9 Gen Z-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

9 Gen Z-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

9 Gen Z-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

In the quest to captivate the Gen-Z audience with email marketing, we’ve gathered insights from nine marketing experts, including content strategists and CEOs. From creating clear, concise, and visual content to sending infrequent, high-quality emails, discover how to make your email campaigns resonate with the youngest, digitally-savvy generation.

  • Create Clear, Concise, Visual Content
  • Embrace Authenticity and Relatability
  • Highlight Social Responsibility
  • Incorporate Visual Storytelling
  • Optimize for Mobile
  • Include Peer Reviews and User Content
  • Personalize with Interactivity and Relevance
  • Showcase Diversity and Inclusivity
  • Send Infrequent, High-Quality Emails

Create Clear, Concise, Visual Content

My top tip for making your email marketing Gen-Z-friendly would be to write clear and concise copy. It has to convey your message clearly, swiftly, and in a straightforward manner. Given their short attention spans, the key is to hook them immediately. What’s more, I have found visual elements, like images, videos, and even emojis, to be incredibly helpful when creating content for Gen-Z.

Ahsan RazaAhsan Raza
Content Strategist and Copywriter, Qureos


Embrace Authenticity and Relatability

Keep it authentic. Gen-Z values genuine connection and transparency. Ditch the corporate jargon and speak their language. Share stories, behind-the-scenes content, and make it relatable. They’ll engage with brands that feel like a friend, not a faceless entity.

Casey JonesCasey Jones
Founder, Head of Marketing, CJ&CO


Highlight Social Responsibility

One of the most important things you can do to make your email marketing as Gen-Z-friendly as possible is to emphasize authenticity and corporate social responsibility. Gen-Z loves authentic connections and brands that stand up for social causes.

From our work at Messente, we’ve found that sending messages demonstrating your brand’s commitment to causes that matter to Gen-Z consumers can dramatically boost engagement rates. In addition, research shows that Gen-Z shoppers are 60% more likely to buy from companies that stand up for the causes they care about.

Personal stories are one of the most important ways to connect with Gen-Z. For example, when we ran a campaign highlighting our sustainability initiatives, younger audiences responded positively to the message and the transparency and narrative behind our efforts.

Communicating with Gen-Z is about more than just transactions. It’s about building trust, communicating your values, and telling a story that aligns with them. When you do this, you’ll not only capture their attention, but you’ll also build a long-term customer base.

Uku TomikasUku Tomikas
CEO, Messente


Incorporate Visual Storytelling

Focus on visual storytelling and interactivity when engaging Gen-Z in your email marketing.

Growing up in a digital-first era, immersive experiences and engaging visuals capture and retain the attention of this generation. Incorporate rich media, when you can, from GIFs, videos, and interactive elements, such as polls or quizzes, into your email marketing.

Aside from being engaging, this also makes your email content shareable to their friends and followers, thereby expanding your reach. By leveraging these dynamic elements, you are creating memorable experiences that resonate well with your Gen-Z market and, at the same time, opening up an opportunity to develop a relationship and build a community through conversations that they look forward to in their inbox.

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


Optimize for Mobile

As the founder and CEO of Cleartail Marketing, I’ve spearheaded several campaigns that successfully engaged the Gen-Z audience, learning vital strategies along the way. Our approach has always been to blend data-driven insights with creative content to capture this vibrant demographic’s attention.

For instance, we achieved a 5,000% ROI on a Google AdWords campaign by tailoring our messaging to resonate with Gen-Z’s values and digital behaviors, demonstrating the power of aligning content with audience preferences.

One tip I’d emphasize for making your email marketing more Gen-Z friendly is to prioritize mobile optimization and visual content. Gen-Z is predominantly mobile-first, meaning they’re more likely to engage with your email if it’s easy to navigate on their smartphones. We’ve found significant success by incorporating visually appealing elements like GIFs, short videos, and high-quality images that align with the message’s essence, making the email content not only more attractive but also more digestible.

For example, integrating an interactive infographic in an email campaign increased our click-through rate by integrating engagement directly within the content, catering to Gen-Z’s preference for interactive and visually stimulating media.

Moreover, authenticity and personalization are key. In our LinkedIn outreach and Google listing campaigns, we personalized our messages to reflect the recipient’s interests and behaviors, which dramatically increased engagement rates. We learned that Gen-Z appreciates when brands take the time to understand them and tailor content accordingly. This demographic values transparency and relatability, so sharing real stories behind your brand or showcasing user-generated content can significantly enhance the authenticity of your communication, making your email marketing efforts more effective with Gen-Z.

Magee CleggMagee Clegg
CEO, Cleartail Marketing


Include Peer Reviews and User Content

Marketing to Gen Z effectively requires connecting with them on a deeper level. They need to feel like they can relate—so they rely more on peer reviews than on brand advertising, especially in email marketing.

Peer reviews are central to 82% of Gen Z’s buying decisions, making it a good strategy to include client testimonials and reviews in email marketing, as well as any relevant user-generated content from customers in this age category. At Marketized, we have adapted to this, and we highlight UGC (user-generated content) whenever fitting.

Ioana MarinIoana Marin
Co-Founder, Marketized


Personalize with Interactivity and Relevance

To make your email marketing resonate with Gen-Z, it’s essential to tailor your messages to their interests and communication preferences. My top tip centers on interactivity and personalization. Gen-Z values authenticity and meaningful engagement. Therefore, incorporate interactive elements like quizzes or polls that not only entertain but also provide value by understanding their preferences.

This approach creates a two-way conversation, making them feel heard and connected. Personalize your content by weaving in topics they care about, based on their past interactions with your brand. By adopting this strategy, you make every email an opportunity for Gen-Z to connect with your brand on a deeper level, based on their terms and needs.

Valentin RaduValentin Radu
CEO & Founder, Blogger, Speaker, Podcaster, Omniconvert


Showcase Diversity and Inclusivity

Gen-Z highly values diversity and inclusivity, wanting to see themselves and their peers reflected in the marketing content they consume. Incorporate images, stories, and testimonials from a diverse range of customers in your email marketing.

Showcasing real people of different backgrounds, identities, and lifestyles not only resonates more deeply with this generation but also strengthens your brand’s commitment to inclusivity. This approach fosters a sense of community and connection, making your campaigns more relatable and appealing to a Gen-Z audience.

Alex TaylorAlex Taylor
Head of Marketing, SEO Specialists, CrownTV


Send Infrequent, High-Quality Emails

People, especially young people, don’t love email marketing. Frankly, a lot of email marketing is indistinguishable from spam. The rub is that email is one of the easiest ways for organizations to get in front of potential customers.

