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

Email Click-through Rates Can Be Improved by

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

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

Offering Something Free

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

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

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Paraphrase Tool

Adding an Element of Play

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

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

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

Vicky Smith, Email Strategist and Copywriter, Flic Email

Crafting Compelling Subject Lines

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

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

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

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

A/B Testing

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

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

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

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

Jennifer Ayling, Content Marketer and Copywriter, The Mulberry Pen

Avoiding Spammy or Salesy Words 

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

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

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

Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, Financer.com

Segmenting the Email List

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

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

Nina Paczka, Community Manager, Resume Now

Putting in an Infographic

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

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

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

Tim Walsh, Founder, Vetted

Personalizing the Content

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

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

Himanshu Sharma, CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing

Sending Fewer Emails

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

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

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

Testing and Adjusting Send Times 

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

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

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

Jorge Alberto Fuentes Zapata, Founder, Fuentes Zapata Co.

Including Powerful Calls-to-Action

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

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

Robert Wolski, Co-founder, Halftone Digital

Using Emojis

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

Ben Lau, Founder, Featured 

Providing Value Through Solutions

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

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

Wasim Kagzi, Director of Marketing and Development, MuscleLead

What Do You Put In The Subject Of An Email?

What Do You Put In The Subject Of An Email?

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

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

Value

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

Gerrid Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics

Numbers

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

Kenny Kline, President and Financial Lead, BarBend

Power Words

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

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

Max Whiteside, SEO and Content Lead, Breaking Muscle

Personalization

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

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

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

Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com

“Alert”

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

Michelle Siy, Content Writer, Oliver Wicks

Localization

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

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

Andrew Priobrazhenskyi, CEO and Director, Discount Reactor

A Question

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

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

Rengie Wisper, Marketing Manager, Check CPS

Urgency

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

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

Victor Mathieux, Co-founder and CEO, Miracle Brand

A Review Request

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

Alexandre Robicquet, Co-founder and CEO, Crossing Minds

A Specific Call-to-Action (CTA)

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

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

Dayna Carlin, Director of Marketing and Sales, NovoPath

Emojis

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

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

Joe Cowman, Head of SEO, FATJOE

A Solution

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

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

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

Humor

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

Tiffany Hafler, Marketing Manager, FORTIS Medical Billing Professionals

Is It Legal to Buy Email Lists?

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

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

Results in Complaints and Unsubscribes 

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

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

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

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

Legal but Not Ethical

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

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

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

Jess Rodley, Director of Operations, Dialed Labs

Depends on Where and What You Do With the Lists

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

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

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

Use Inbound Marketing Instead

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

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

Matthew Stibbe, CEO, Articulate Marketing

It’s not Worth the Risk

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

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

Lorien Strydom, Executive Country Manager, Financer.com

Nothing Good Will Come From It

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

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

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

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Check Data Protection Laws First

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

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

Dan Johnson, Business Development and Sales Manager, Pearl Scan

Might Violate the Can-Spam Act

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

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

Inga Broerman, VP of Marketing, BluLogix

What is the Ideal Length of an Email Subject Line?

