi Keller
Communications Coordinator, The Criminal Defense Firm


Offer Incentives

A best practice when crafting a “thank you for your purchase” message to customers includes an incentive or special offer that rewards them for their loyalty.

One example of this could be providing them with a discount code to offer free online shipping on their next order. This is effective as it encourages customers to re-engage with your business, thereby improving customer retention and satisfaction. Additionally, it may also prompt additional purchases from returning customers due to the exclusive nature of the offer.

Julia KellyJulia Kelly
Managing Partner, Rigits


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How to Design a Webinar Invitation Email

How to Design a Webinar Invitation Email

How to Design a Webinar Invitation Email

To help you create an effective webinar invitation email, we asked seven industry experts, including CEOs, founders, and marketing strategists, for their top tips. From highlighting webinar benefits to emphasizing key details, discover the essential advice these professionals shared to make your invitation stand out and drive attendance.

  • Highlight Webinar Benefits
  • Focus on the Value Proposition
  • Engage with Interactive Questions
  • Incorporate Visual Elements
  • Craft a Catchy Subject Line
  • Personalize and Add Humor
  • Emphasize the Key Details 

Highlight Webinar Benefits

When crafting your webinar invitation email, it’s important to focus on the benefits that the webinar will provide to your target audience. Your email should clearly explain how participating in the webinar can help attendees solve their problems and achieve their goals. 

Highlight the key points you’ll be discussing during the webinar and why they are relevant to them. By emphasizing the ways in which your audience can benefit from tuning in, you will increase the likelihood that they will open and click on your webinar invitation email.

Marcos Isaias, Founder and CEO, Misaias

Focus on the Value Proposition

One critical tip for designing a webinar invitation email is to focus on the value proposition. Clearly articulate what attendees will gain from the webinar right at the beginning of the email. This could be learning a new skill, gaining insights into an industry trend, or understanding how to solve a pressing problem. 

Use powerful, compelling language and design elements to highlight this key takeaway, making it the centerpiece of your invitation. In addition to this, don’t forget to make the registration process as straightforward as possible. After all, a compelling invitation is only effective if it encourages easy action.

Kevin Hall, Marketing Operations, Webserv

Engage with Interactive Questions

Always use your webinar invitation emails to start a conversation with the subscribers. For example, you can ask them to submit questions to be included in the agenda. For Growth Chats, we use interactive forms inside emails to ask registrants about what they’d like to ask the guests and give those questions priority in the live Q&A.

Aquibur Rahman, CEO, Mailmodo

Incorporate Visual Elements

In my experience as a marketer, adding visuals greatly enhances the effectiveness of a webinar invitation email. The brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so images, infographics, and videos can quickly draw attention and effectively communicate your message. 

One instance that particularly stands out is when we designed an invitation for a client’s e-commerce seminar. We included a captivating, colorful infographic showing the growth of e-commerce over the years. It visually portrayed what the attendees would learn, hence sparking curiosity. 

The click-through rate for this email was significantly higher than our text-based versions. So, integrating visual elements not only piques interest but also bridges the gap between the recipient and the content.

Josh “Snow” Elizetxe, Founder, Customer Feedback

Craft a Catchy Subject Line

A good tip for a webinar invitation email is to write a catchy and relevant subject line. Your subject line should catch your recipients’ eye and make them curious about your webinar. 

Also, showing the value of attending your webinar should be one of the main motives. You can use different ways to make your subject line more interesting. Use questions, numbers, emojis, or names to make it more effective for the recipients. You’ll get more people to open your email and sign up for your webinar as a result. Just focus on the aspect one will notice at first glance.

Ilan Nass, Chief Revenue Officer, Taktical

Personalize and Add Humor

Want your webinar invitation email to stand out like a unicorn in a field of horses? Here’s a tip that’ll have attendees RSVPing faster than you can say “webinarlicious”! Personalization is key, my friend. No one wants to feel like they’re just another name on a long list. 

Address your recipients by name and use data points to make it extra special. For example, “Hey John, we noticed you’re a marketing whiz who loves all things SEO!” But wait, there’s more! Sprinkle some humor in there too. A witty subject line or a clever pun can make your email irresistible. 