And Gen Z is a prime market segment. But they don’t want to be nagged. The key is to make your emails infrequent but good. Think highlight reel, not a congressional hearing. Gen Z wants snappy and to-the-point. That’s what your email marketing should be.

Temmo KinoshitaTemmo Kinoshita
Co-Founder, Lindenwood Marketing


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8 Tips for Dark Mode in Email Design

8 Tips for Dark Mode in Email Design

8 Tips for Dark Mode in Email Design

In the evolving world of email marketing, adapting to dark mode can be a game-changer, so we’ve gathered eight tips from top designers and marketing experts. From embracing contrast without simple inversion to designing with dynamic backgrounds and adjusting imagery, these professionals, including a senior graphic designer and a marketing director, provide their best advice for crafting emails that shine in any theme.

  • Embrace Contrast, Avoid Simple Inversion
  • Outline Graphics, Use Creative Shapes
  • Utilize Transparent PNGs, Muted Colors
  • Select Soft Colors, Test Extensively
  • Test Brand Colors Across Modes
  • Understand Client-Specific Dark Mode Rendering
  • Avoid Vibrant Colors, Use Subdued Tones
  • Design with Dynamic Backgrounds, Adjust Imagery

Embrace Contrast, Avoid Simple Inversion

Make contrast your guiding star in dark mode, but remember that simple color inversion isn’t the only solution—carefully consider how each element in your design (text, colors, images) will translate to a dark background to ensure readability and avoid harsh, eye-straining combinations.

Think light text on dark backgrounds. But it’s more nuanced than just inverting everything. If you have colored elements or images within your email, carefully evaluate whether light-on-dark or dark-on-light works best for that particular item. Selective inversion is key.

Ihor KirpichnikovIhor Kirpichnikov
Senior Graphic Designer, Ikagency.com


Outline Graphics, Use Creative Shapes

Ensuring your email graphics stand out in both light and dark modes requires careful consideration and creative solutions. When designing for dark mode, one key technique is to outline any dark and transparent elements with a white stroke. This contrast ensures that your graphics remain visible and impactful, regardless of the background.

However, to truly enhance the visual appeal and maintain the fun element in your campaigns, consider incorporating white backgrounds into your graphics—but with a twist. Instead of settling for plain, rectangular backgrounds, frame your graphics with interesting, unique shapes. This strategy not only makes your content pop in dark mode but also adds an element of surprise and creativity that can captivate your audience.

Experiment with different shapes and designs like arches, rounded corners, or other unexpected forms to give your graphics a distinctive look. The key is to select shapes that complement your overall design while ensuring they remain invisible in light mode for a seamless experience. This approach not only addresses the visibility issue in dark mode but also elevates the aesthetic appeal of your emails, making them more engaging for your subscribers.

Remember, the objective is to balance functionality with creativity. By implementing these strategies, you can create email campaigns that are not only accessible in both light and dark modes but also memorable and engaging for your audience.

Amber AndrewsAmber Andrews
CEO and Digital Artist, Andrews Artistry


Utilize Transparent PNGs, Muted Colors

One critical tip for creating email designs that are dark mode-friendly is to use transparent PNGs for your images. This ensures that your logos, icons, and other graphical elements seamlessly adapt to both light and dark backgrounds without the need for alternative versions. In one of our recent projects, we found that emails incorporating transparent PNG images significantly increased engagement rates in dark mode settings, as they retained their visual integrity and allure without appearing out of place or jarring against the dark background.

Another aspect we’ve focused on is the adaptation of colors. In emails designed for dark mode, it’s crucial to select colors that are muted yet distinguishable in a dark setting. For instance, using pastel shades or softer tones of primary colors can enhance readability without causing eye strain. We’ve applied this approach in designing email templates for a campaign, resulting in a 15% higher open rate in dark mode users compared to previous campaigns. The key was in meticulous A/B testing, where we tweaked color schemes and measured user engagement across both modes, honing in on a palette that works harmoniously in both light and dark settings.

Lastly, it’s not just about the visual elements; textual content must also be optimized for dark mode. We use lighter font colors that are not stark white but rather off-white or light gray, which reduces glare and makes reading more comfortable. Our experience showed that this subtle shift in font color can significantly reduce bounce rates from emails viewed in dark mode.

In sum, designing for dark mode in email campaigns is a nuanced process that requires a careful balance of visuals and text, alongside rigorous testing to perfect. Through transparent imagery application, muted color selection, and font color adjustments, we’ve been able to craft emails that resonate well with users irrespective of their display preferences.

Dylan CleppeDylan Cleppe
Co-Founder & CEO, OneStop Northwest LLC


Select Soft Colors, Test Extensively

A significant part of creating an engaging customer experience is ensuring emails look great across all viewing modes, including dark mode, which has gained popularity among users for its aesthetics and reduced eye strain.

One strategy that has proven effective is the careful selection and use of colors that perform well in both light and dark modes. For instance, we avoid using absolute blacks or whites for backgrounds and text. Instead, opting for softer shades of gray as backgrounds and off-white for text can significantly improve readability and visual appeal in dark mode. This nuanced approach helped us enhance the open and engagement rates of our email campaigns since it preserves the email’s aesthetic integrity across different user preferences.

Furthermore, we’ve emphasized the importance of testing emails in various environments. This includes using email design tools that offer previews in both light and dark modes. Testing isn’t just about ensuring the email doesn’t break; it’s also about fine-tuning the visual experience to ensure that elements like logos, images, and buttons are clearly visible and attractive in dark mode. This level of attention to detail has been crucial in driving desired actions from our subscribers, regardless of their default viewing mode.

Incorporating dynamic content in our emails has also added a layer of personalization that resonates well in any mode. For example, by using dynamic content blocks, we ensure that product images and personalized recommendations look great against both light and dark backgrounds, creating a seamless experience that boosts engagement and drives conversion.

In conclusion, mastering email designs for dark mode isn’t just about flipping a switch on color schemes; it involves thoughtful design, extensive testing, and leveraging the right tools to ensure your emails engage and convert, no matter the user’s preference. Through meticulous attention to detail and an understanding of user environments, we’ve been able to create email campaigns that stand out.

Steve PogsonSteve Pogson
Founder, First Pier


Test Brand Colors Across Modes

If your brand has specific colors, ensure they are adaptable to both light and dark modes. Test your brand colors in different modes to make sure they remain visually appealing and maintain brand consistency.

Dark mode typically reduces the brightness of colors, so it helps to adjust the brightness and saturation of them to ensure they maintain their vibrancy and visibility in a dark environment. You may need to slightly lighten or modify the colors for optimal visibility and consider different shades that are adaptable in both modes.

Dark mode implementations can vary across different platforms, operating systems, and devices. Therefore, I find it vital to test your brand colors in various environments to ensure they are well-represented regardless of the specific dark mode implementation.

Ray WangRay Wang
Principal, RW Digital


Understand Client-Specific Dark Mode Rendering

Familiarize yourself with the differences between email clients first. Each email client is unique, with its own set of features, capabilities, and programming. This issue even affects how dark mode appears in different email clients, whether on mobile, desktop, or other platforms.

Every client has its own way of showing dark mode, based on its rendering engine. This leads to a lack of a uniform standard for how dark mode should appear across devices. The way dark mode is rendered can vary, creating inconsistencies in the user experience.

In some situations, even when a user switches their device to dark mode, the email might still be shown in the regular, light mode. This mismatch between light and dark modes can be uncomfortable for some readers’ eyes. However, doing partial color inversions, like reversing a light background to dark and dark text to light, tends to work well for most people as it strikes a balance.

To make sure your emails look right and are easy to read, it’s important to keep up with the latest on email clients. Know which ones have dark mode. Keep an eye on their software updates and changes in features. Then, use this information to create the best possible emails for dark mode.

Precious AbacanPrecious Abacan
Marketing Director, Softlist


Avoid Vibrant Colors, Use Subdued Tones

Avoid using pure white in your color scheme if you can; I’d recommend going for something off-white or light gray where a lighter touch is needed. It makes a pretty significant difference for dark-mode emails while maintaining a relatively bright look and feel if that is part of your branding.

Generally speaking, you want to stay away from vibrant colors when planning content for dark mode, because they will appear overly bright and harsh against most dark backgrounds. Stick with using them for backgrounds, which works best as a little pop, in my experience.

Dragos BadeaDragos Badea
CEO, Yarooms


Design with Dynamic Backgrounds, Adjust Imagery

One actionable tip we’ve implemented with success is designing emails with a dynamic background. Instead of selecting a solid color background, we utilize a CSS trick that allows the background to automatically switch between light and dark themes based on the user’s preference. This ensures that the email’s background never clashes with devices set to dark mode, enhancing readability and overall visual comfort.

This approach not only elevates the user experience but also subtly underlines our brand’s attention to detail and responsiveness to user preferences. Another key aspect is the careful selection and adjustment of imagery to suit both modes. We’ve found that adding a white border around dark images or logos significantly improves their visibility in dark mode. This simple yet effective trick prevents images from blending into the background, ensuring they remain eye-catching and effective regardless of the user’s theme settings.

In our experience, this minor adjustment has led to higher engagement rates, as visuals continue to play a pivotal role in email marketing effectiveness. Furthermore, in our email designs for dark mode, we prioritize the use of softer, neutral tones for text to minimize eye strain. This adjustment aims to cater to the increasing screen time and the resultant user fatigue, ensuring that our messages remain engaging and accessible. Our A/B testing has shown that emails optimized for readability in both light and dark modes have a higher open rate and prolonged engagement, underlining the significance of thoughtful, inclusive design practices.

The journey to optimizing emails for dark mode is iterative, relying on continuous testing and adaptation to refine the user experience. Through these practices, we’ve managed to stay responsive to user preferences, ensuring our digital communication remains effective, inclusive, and considerate of our diverse audience’s needs.

Rex LiuRex Liu
Chief Revenue Officer, GoSite


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12 Email Marketing Tips for One-Person Teams

12 Email Marketing Tips for One-Person Teams

12 Email Marketing Tips for One-Person Teams

Solo email marketers, brace yourselves for a treasure trove of wisdom directly from the minds of founders and marketing managers. From focusing on quality over volume to balancing customization with volume, discover the top twelve strategies and resources they recommend to elevate your email marketing game.

  • Focus on Quality Over Volume
  • Leverage Email Automation Tools
  • Quantify Revenue Contribution
  • Utilize AI for Refined Messaging
  • Integrate SEO in Email Content
  • Consider Outsourcing Tasks
  • Use AI-Powered Writing Tools
  • Maintain a Clean Email List
  • Maximize Efficiency with Templates
  • Avoid Over-Customizing Emails
  • Embrace Scale in Email Marketing
  • Balance Customization with Volume

Focus on Quality Over Volume

Simple. Focus on quality, not volume. Results, not campaigns sent. Spend your time wisely understanding the target demographic, creating an irresistible offer, and positioning the product or service in the right way, and you can outperform larger teams tenfold—every damn day of the week.

Casey JonesCasey Jones
Founder, Head of Marketing, CJ&CO


Leverage Email Automation Tools

My top tip for a one-person email marketing team is to leverage automation. Email marketing automation tools can help you manage your time and resources efficiently, allowing you to schedule campaigns, segment your audience, and personalize your messages with ease. This not only increases your productivity but also enhances the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Ours is one such too, which offers robust features for managing and automating your email marketing efforts. It allows you to create automated sequences based on specific triggers, ensuring your emails are timely and relevant.

Additionally, continuously educate yourself about the latest trends and best practices in email marketing. Resources like the blogs of HubSpot, Litmus, and Smartlead offer valuable insights.

Remember, the key is not to do everything manually but to work smarter by leveraging the right tools and staying updated with industry trends.

Alka GuptaAlka Gupta
Content Marketing Lead, Smartlead.ai


Quantify Revenue Contribution

As a one-person email marketing team, I highly suggest quantifying how much revenue you generate through your email marketing campaigns and asking for a percentage as commission.

For example, if your goal is to generate email leads, find out what percentage of leads buy and what their CLV (Customer Lifetime Value) is. From here, you can say, “I generated 10,000 email subscribers, and because 1 out of 20 email subscribers end up buying and the average CLV is $300, I made $150,000 for this company.”

Even if your bosses aren’t willing to give you a commission on the revenue you generated, you can use this calculation to stand out when applying for jobs in the future.

Scott LiebermanScott Lieberman
Owner, Touchdown Money


Utilize AI for Refined Messaging

For a one-person email marketing team, my top tip is to harness the power of AI, like ChatGPT, to refine your messaging. It’s crucial to get feedback, and in the absence of a team, AI can provide valuable insights and suggestions to enhance your email campaigns. This approach allows you to continuously improve your content, making it more engaging and effective. Embrace AI as your virtual teammate to elevate your email marketing strategy.