Imagine this gem: “Unleash Your Webinar Superpowers! Join us for an hour of knowledge bombs and virtual high-fives!” So, remember: personalized, humorous, and packed with value. That’s the recipe for a webinar invitation email that gets RSVPs flying in like confetti.

Himanshu Sharma, CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing

Emphasize the Key Details First

Make sure the details come first. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer—If you’re getting an email about a webinar, the first thing you want to know is the date, the time, and the title. Everything else is bonus information that may help in swaying a decision. 

Use a headline font and brand colors to direct your customer’s eyes to the title. Add bolding to paragraph fonts to display the date prominently and unbold the font when presenting the time. Consider adding the name of the person presenting and their title if it is someone who holds prominence in the industry. This can be done by creating a custom header graphic or simply editing the email text to emphasize the details as described.

Lauren Murdock, Marketing Strategist, Raka Health

9 Best Practices for Promoting Affiliate Links in Your Email Marketing

Best Practices for Promoting Affiliate Links in Your Email Marketing

9 Best Practices for Promoting Affiliate Links in Your Email Marketing

To help you effectively promote affiliate links in your email marketing campaigns, we’ve gathered insights from ten marketing professionals, including founders, CEOs, and marketing managers. From adding authenticity and humor to offering exclusive bonuses, these experts share their top nine best practices for promoting affiliate links in your email marketing campaigns.

  • Add Authenticity and Humor
  • Be Transparent
  • Share Personal Product Experiences
  • Leverage the Post-Script Section
  • Build Trust by Providing Value
  • Ensure Contextual Relevance 
  • Utilize Trigger-Based Campaigns
  • Integrate Affiliate Links Naturally
  • Offer Exclusive Bonuses

Add Authenticity and Humor 

Here’s a tongue-in-cheek best practice for promoting affiliate links in email marketing campaigns: Be as authentic as a unicorn riding a unicycle. Blend your affiliate links seamlessly into your content, making readers think, “Wait, did they just slide in an affiliate link? Sneaky, yet impressive!” 

Share your personal experience with products, dropping the bombshell that you might receive a small commission. Offer exclusive bonuses or discounts to make subscribers feel like they’ve found a secret treasure chest. Segment your email list, serving relevant offers based on readers’ interests. 

Analyze and optimize click-through and conversion rates, experimenting with humorous subject lines, irresistible CTAs, and captivating email formats. Embrace your inner humor and watch those affiliate links soar, while your emails entertain and conversions flourish.

Ntinyari Kimathi, Founder, XLURU.com

Be Transparent

If there’s one thing I would underscore, it would be this: transparency is key. Make sure to always disclose your affiliate relationships to maintain trust with your subscribers. Weave your affiliate links organically into useful content—don’t just drop a link without context. Keep emails interesting, engaging, and above all, valuable. 

That way, your subscribers will be excited to open your emails, increasing the chances they’ll click on your affiliate links. And remember, the most successful affiliate marketers are the ones who add value first, sell second.

Melanie Balke, CEO and Founder, The Email Marketers

Share Personal Product Experiences

In affiliate email marketing, being real and trustworthy is key. You are not just selling stuff, you are sharing valuable content to help your subscribers solve a problem. Make it really useful, insightful, and relatable. Don’t just say “This product is great”—explain why.

When you talk about affiliate products, get personal. Tell your readers how you used it and how you personally benefited from it. This real-life experience makes the product more genuine and sparks enough curiosity to encourage your readers to click that link.

Juliet Dreamhunter, Founder, Juliety

Leverage the Post-Script Section

One best practice for promoting affiliate links in your email marketing campaigns is leveraging the power of the post-script section, the “P.S.”

Why the P.S., you may ask? Often, when people skim through emails, the P.S. catches their attention. It’s like a bonus after the main content and arouses curiosity. You can take advantage of this to give one last persuasive nudge about your affiliate product or service.

When using the P.S. section, keep it concise and compelling. Use it to reiterate the benefits of the affiliate product, share a powerful testimonial, or highlight a limited-time offer. Link the product or service directly in the P.S. to make it as easy as possible for readers to access it.

Remember, even while using this strategy, transparency is key. Always disclose that it’s an affiliate link to maintain trust with your subscribers. An honest, strategically placed P.S. can boost your click-through rates and foster a loyal and engaged audience.

Will Gill, Event Entertainer, DJ Will Gill

Build Trust by Providing Value

Building a loyal audience comes before you can make your audience buy from your affiliate links. And when it comes to email marketing campaigns, you need to go the extra mile and focus only on giving value before you even talk about your products. 

Putting value on the top will help you win the trust of your audience. The audience will automatically connect with your business and brand if you can solve their problem. So, provide value and build a following of loyal audience. Once you do that, whether you are starting an email marketing campaign or not, your audience will buy from your affiliate links.

Ilan Nass, Chief Revenue Officer, Taktical

Ensure Contextual Relevance

One best practice stands out above the rest: contextual relevance. Ensuring that the affiliate links you include are contextually aligned with your content and offer products or services you genuinely support is paramount.

Contextual relevance not only increases the chances of capturing your audience’s interest but also enhances their trust in your recommendations. By featuring products or services that you would personally subscribe to, you convey authenticity and credibility.

Additionally, it is worth considering the power of offers. Affiliate programs that provide a “no-brainer” offer, such as a free item or a substantial discount code, can further entice your audience.

Finally, transparent labeling of affiliate links is a personal preference I appreciate. While not explicitly required, being honest and upfront about affiliate links fosters trust.

Rafael Sarim Özdemir, Founder and CEO, Zendog Labs

Utilize Trigger-Based Campaigns

The core concept of trigger-based email marketing campaigns is to send emails automatically based on particular client activities called triggers. Trigger emails are sent to the audience based on their behavior. 

The majority of trigger emails fall into two categories: segment-based and event-based. When your subscribers satisfy certain parameters, segment-based trigger emails are sent, whereas event-based trigger emails are sent when they opt-in or make a purchase. 

Trigger emails are used to provide consumers with assistance and nurturing so that they can reap the maximum benefits of a product or service. They are also used to deliver vital updates and to inspire positive behaviors. 

Triggers are extremely efficient for marketing affiliate links since they track the behavior of clients and send customized triggers to them, causing them to perform the desired action like clicking on the links and making a purchase.

Marco Andolfatto, Chief Underwriting Officer, Apollo Cover

Integrate Affiliate Links Naturally

Natural integration of affiliate links in your email marketing campaigns is vital for maintaining a positive user experience and establishing credibility. By seamlessly incorporating relevant recommendations within valuable content, you can enhance engagement and increase the likelihood of conversions. 

Techniques such as contextual storytelling, value-driven recommendations, and personal endorsements contribute to a more authentic and trustworthy approach. Natural integration benefits both you and your subscribers by providing valuable information while also presenting affiliate products as genuine solutions.

Natural integration benefits both you and your subscribers. It enhances the user experience by providing valuable content beyond promotional messages. Your subscribers will appreciate the informative and engaging emails, resulting in higher engagement rates and reduced chances of them unsubscribing.

Sreejith Sreekumar, Email Marketer, Changing Tree

Offer Exclusive Bonuses

When you’re promoting affiliate links to your email list, you can add even more value to your subscribers by offering an exclusive bonus for purchasing through your affiliate link. 

For example, you can offer one of your related products as a bonus, an hour of your time for some personalized strategies, or even store credit they can use in the future. 

Offering a bonus for using your affiliate link shows your subscribers that you stand behind the product that you are promoting, and that even though you’re promoting someone else’s resource, you are still invested in helping them make the most of it.

Anna Crosby, Owner, Geni Collective

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

How To Move Email from Promotions to Primary: 15 Tips

How To Move Email from Promotions to Primary

How can an email marketer help move an email from Promotions to Primary?


To help you move your company’s emails into the spotlight, we asked CEOs, founders, and other business leaders familiar with email marketing this question for their best recommendations. From audience segmenting to using A/B testing, there are several ideas that can improve your email content so much, it will excite your customers to receive each one.


Here are 15 tips for creating emails that jump from Promotions to Primary:

  • Segment Your Audience 
  • Ask Subscribers to Add Your Email to their Contact List
  • Craft Clever Subject Lines
  • Concentrate On Your Footers
  • Include a Clear and Concise Call-to-action (CTA)
  • Ask Subscribers to Reply to Your Welcome Email
  • Change MX Records to Google’s Servers
  • Avoid Promotional Words & Learn Timing
  • Be Careful About Using Mails Sent Via RSS
  • Sound Human & Helpful
  • Avoid Heavy HTML and Send Emails Manually
  • Optimize for Mobile
  • Deliver More Than a Voucher or Sale
  • Use Minimal Images and Links
  • Rely on the Data From A/B Testing

Segment Your Audience 

We widely understand that marketers can’t outsmart Google but must work with their algorithms. Therefore, segmenting lists to identify engaged audiences can help move your email from Promotions to Primary. 