Justin SilvermanJustin Silverman
Founder & CEO, Merchynt


Integrate SEO in Email Content

One essential tip I’d offer to a one-person email marketing team is to prioritize the integration of SEO best practices within your email content. By ensuring your newsletters are rich in relevant keywords and valuable content, you’re not only engaging your subscribers but also increasing the odds of your emails being shared and potentially featured in online content, amplifying your reach.

To aid in this endeavor, tools like Ahrefs for keyword research and Google Analytics for tracking engagement can be invaluable. Consider crafting a comprehensive content calendar that aligns with your SEO strategy to maintain consistency and relevance in your communication.

Alex TaylorAlex Taylor
Head of Marketing, SEO Specialists, Digital Signage


Consider Outsourcing Tasks

Don’t hesitate to outsource. Being the only person on a marketing team doesn’t mean you must handle everything alone. I’ve been in that position, and trying to do it all just stretches you too thin. Honestly, there are times when you need additional assistance.

For instance, if you’re particularly good at something critical to your business, like writing or graphic design, then continue doing it. But for other tasks, it might be smart to bring in specialists.

In such situations, I recommend hiring freelancers or virtual assistants (VAs). There are many VAs available online who can handle repetitive tasks (like posting content on various platforms) efficiently and quickly. This approach can be cost-effective, as these individuals work independently, meaning you don’t incur office-related expenses!

Lucas OchoaLucas Ochoa
Founder & CEO, Automat


Use AI-Powered Writing Tools

For solo email marketers, my best tip is to take advantage of AI-powered tools instead of spending hours writing everything from scratch. Services like HoppyCopy can generate email sequences, newsletters, and various email campaigns really quickly with minimum guidance.

With everything that goes into marketing, this is the only way a solo marketer can compete with large teams and established brands. AI tools also allow you to A/B test your marketing messages to see what converts best.

Juliet DreamhunterJuliet Dreamhunter
Founder & AI Strategist, Juliety


Maintain a Clean Email List

Building and maintaining a clean email list is crucial for the success of your email marketing efforts, especially for a one-person email marketing team! A clean email list helps improve deliverability, and when you regularly remove inactive or invalid email addresses, it reduces the chances of your emails being marked as spam, ultimately ensuring that your messages reach the intended recipients’ inboxes.

Cleaning your email list also helps reduce bounce rates. Bounces can occur when you send emails to invalid or non-existent addresses, so keeping your list up-to-date minimizes these bounces, contributing to better email deliverability.

It helps to dedicate some time each week to maintain your lists and to simplify some processes to make it easier when there is only one person monitoring. Implement an email verification process for new subscribers to ensure that the provided email addresses are valid. This can prevent issues with bouncing and improve deliverability. Also, provide opportunities for subscribers to update their preferences, including email frequency and content preferences. This helps you tailor your emails and retain engaged subscribers.

Lastly, providing opportunities for subscribers to update their preferences, including email frequency and content preferences, helps you tailor your emails and retain engaged subscribers.

Ray WangRay Wang
Principal, RW Digital


Maximize Efficiency with Templates

One key tip I’d offer to a solo email marketing team is to leverage tools and templates to maximize efficiency. With limited resources, automation and pre-designed templates can be lifesavers. They should utilize email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or HubSpot for automation and A/B testing. This can save them time and help improve campaign effectiveness.

Additionally, they should also explore pre-made templates offered by these platforms or design resources like Canva to maintain a professional look without spending excessive time on design. By streamlining the processes, they can free up more time to focus on creating compelling content and nurturing customer relationships.

Johannes LarssonJohannes Larsson
Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com


Avoid Over-Customizing Emails

Don’t over-customize the emails. While personalization and customization are the keys to grabbing your target customer’s attention, taking them too far might lead you to the spam folder. Knowing too much about the reader might make them feel uncomfortable, leading to a negative perception of the brand. This can raise privacy concerns, which can lead to less trust.

There is a possibility that instead of clicking and being impressed by the email, they might mark you as spam. Create a thin line between customization and over-customization and know where to stop. This will help you take better advantage of customizing while making sure you convert your readers into customers.

Len GaugerLen Gauger
Owner, Connect Space


Embrace Scale in Email Marketing

If you’re a one-person email marketing team, my biggest tip would be to re-evaluate your perception of scale and volume in your email marketing effort. Typically, the success of an email program has quite a bit to do with scale—things like the number of customers you have, how frequently you mail, the size of your email list, and so forth. The number you likely have in your head that you think is “big enough” to have results is probably one or two orders of magnitude too small.

Therefore, do not be afraid to aggressively grow your list or send out emails more frequently. While keeping quality high is really important, subscribers are not always as sensitive to volume as marketers fear. The lack of instantaneous feedback also means that it can take a while for everything to shake out and for you to learn what works and what doesn’t.

Focus on building and nurturing your list, experiment with your campaigns, and always be prepared to scale your efforts. By doing so, you’ll not only meet but potentially exceed the results you’re aiming for.

Blake SmithBlake Smith
Marketing Manager, ClockOn


Balance Customization with Volume

If you’re solo-nailing it, by far your scarcest resource is time. Always give your hour an arbitrary number, and never do anything manually if there is a paid alternative that costs less. It’s a numbers game: If you hand-write perfect emails with a 95% open rate, it’s still not effective if you can only churn out a handful a day.

On the flip side, completely lackluster and generic campaigns that yield a 5% open rate burn through leads without squeezing enough value out of them. The sweet spot, obviously, is in the middle: Customize just enough to have an as-high-as-possible rate of contacts with as-high-as-possible open rates.

Instead of very few huge campaigns, run a lot more smaller campaigns where you experiment until you’ve found the right threshold for your audience.

Thomas StroblThomas Strobl
Founder, Fugoya


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6 Reasons Why Readers Unsubscribe (and What to Do About It)

6 Reasons Why Readers Unsubscribe (and What to Do About It)

6 Reasons Why Readers Unsubscribe (and What to Do About It)

Understanding why readers might hit “unsubscribe” can be crucial for maintaining a strong email list, so we’ve gathered insights from content marketers and digital strategists to help. From managing email frequency and being authentic to avoiding email spam triggers, explore six expert strategies to keep your subscribers engaged and prevent them from leaving.