Having your email land in the Promotions tab is often the result of trying to cast too wide a net, but brands can leverage data to optimize their content to help their emails stand out.

Through segmenting your engaged audience, you can more effectively optimize and personalize your emails. In addition, this process also allows you to create the appropriate content that has clear ideas and actionable information that can help reclassify your email. 

By leveraging your data to segment your audiences and send them more interesting content, you can reduce the chances of getting buried in the Promotions tab.

Greg Gillman, Chief Revenue Officer, MuteSix

Ask Subscribers to Add Your Email to their Contact List

If you want to ensure your newsletter winds up in your subscribers’ primary inboxes rather than their promotions inboxes, one way to do so is by asking them to add your company to their email contacts list. 

Doing this will make your messages seem more familiar to them and, therefore, less likely to be treated as spam.  

In addition, it’s essential to ensure that each email you send includes accurate contact information and a straightforward way for recipients to unsubscribe.  

Finally, send consistently high-quality content your subscribers will look forward to receiving to keep them engaged with your brand.

Michael Sena, Founder & CEO, SENACEA

Craft Clever Subject Lines

Many times, it’s an email’s subject line that determines its fate in our inbox. Will we move it to the trash, mark it as spam or even unsubscribe? 

Subject lines have the power to move people to take such actions, so be sure to entice readers in with a subject line that makes them want to not only know more but receive future communications from your brand.

Jae Pak, MD, Jae Pak MD Medical

Concentrate On Your Footers

It is easy to get focused on the body of your email when you are trying to avoid it being sent to the promotions tab, but it is just as important that you concentrate on your footers and declutter them if you want to get into the Primary tab. 

You have done everything to avoid having your email sent to the Promotions tab, from refraining from sending out blasts to specifying personalization. However, Google algorithms can still pick up a footer that contains a disclaimer and many business references.

Therefore, by decluttering your email footers, removing words that may trigger Google algorithms, and getting rid of your disclaimers, terms, and conditions, you can better your chances that your email will end up in the Primary tab.

By paying as much attention to your email footer as you do the main body, you can avoid the Promotions label and better reach your customer.

Matt Miller, Founder & CEO, Embroker

Include a Clear and Concise Call-to-action (CTA)

One thing an email marketer can do to help move an email from Promotions to Primary is to include a clear and concise call-to-action (CTA). 

This could be something as simple as a button that says “Open Now” or “Read Later.” Including a CTA will help to motivate the recipient to take action and move the email from Promotions to Primary.

Aviad Faruz, CEO, FARUZO New York

Ask Subscribers to Reply to Your Welcome Email

These kinds of responses will often move the email thread to the primary tab and train Gmail that your emails deserve to be in the Primary tab. 

Responses can be entirely up to you. Ask for an emoji response, ask them to tell you about themselves, answer a question, or what they’re trying to achieve with your product.

Corey Haines, Founder, SwipeWell

Change MX Records to Google’s Servers

Over the past 5 years, I’ve been massively focused on sending outreach emails, and I’ve found it increasingly difficult to reach users’ inboxes from my email servers, especially my company domain email.

I have learnt the hard way that it’s all about maintaining an excellent reputation with large email providers, not just Gmail.

As much as people focus on emoticons, subject lines, and other tactics, simply put, immerse yourself into the technical aspect of emails such as MX records.

The game-changer for us as a company is switching our domain name servers from Namecheap to Google’s Workspace service servers.

This switch to Gmail’s servers has played a huge role in improving the deliverability of emails. The open rate is another discussion entirely.

Brett Downes, Founder, Haro Helpers

Avoid Promotional Words & Learn Timing

Nowadays, email inboxes are flooded with promotions. As an SEO agency, our experience showed how we write our emails will determine whether it ends up on the promotional tab. 