  • Manage Email Frequency and Be Authentic
  • Provide Value-Driven Content
  • Nurture Kindred Spirits, Avoid Sales Pitch Overload
  • Personalize Beyond First Names
  • Optimize Emails for Mobile Devices
  • Avoid Email Spam Triggers

Manage Email Frequency and Be Authentic

One prevalent cause for email unsubscribes revolves around the sheer volume of messages bombarding inboxes. Surprisingly, 78% of users opt out when they feel inundated by emails, as per a recent study.

Businesses can avert this by meticulously managing their email frequency, allowing users the autonomy to select their preferred communication cadence. Moreover, a lack of authenticity in content can also lead to disengagement. This is where leveraging user-generated content (UGC) comes into play. Incorporating genuine content from users not only adds authenticity but also enhances the overall email experience.

Striking a delicate balance in communication frequency and integrating authentic content ensures not only subscriber retention but also establishes a more meaningful connection with the audience.

Adrija MilanAdrija Milan
Content Marketer, Tagbox


Provide Value-Driven Content

People unsubscribe because they don’t see value in your content. Always try to think of your audience first and what they’ll find valuable. It can be tempting to want to focus on your new product and all the fancy bells and whistles, but if you don’t relate it back to your audience and why they should care, you’ll lose them. Instead of ‘our product does X,’ reframe it as ‘we just solved your pain point.’

Liz KelleyLiz Kelley
Content Marketing Manager, Focus Lab


Nurture Kindred Spirits, Avoid Sales Pitch Overload

An unpopular truth is that not every lead is worth keeping. In chasing broad appeal, we water down our vision and strain to contort it for the wrong fits. Readers sense when our message rings hollow and tune out.

Rather than bend over backward trying to retain each subscriber, we should nurture only kindred spirits who resonate with our core ethos. This allows us to create truer connections and deepen engagement within that tribe.

Beyond that, readers flee from relentless selling. They seek enrichment, not conversion with each email. We prevent unsubscribes by leading with value, not pitches. Share what inspires you and brings more light to readers’ lives.

If your editorial calendar revolves around product launches, promos, and profit, expect bounces. Instead, cultivate engagement through impact and meaning.

Organizations so often obsess over scale when niche focus breeds truer success. Our tribe may be smaller, but engagement runs far deeper. And isn’t that what we’re all truly chasing?

Mona Kirstein, Ph.D.Mona Kirstein, Ph.D.
Digital Strategist, Holistic Coach & Consultant, The Wholehearted Path


Personalize Beyond First Names

A lack of personalization within the email is a huge reason why readers unsubscribe. While having their first name is a great start, software makes it quite easy nowadays to customize an email further, for example, to include content narrowed down to a topic of interest.

For our e-commerce websites and clients, for example, we ask the subscriber for the types of products they’re interested in and email them only about these products rather than a larger email with less personalization.

Germaine MullerGermaine Muller
Founder & Managing Director, Futuretheory


Optimize Emails for Mobile Devices

Not optimizing email correspondence for the requirements of mobile phones is one reason many internet users decide to unsubscribe.

Society, dependent on smartphones, values clear, immediate, and user-friendly communication. An individual has no time for second-guessing. So, if the message does not adhere to the specifications needed for display on mobile devices, one can be sure their recipients will lose interest in their content.

The market is saturated with businesses that want to captivate the audience’s attention. If you don’t want to lag behind due to unsuitable technicalities, consider hiring a professional. An experienced UX designer will optimize your content to meet the expectations of mobile users. They will ensure the message you want to share is legible and plausible at first glance.

Losing subscribers is the worst scenario for any marketer. Time is money, so make sure your correspondence does not require further deciphering.

Martyna SzczesniakMartyna Szczesniak
Community Expert, MyPerfectResume


Avoid Email Spam Triggers

One main reason readers unsubscribe is when the email content triggers spam filters, making the whole email look like spam. To prevent this, focus on avoiding spam triggers in your email campaigns. Create concise and relevant subject lines, use a balanced mix of text and images, and avoid excessive use of all caps or exclamation points.

By being mindful of spam filters and delivering valuable, non-intrusive content, you can increase the chances of keeping your audience engaged and reducing unsubscribes.

Johannes LarssonJohannes Larsson
Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com


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9 Millennial-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

9 Millennial-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

9 Millennial-Friendly Email Marketing Tips

To engage the millennial audience effectively through email marketing, we’ve gathered insights from industry experts, including growth strategists and marketing managers. From incorporating visuals and transparency to ensuring your emails come with a name, explore the nine savvy tips these professionals recommend for making your email marketing resonate with millennials.

  • Incorporate Visuals and Transparency
  • Leverage the P.S. Statement
  • Keep Emails Short and to the Point
  • Personalize Content and Optimize for Mobile
  • Emphasize Cultural Sensitivity in Content
  • Craft Irresistible Subject Lines
  • Embrace Visual Storytelling
  • Highlight Sustainability Efforts
  • Ensure Emails Have a Name Attached

Incorporate Visuals and Transparency

Studies indicate that 64% of millennials find email newsletters effective for brand connections. Notably, email is a potent channel, influencing the purchase decisions of 50.7% of millennial customers. So, here are three elements that you can implement to make your email more millennial-friendly.

First and foremost, visuals are crucial for marketing, no matter your audience, so here’s where we’ll start. Focus on visually engaging content that both grabs attention and is authentic. Millennials care about a business’s values, so keep consistent and transparent.

Also, ensure that your emails are mobile-friendly. The majority of millennials tend to check their emails before their workday and much prefer email marketing compared to other channels. Optimize the design for smaller screens.

Finally, create a strong call to action that prompts millennials to take immediate and clear steps. Whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for an event, or sharing content on social media, a compelling CTA enhances engagement and encourages action.

Michaella MastersMichaella Masters
Growth Strategist, Codific


Leverage the P.S. Statement

One tip for making your email marketing more millennial-friendly is to creatively utilize the P.S. statement. Millennials, known for their quick consumption of content, often skim emails. A compelling postscript at the end of your emails can catch their attention and deliver a punchy, memorable message.

Use this space for your most important call to action, a special discount code, or an intriguing piece of information. This not only revives interest but also adds a personal touch, making it more likely for millennials to engage with your content and take the desired action.

Jaya IyerJaya Iyer
Marketing Manager, Teranga Digital Marketing LTD


Keep Emails Short and to the Point

Do you want to appeal to millennials with your email marketing? Here’s a great piece of advice: Make sure it’s brief, sharp, and visually appealing!

Emails should be concise and effective because millennials value material that is short and to the point. Create compelling subject lines that will make readers curious and want to click through. Remember to include visually stimulating content in your emails, such as pictures or videos, to increase reader engagement and sharing. These pointers can help you draw in millennials and increase the exposure and interaction of your business.