The following phrases make your letter end up in the “unfortunate” tab, so you should avoid including these in your email: “now,” “buy,” “click here,” “register,” “free,” “offers,” “as seen on,” “money,” “avoid,” “Friend,” and “Hello.” 

It decreases the possibility of your email being marked as a promotion. But it doesn’t stop there. Be creative and avoid just selling your products to clients; instead, describe the benefits of your products and work on exciting consumers’ interest. 

Email timing is also vital; the better email timing you have, the more likely it is to have a higher open rate, resulting in a higher response rate. 

I’ve practiced this for a long time, and I assure you this will help improve your response and conversion rates.

Maria Harutyunyan, Head of SEO, Loopex Digital

Be Careful About Using Mails Sent Via RSS

RSS (really simple syndication) is XML-formatted text used for distributing web blogs, news, and content. Using it in the mailing is also a good option to get your stuff to the readers instantly. 

But still, a problem arises that these particles tend to generate practically identical emails. This automatically increases the risk of indicating as promotional. So again, don’t forget to personalize your email to avoid anything suspicious.

Andrew Priobrazhenskyi, CEO & Director, Discount Reactor

Sound Human & Helpful

Gmail Algorithms are quite efficient in identifying those bulk emails which you send via a service provider. Be mindful to send such emails in fewer bulks rather than just going on with the entire list. Adding a touch of personalization confuses the algorithm witnessing those human-like email structures!

There isn’t any single thing that might end your emails in the primary box, trial and error do. The number of images and links, and their nature essentially determines your email’s pathway. For instance, if you add sales CTA’s and a lot of product images, you won’t ever end up in a primary box.

Since these are the most commonly used by email marketers, Gmail knows it all. Also, figure out a unique way so that the recipient marks you in their whitelist. 

For instance, have them sign up for regular blog posts and newsletters with valuable content. I’d even suggest using your own personal email (xyz@companyname.com) instead of those generic business emails (info@companyname.com).

Hardy Selo, Property & Digital Marketing Expert, Property Guru

Avoid Heavy HTML and Send Emails Manually

Well-crafted HTML emails never make it to the main tab because Gmail considers these emails to be automated, i.e., sent by the robot. 

Gmail’s algorithms try to determine whether a human or a bot sent an email. They always mark heavy HTML emails as automatic. This error occurs when you use an email marketing tool to draft emails instead of typing them manually into an email client. 

The best way to avoid this is to send plain text emails, or at least “lightweight HTML emails”. Lightweight HTML is technically HTML (Mime type), but the content is mostly text without images, CSS, and minimal links. It’s important to keep links to a minimum, ideally only one or two.

Léa Soller, CEO, Digiberries Paris

Optimize for Mobile

Making emails more mobile-friendly is a simple way to get them out of promotions and into primary. 

Most people check their emails through their cell phones and, more often than not, the settings are more advanced by default. By making emails sleeker for mobile and more universally compatible across account types, the advanced filters will give them the highest priority.

Lyudmyla Dobrynina, Head of Marketing, Optimeal

Deliver More Than a Voucher or Sale

Treat your customers like people; send an email that’s more than a voucher. Offer insights, updates, a story, something that’s more content than promotion. It could be knowledge or a tip, or just something happening in your field or industry. Surprise them for their loyalty, rather than emailing for the nth time with a subject line that there is a voucher on offer or a sale.

Tristan Rayner, Tech Analyst

Use Minimal Images and Links

Do not overcrowd your marketing emails with images and links. This will make your email seem too sales-y to go into the Primary tab. 

Of course, you will need some images and some links, but when reviewing your marketing emails, try to eliminate as many of them as you can while still making your emails engaging enough to your subscribers.

Nancy Eichler, Senior Vice President of Marketing & eCommerce, iwi life

Rely on the Data From A/B Testing

Marketers always try their best to personalize emails. 

To make sure that no mail is spammed as a promotional one, many alternatives are available for a marketer. But, one of the best of all is using A/B testing, also known as split testing.

These tests are a process where you see which two versions of variables are more impactful on the target market. The variables are shown to different segments of subscribers. Then analyze which version is the most impactful.

Tia Campbell, Director of Marketing, Practice Reasoning Tests

How To Make an Email List: 13 List Building Tips

How To Make an Email List_ List Building Tips (1)

Give your best tip for small businesses to make an email list. What is one thing they should consider when building the list?