Simon BriskSimon Brisk
Founder and SEO Strategist, Click Intelligence


Personalize Content and Optimize for Mobile

One tip I can offer is to personalize your content and make it relevant to their interests and preferences. Millennials value authenticity and personalized experiences, so tailoring your email campaigns to their specific needs can significantly improve engagement. Segment your email list based on demographics, behaviors, or preferences, and create targeted content that resonates with each segment.

Incorporate dynamic content, such as personalized recommendations or exclusive offers, to make the emails feel more personalized and relevant. Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure that your emails are mobile-friendly, as millennials heavily rely on mobile devices for email consumption.

By personalizing your content and optimizing for mobile, you can make your email marketing more appealing and effective for millennial audiences.

Travis WillisTravis Willis
Director of Customer Success, Aspire


Emphasize Cultural Sensitivity in Content

Don’t be a tone-deaf brand. Millennials care about societal issues, so do your best to be culturally sensitive. This is just one of the steps needed to make them loyal customers. You may not be particularly memorable to them at first, but accidentally rolling out controversial content may prove to be detrimental to all future marketing efforts, even beyond their inbox.

Kristel KongasKristel Kongas
CMO, Inboxy OÜ


Craft Irresistible Subject Lines

Crafting irresistible subject lines is pivotal for effective, millennial-friendly email marketing. Engaging headlines capture attention instantly, ensuring your message stands out in cluttered inboxes.

Create subject lines that resonate with the millennial mindset, offering value and relevance. Tailor them to spark curiosity, driving recipients to open emails eagerly. This approach aligns with millennials’ preference for succinct, compelling content that adds immediate value to their lives.

By adopting this strategy, your emails become more than just messages; they become invitations to discover valuable insights, promotions, or opportunities. This straightforward and results-oriented technique enhances the likelihood of your emails being noticed and acted upon in the fast-paced digital landscape, aligning with millennials’ desire for efficiency and meaningful interactions.

Kate ChervenKate Cherven
Marketing Specialist, United Site Services


Embrace Visual Storytelling

The number-one way I make my email marketing content truly millennial-friendly is by embracing visual storytelling through dynamic mediums versus long blocks of text.

Our generation consumes information faster on mobile with limited attention spans. Though I love writing comprehensive side-hustle guides, cramming that much heavy copy into inboxes simply doesn’t compel or retain millennials.

Instead, I focus my subscriber communications on punchy money stats paired with vibrant graphics, optimizing for small screens. I also thread bite-sized side-hustle advice across mini-series emails, building anticipation rather than overloaded one-offs.

The key is conveying financial education visually through easily “skimmable” formats, relying more on strong imagery versus dense paragraphs. Striking graphics, minimalist formatting, and transparency are essentials.

Since tailoring my newsletters for millennial consumption habits, click-through rates have doubled. Remember, writing less while spotlighting visuals makes all the difference for modern audiences. Putting legibility and creativity first resonates much stronger!

Brian MeiggsBrian Meiggs
Founder, My Millennial Guide


Highlight Sustainability Efforts

Millennials are socially conscious consumers who frequently choose brands that are committed to sustainability and social responsibility. In your email campaigns, highlight your brand’s environmentally-friendly methods, ethical sourcing, and community involvement. Share stories about your activities and relationships that help make the world a better place.

By demonstrating your commitment to making a positive difference, you’re more likely to connect with millennials, who actively seek brands that share their beliefs.

Adam CrosslingAdam Crossling
Marketing and New Business Director, Zenzero


Ensure Emails Have a Name Attached

We have to consider that many millennials have encountered an array of spam- and virus-laden emails during the internet’s heyday. They’re more cautious when it comes to opening emails, particularly from senders they’re unfamiliar with.

One vital tip for making your email marketing friendly for millennials is to ensure your email campaign appears genuine and personal. This can be achieved by using a legitimate email with a domain name, preferably one that includes the name of an employee.

For example, company emails starting with ‘info@’ often appear impersonal and are therefore more likely to be dismissed or even flagged as spam. By incorporating a personal touch to your email campaigns, you can build trust and rapport among millennial customers.

David Rubie-ToddDavid Rubie-Todd
Co-Founder and Marketing Head, Sticker It


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Don’t End Up in the Spam Folder: 10 Subject Line Mistakes to Avoid

Don't End Up in the Spam Folder: 10 Subject Line Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t End Up in the Spam Folder: 10 Subject Line Mistakes to Avoid

Navigating the treacherous waters of email marketing requires knowing what not to do, especially for crafting that critical subject line. We’ve gathered insights from copywriters and content marketing managers, among others, to pinpoint the top ten subject line missteps that could doom your emails to the spam folder. From avoiding salesy language to skipping dollar signs or mentions of cost, here’s what the experts have to say.

  • Leading with Salesy Words
  • Utilizing All-Caps Text
  • Writing with Spammy Words
  • Adding Exclamation Marks
  • Using Vague, Irrelevant Language
  • Leaving Your Subject Line Incomplete
  • Misleading with the “RE” Prefix
  • Not Naming the Recipient
  • Aggravating with False Urgency
  • Including Dollar Signs or Cost

Leading with Salesy Words

Since teaming up with Michelle Paulhus, our E-Commerce & Retention Director (aka guru of all things e-commerce and email), we agreed to ditch the salesy subject lines.

We keep them short, sweet, and just plain fun—sometimes riffing on a joke that pays off in the newsletter, asking a ridiculous question, or something that seems random but sparks curiosity in the email. Keep them fresh, fun, and full of surprises!

Madeline Soules
Copywriter, OLIPOP


Utilizing All-Caps Text

I’ve written thousands of content pieces online since 2011, and one of several things that has helped me stand out from the rest is avoiding capital letters and exclamation marks. I’m guilty of it too. I used to add exclamation marks to look cool.

The same applies to email subject lines as well. People have short attention spans, and when they see capital letters in subject lines, it sure gets them to pay attention, but it also raises red flags. I’ve never opened an email with all-caps subject lines.

Imagine me writing this in all caps or title case with an exclamation mark!

Shubham DaveyShubham Davey
SEO Copywriter Growing Blogs Organically, Prachar Max


Writing with Spammy Words

A critical mistake is using spammy words in subject lines. These words can trigger spam filters, causing your emails to be missed by your audience and harming your sender reputation.

Words like “free,” “guarantee,” and “limited-time offer” are common culprits. Steering clear of these terms not only helps your emails reach inboxes but also maintains your brand’s credibility. Crafting engaging yet straightforward subject lines without these triggers is key to successful email deliverability and maintaining a positive relationship with your audience.

Marco Genaro PalmaMarco Genaro Palma
Content Marketing Manager, PRLab


Adding Exclamation Marks

I know you might be excited to tell us some news, but anything with all caps tends to push emails directly into the spam folder, rendering your excitement null and void. In addition, emails that break through the spam filter with an all-caps subject line receive a reply 30% less often than those that do not.

Tied together is the use of exclamation points. Digital marketers like to create a sense of urgency so users feel the urge to open their emails, but the combination of all caps and exclamation points will send your emails directly to the spam filter.

Garrett CarlsonGarrett Carlson
Content Marketing Manager, The Loop Marketing


Using Vague, Irrelevant Language

I receive this a lot: “Sorry I missed your email,” says the person who responded three weeks later.

One email subject line mistake that could send an email directly to the spam folder is using vague or irrelevant subject lines, such as “Sorry I missed your email” or “Following Up.” These subject lines may not catch the recipient’s attention and could easily be mistaken for spam, causing the email to be deleted or sent directly to the junk folder.

For me, this is one of the most frustrating email mistakes. Not only does it waste my time and clutter my inbox, but it also shows a lack of professionalism and consideration for others’ time. If a marketer thinks that “Sorry I missed your email” is a suitable subject line, they may not have taken the time to understand their audience and tailor their message accordingly.

If you want to be successful in email marketing, put yourself in your recipient’s shoes. Would you open an email with such a vague and uninteresting subject line? Probably not.

Eric EngEric Eng
Founder and CEO, Private College Admissions Consultant, AdmissionSight


Leaving Your Subject Line Incomplete

An empty or incomplete subject line may be considered suspicious by spam filters. Sometimes the subject line gets missed, or is sent only half-completed when you’re busy and trying to do multiple things at once.

Always provide a clear and concise subject that reflects the content of your email. I also recommend leaning into automation to help you when it comes to having emails prepared and ready to go, and to always proofread and double-check your email before sending it out.

Aaron Davis, CEO and Co-Founder, Exploration

Misleading with the “RE” Prefix

I was clearing my spam box a couple of weeks ago and noticed at least five email subject lines beginning with “RE.” The sender was probably trying to trick me into thinking this was an ongoing conversation, so I would click on their email.

This triggered my curiosity. Does Gmail’s spam filter automatically filter out email subject lines that start with “RE?”

When I looked at their guidelines, it says that the spam filter will get rid of misleading emails. This means that using “RE” in subject lines shows spam filters that you’re trying to trick the recipient.

Scott LiebermanScott Lieberman
Owner, Touchdown Money


Not Naming the Recipient

One surefire way to get your emails caught by the most basic spam filter is not customizing your subject lines at all. If you have your contact’s name or business name, include them in the email subject to make your emails more unique and look less like spam.

Justin SilvermanJustin Silverman
Founder and CEO, Merchynt


Aggravating with False Urgency

There’s a long list of words and phrases that will sweep your message into the spam folder before your reader ever gets to view it. These phrases typically have to do with creating false urgency (act now!) or false promises (100% free). Spam filters are imperfect, and sometimes they can bury legitimate offers out of caution, but they reduce the risk of fraud or harm to the reader. So, consider your word choice before you hit send. You don’t want your business to get lumped in with any shady activity.

Even if your email isn’t automatically sorted into spam, your subject line could earn you a one-way ticket out of your reader’s inbox if you’re not careful. With so many people feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of messages they receive, a little empathy can go a long way. Instead of writing subject lines that ask your reader to spend or take action, consider how your email can help solve a problem they’re facing. Demonstrating that you understand your audience can make your emails more relevant and less expendable.

Ashley LaabsAshley Laabs
Thought Leadership Coach and LinkedIn Ghostwriter, Composure Digital


Including Dollars Signs or Cost

As an Enterprise SaaS sales rep, I’m well-versed in bypassing spam filters after sending tens of thousands of automated cold emails, and hundreds of personalized cold emails over the past several years.

Google will flag anything that mentions price or cost as going directly to spam. Dollar signs ($$$), “FREE” in capital letters, “Act now,” “Buy Now!!!,” “100% discount,” or anything with excessive punctuation and/or urgency will send you straight to email jail.

How do I know? I’ve A/B tested all the above phrases, and similar variations, in different cadences, from different email domains. And any time I’ve tested any subject line with even a hint of urgency, the open rates are abysmal.

My advice is to keep your subject line low-friction and low-pressure, and relevant to whatever email it is that you’re sending. At one company I worked for, out of all the different subject lines we tested and tried, the best-performing one was “Intro.” Sometimes simplicity is best!

Adam PurvisAdam Purvis
Founder, AdamJohnPurvis.com


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12 Email Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

12 Email Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

12 Email Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

In the ever-evolving world of email marketing, twelve industry leaders, including CMOs and founders, share their insights on terms that can make a significant difference in your campaigns. From the strategic use of A/B testing for email success to the importance of email list hygiene practices, this article unveils the less-common email marketing knowledge that can set you apart. Discover why these terms matter and how they can enhance your marketing strategy.

  • A/B Testing
  • CAN-SPAM Act
  • Graymail
  • Honeypots
  • Personalization Tokens
  • List Churn
  • Parasite Emails
  • Cost per Mile
  • Bacn
  • Permission Marketing
  • Throttling
  • Email List Hygiene

A/B Testing

A/B testing, or split testing, is becoming a less-used and more obscure email marketing term, given the rise and incorporation of AI, but I believe it’s one more marketers need to know and utilize.

It’s a vital tool for improving and optimizing your email marketing results. Whether you’re testing list segmentation responsiveness, subject line strength, or click-through button text, it’s an excellent tool to test the strength of arguably every part of your email marketing strategy and increase your chances of success.

Robert FoneyRobert Foney
CMO, Healthmetryx , Inc.


CAN-SPAM Act

The CAN-SPAM Act is a less commonly known yet vital piece of legislation for every marketer to understand. Standing for “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act,” this U.S. law sets rules for commercial emails, establishing requirements for commercial messages and giving recipients the right to stop any emails from being sent to them.

Understanding this law isn’t just about legal compliance; it’s about respect for your audience’s boundaries and earning their trust. Ignorance of CAN-SPAM can lead to costly fines, but more importantly, it can damage your brand’s reputation.