To help you build an email list successfully as a small business, we asked marketing professionals and business owners this question for their best insights. From installing a pop-up form or slider on your website to offering a free product or service to collect emails, there are several tips that would help you get potential customers to sign up to receive email communication about your products and services.


Here are 13 list-building tips these leaders follow to build their email lists:

  • Install a Pop-Up Form or Slider on Your Website
  • Create Lead Ads on Facebook
  • Don’t Buy an Email List But Use Opt-in Pages
  • Use Giveaway Strategies to Build Email Leads Quickly
  • Create a Value Proposition on Social Media
  • Personalize Content and Offers
  • Offer Exclusive Content
  • Collaborate With Other Businesses
  • Focus on Offering Quality Over Quantity
  • Use Social Media Sharing Option in Your Emails
  • Seek to Build Relationships
  • Start as Early as You Can
  • Offer a Free Product or Service to Collect Emails

Install a Pop-Up Form or Slider on Your Website

The pop-up form works very prominently for your website. And it can easily get the attention of visitors, and make them agree to click on any link or sign up. But remember that, sometimes pop-ups may look annoying and gather a negative reputation. To avoid this, you can use some proven ways to make it effective instead of annoying. Like: 

– Show them after they stay on your site for 1-2 minutes.
– Set the popup to show every visitor once or twice a week. Showing them a pop-up on every page really annoys them. 

If you don’t like the idea of a popup, think about a slider. It works somewhat like a pop-up, but only appears when a visitor slides down the page a bit. Plus, it can be set in the corner of the page which means that the visitors will have attention, but if they don’t like to press skip, they can still continue scrolling down and get a full view of the page.

Daniel Foley, Director of Marketing, SEO Stack

Create Lead Ads on Facebook

Since most small businesses undervalue the effectiveness of Facebook ads, I believe creating lead ads on Facebook to be the single most crucial consideration when developing an email list. Facebook’s 2 billion monthly users and targeting options make it a powerful resource for discovering new clients and expanding email databases. Because Facebook lead ads let you create a form that potential customers can fill out without leaving the social media platform, they are especially useful for growing your email list. The freebies advertised in your ad could be anything from an ebook to a checklist, a product sample to an in-depth guide. Lead ads on Facebook are effective if you’ve targeted the right audience and your lead magnets are particularly compelling to them.

Gerrid Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics

Don’t Buy an Email List But Use Opt-in Pages

I don’t recommend buying an existing email list from a third party because the demographics and interests of those people might not fit your target consumer base criteria. Additionally, the chances are high that many of those emails are no longer active. If businesses want to build an email list, I suggest they do so with opt-in pages and exchange value-filled content for the prospect’s contact details. Paid advertisements are the way to go to drive traffic to their opt-in page. Email marketing is beneficial because it helps maximize a business’s potential revenue. However, email marketing works best to nurture existing patrons and develop relationships to increase customer lifetime value.

Tristan Buenconsejo, Founder and Managing Director, TriBu LinkBuilding

Use Giveaway Strategies to Build Email Leads Quickly

A solid strategy for growing targeted email leads fast is to use a giveaway strategy through social media. Giveaways build buzz around a brand by offering discounts or prizes to users who sign up for emails and tag their friends. Giveaways can quickly and effectively persuade many leads to sign up for email subscriptions depending on the prizes. Signing up is low-risk for users and relatively low-cost for businesses that gain additional traffic and conversions from their newfound customers.

To retain new users most efficiently, companies must be sure to follow up these giveaway campaigns with other campaigns designed to engage user action with a brand. If brands fail to follow up, they may see a drop in their newly acquired leads after announcing the winners of the giveaway.

Zach Goldstein, CEO & Founder, Public Rec

Create a Value Proposition on Social Media

Use social media to your advantage. Grow a following there and have a link to your email list for special offers. You need to have a value proposition when getting people to sign up for emails, and that could include a chance to be alerted to new product drops, sales, or even a discount code on their next purchase.

Ann McFerran, CEO, Glamnetic

Personalize Content and Offers

Everyone loves being treated as unique individuals, and when a business accommodates this all-important factor in their email promotions, the response is bound to be favorable. After all, who doesn’t enjoy the right kind of attention? In personalizing email content and even delivering offers that are unique to a customer, a small business is able to provide services that few larger companies can. This helps them stand apart from their competition and gives customers a valid reason to do business with them.

Azmaira Maker, Ph.D., Founding Director, Aspiring Families

Offer Exclusive Content

If your business has a ton of content, you can leverage email sign-ups so that only members can gain access to it. This is an effective way to build up your email list as you’re offering exclusive content in exchange for just an email address. The content you offer them can range from articles and ebooks to even educational courses and videos. If you are an eCommerce site, you may even be able to give your members access to exclusive deals and first-dibs on new releases.

It’s up to you if you want membership to be paid, but if it’s free, make sure this is clear to your audience as most people will be turned away from the initial sign-up request. Offering exclusive content through email sign-ups will help you build a list of valuable members as these are ones who are frequent viewers of your business and website.

Bill Lyons, CEO, Griffin Funding

Collaborate With Other Businesses

One of the best ways to grow your email list is to collaborate with other businesses, especially those in complementary industries. If you’re in e-commerce, partner with a local brick-and-mortar business to offer a discount to customers who sign up for your email list. Or, if you’re a B2B company, collaborate with another business to co-host an event or webinar – you can promote the event through your email list and collect sign-ups at the same time. Collaboration is not only a great way to grow your email list, but also build relationships with other businesses in your industry.

Todd Saunders, General Manager, BIG Safety

Focus on Offering Quality Over Quantity

There are several reasons why focusing on quality over quantity is the best tip for building email lists. First, when businesses focus on quality, they are more likely to attract subscribers who are actually interested in what they have to offer. This means that businesses are more likely to generate leads and sales from their email list.

Secondly, when businesses focus on quality, they are more likely to build a list of subscribers who are less likely to unsubscribe. This means that businesses will be able to keep their email list active for a longer period of time, which will ultimately lead to more leads and sales. Finally, when businesses focus on quality, they are more likely to create a better overall experience for their subscribers. This means that subscribers are more likely to remain on the list and continue to engage with the business.

Farzad Rashidi, Lead Innovator, Respona

Use Social Media Sharing Option in Your Emails

Using the social media sharing option in your emails increases click-through rate (CTR) as compared to not using it. And you can engage more people to become part of your email list. Additionally, you can get many more benefits by adding a social sharing option in your email like: 

– Giving a sharing option to your recipient allows you to increase your reach. If your existing customers like something they share it with their family and co-workers which drives more potential customers to join your email list. 

– It improves your SEO ranking because too many shares on social media engage good traffic and more link backs to your website, which will definitely improve your SEO. 

Remember that, you can further find out which offers people love to share. So you can consider this next time to get more subscribers.

Joe Troyer, Chief Marketing Officer, ReviewGrower

Seek to Build Relationships

It can often be treated like throwing paint at a canvas to see what sticks, but actually, a smaller more purposefully built email list can be much more successful, especially when it comes to press contacts.

Firstly, you will contact people who are actually keen to hear from you, and you won’t be getting highlighted as spam by certain journalists or even entire journalist teams. When growing this list, I think it is best practice to reach out first, introduce yourself and your business and ask them if they would mind you reaching out with future events or announcements. This more personal touch is much more likely to see a positive response, as opposed to them just starting to receive emails from somebody they’ve never interacted with, and a company they’ve never heard from

Alex Mastin, CEO and Founder, Home Grounds

Start as Early as You Can

Start as early as you can. It’s like with investing: it’s always a good time to start but you always wish you bought that Bitcoin in 2012. As soon as you start getting your first leads, sign-ups, or customers, add them to the email list (of course, you need to ask first). Even if you don’t start sending them emails right away, you’ll have them in your database and you can always come back to them.

Marelle Ellen, CMO, Promoty

Offer a Free Product or Service to Collect Emails

One tactic I’ve found to be quite effective for building an email list is to give away a free product or service. To be clear, the product or service shouldn’t require much time, effort or money. For example, if you operate a local bakery, think about offering a free mini cookie if the person signs up for your email newsletter. If you operate a law firm, it could be an invite to a free 30-minute webinar with a licensed attorney. The key is the free product or service should be enticing enough to lure the consumer to sign-up for your email list, but not enough to completely satisfy their needs.

Alaina Ross, Co-Founder & Registered Nurse, Sleep Family

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! 🙂

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


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