Understanding CAN-SPAM also allows for more effective email marketing strategies. The law requires all commercial emails to include a clear and noticeable unsubscribe link, allowing recipients to easily opt out of future emails. By giving your audience this choice, you are showing respect for their time and preferences, resulting in a more engaged and loyal subscriber base.

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


Graymail

One less common email marketing term that warrants more attention is graymail. Not to be confused with spam, graymail refers to legitimate emails that a recipient has opted to receive but doesn’t engage with, either due to lack of interest or overwhelming volume. Graymail can hurt a campaign’s overall performance metrics and deliverability because email providers may begin to categorize these messages as low-value or spammy.

By monitoring and managing graymail, marketers can improve their email performance and ensure their content reaches the inboxes of engaged and interested recipients.

Justin ColeJustin Cole
President and SEO Strategist, Tested Media


Honeypots

A term not many email marketers talk about, but should know, is honeypot. Think of it like a decoy email address that anti-spam groups set up. When a spammer finds and emails this address, they get tagged as a spammer. This is important because if you’re not careful about where you get your email addresses from, you could be at risk. Maybe you got a fake email from a bot, swapped lists with someone, or grabbed emails from websites. That’s where you might accidentally hit a honeypot.

Though honeypots are mainly for catching spammers, they can be used for other stuff too. Sometimes they’re old email accounts that aren’t active anymore. If a spammer sends to these, they get flagged. But honeypots aren’t all about trapping bad guys. They can actually help with security. They’re like lookouts, spotting troublemakers on networks.

Honeypots give email marketers information they can use and act like an early alert system. They come in various types, all aiming to spot and stop problems before your network or systems get hit.

Alan RedondoAlan Redondo
Founder, Ardoz Digital


Personalization Tokens

From my perspective, personalization tokens are a lesser-known email marketing term that deserves more attention. These are dynamic placeholders in emails that automatically insert individualized information, like the recipient’s name or location.

Personalization tokens make emails feel more tailored and engaging. Marketers should use them creatively to boost open rates and click-through rates. When subscribers see their name in the subject line or content, it grabs their attention, fostering a sense of connection and relevance.

Danielle RobertsDanielle Roberts
Co Founder, Boomer Benefits


List Churn

We send emails (as newsletters) to our audience, and the less-common term that most marketers don’t know is List Churn. List churn measures the rate at which subscribers join and leave your email list over time.

This term is important because it highlights the need to maintain a healthy email list by continually adding engaged subscribers and removing inactive or disinterested ones. High list churn can negatively impact email engagement and deliverability.

Bhavik SarkhediBhavik Sarkhedi
Growth Head and CMO, Content Whale


Parasite Emails

I have been using this term as it relates to parasite SEO. It is when a business pays another, larger company with a bigger subscriber list to include them as part of their email campaign. Normally, you would go with a similar industry so that the business’s offering fits the rest of the email content they are sending.

Jeff MichaelJeff Michael
Ecommerce Business Owner, Supplement Warehouse


Cost per Mile

Cost per Mile (CPM) doesn’t involve the expense of transporting goods or people over a distance—well, not in the email marketing realm, at least. Here, the term refers to the cost of sending a thousand emails. Or, in marketing generally, it stands for the cost of one thousand impressions or views of a particular advertisement.

CPM empowers email marketers to evaluate the cost efficiency of their campaigns on a per-thousand-email basis, providing insights into the overall cost structure. This, in turn, enhances the precision of budget planning and cost estimation, helping allocate resources in a well-informed way.

Moreover, CPM can also be useful for comparing the cost of email campaigns with other advertising channels that use CPM as a pricing model. And these are good reasons for email marketers to know the term and use it as a metric in evaluating their campaigns.

Nina PaczkaNina Paczka
Community Manager, Resume Now


Bacn

Bacn (pronounced like “bacon”) is a less common but important email marketing term. It refers to non-spam emails that, while not entirely unsolicited, can flood a user’s inbox. The term highlights the challenge of finding the right balance between email frequency and relevance.

Marketers need to understand that such emails are often the result of user interactions with websites, subscriptions, or services. It’s crucial for marketers to focus on delivering content that is not only expected but also relevant and valuable to enhance engagement and prevent irritation among recipients.

By recognizing and addressing Bacn, marketers can refine their strategies, improve audience segmentation, and ensure their emails are seen as welcome content in inboxes, thus building positive relationships and boosting email engagement and deliverability.

Brad FilliponiBrad Filliponi
Co-Founder, BoxBrownie.com


Permission Marketing

The term permission marketing is one that more marketers need to know.

I’ve seen a lot of other terms like “inbound marketing,” “content marketing,” and “social media marketing.” Those are all great terms, but they aren’t the ones that can help you get more conversions out of your email campaigns.

While those other types of marketing might be great for getting more people to your website or social media pages, they don’t necessarily help you convert those visitors into paying customers.

Permission marketing is different because it focuses on giving people who have already expressed interest in your product something they want—and then asking them if they want more.

Looking to increase engagement with your email campaigns? I recommend using permission marketing. It’s easier than ever today because there are so many tools available that make it easy for anyone to set up their own permission-based email list with little effort and even less cost!

Mac SteerMac Steer
Owner and Director, Simify


Throttling

Throttling is a term in email marketing that’s really important for all email marketers to understand. It’s when you send out emails in large batches, not all at once. This helps ensure more emails actually reach people.

When I use throttling, I send emails in groups over time. This way, it doesn’t overwhelm email servers, and it reduces the chance of emails being marked as spam. It’s important because it helps make sure more people actually see our emails. Sending too many emails at once can cause problems, like bouncing back or getting blocked.

By spreading out the sending, we can monitor how well the emails are performing and make adjustments if needed. This strategy really helps improve the chances of our emails being read, which is key in email marketing.

Precious AbacanPrecious Abacan
Marketing Director, Softlist


Email List Hygiene

Email List Hygiene is a less common but crucial term in email marketing. It refers to regularly cleaning and maintaining your email subscriber list by removing invalid or disengaged addresses. This practice is vital for several reasons.

Keeping a clean list enhances your sender reputation and ensures your emails reach the inbox.

Removing inactive contacts saves money on email marketing services. Cleaning your list leads to higher engagement and open rates as you target a more responsive audience, and it also helps meet GDPR and CAN-SPAM Act requirements by respecting user preferences.

Remember, clean lists provide accurate data for better targeting and content relevance.

Lenna ZitterLenna Zitter
Founder, Magellanic Digital


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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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Related Articles

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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Related Articles

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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Related Articles

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