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

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

Between 6 to 10 Words

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

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

Ilija Sekulov, Marketing and SEO, Mailbutler

No More Than 9 Words Or 60 Characters

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

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

As Long as It’s Not Cut Off

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

Drew Sherman, Director of Marketing and Communications, RPM

There is No Ideal Length

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

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

Dakota McDaniels, Chief Product Officer, Pluto

Use Emoji to Reduce Characters in Subject Line

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

Kate Duske, Editor in Chief, Escape Room Data

It Needs to All Be Visible On Mobile Phones

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

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

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

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

25-30 Characters

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

Andrew Chen, Chief Product Officer, Videeo

Short and Sweet

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

Annie Everill, Digital Marketing Executive, Imaginaire

Conduct Split Testing to Determine Your Answer

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

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

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

Axel DeAngelis, Founder, Jumpcoast

Ask a Question and keep it Under 50 Characters 

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

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

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

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

Stephanie Jenkins, Founder, Stephanie Jenkins Photo

Between 40-60 Characters

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

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

Ariav Cohen, VP of Marketing and Sales, Proprep

7 Words is The Sweet Spot 

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

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

Chris Brooks, Senior SEO Specialist, Vervini

How To Move Email from Promotions to Primary: 15 Tips

How To Move Email from Promotions to Primary

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


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


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

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

Segment Your Audience 

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

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

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

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

Greg Gillman, Chief Revenue Officer, MuteSix

Ask Subscribers to Add Your Email to their Contact List

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

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

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

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

Michael Sena, Founder & CEO, SENACEA

Craft Clever Subject Lines

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

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

Jae Pak, MD, Jae Pak MD Medical

Concentrate On Your Footers

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

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

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

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

Matt Miller, Founder & CEO, Embroker

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

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

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

Aviad Faruz, CEO, FARUZO New York

Ask Subscribers to Reply to Your Welcome Email

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

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

Corey Haines, Founder, SwipeWell

Change MX Records to Google’s Servers

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

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

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

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

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

Brett Downes, Founder, Haro Helpers

Avoid Promotional Words & Learn Timing

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

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

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

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

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

Maria Harutyunyan, Head of SEO, Loopex Digital

Be Careful About Using Mails Sent Via RSS

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

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

Andrew Priobrazhenskyi, CEO & Director, Discount Reactor

Sound Human & Helpful

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

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

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

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

Hardy Selo, Property & Digital Marketing Expert, Property Guru

Avoid Heavy HTML and Send Emails Manually

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

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

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

Léa Soller, CEO, Digiberries Paris

Optimize for Mobile

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

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

Lyudmyla Dobrynina, Head of Marketing, Optimeal

Deliver More Than a Voucher or Sale

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

Tristan Rayner, Tech Analyst

Use Minimal Images and Links

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

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

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

Rely on the Data From A/B Testing

Marketers always try their best to personalize emails. 

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

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

Tia Campbell, Director of Marketing, Practice Reasoning Tests

How To Make an Email List: 13 List Building Tips

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

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


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


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

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

Install a Pop-Up Form or Slider on Your Website

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

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

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

Daniel Foley, Director of Marketing, SEO Stack

Create Lead Ads on Facebook

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

Gerrid Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics

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

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

Tristan Buenconsejo, Founder and Managing Director, TriBu LinkBuilding

Use Giveaway Strategies to Build Email Leads Quickly

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

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

Zach Goldstein, CEO & Founder, Public Rec

Create a Value Proposition on Social Media

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

Ann McFerran, CEO, Glamnetic

Personalize Content and Offers

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

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

Offer Exclusive Content

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

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

Bill Lyons, CEO, Griffin Funding

Collaborate With Other Businesses

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

Todd Saunders, General Manager, BIG Safety

Focus on Offering Quality Over Quantity

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

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

Farzad Rashidi, Lead Innovator, Respona

Use Social Media Sharing Option in Your Emails

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

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

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

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

Joe Troyer, Chief Marketing Officer, ReviewGrower

Seek to Build Relationships

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

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

Alex Mastin, CEO and Founder, Home Grounds

Start as Early as You Can

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

Marelle Ellen, CMO, Promoty

Offer a Free Product or Service to Collect Emails

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

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

Adding a Button In An Image + Text Block in Mailchimp

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

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

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

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

Insert code button Mailchimp

 

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

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

 

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

<tbody>

<tr>

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

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

 

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

Learn More

10 Best Practices To Write The Perfect Email Subject Line

10 Best Practices To Write The Perfect Email Subject Line

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


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


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

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

Appeal To Consumers’ Desires Not To Miss Out

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

Janice Wald, Mostly Blogging

Ensure The Subject Line is Under 50 Characters Long

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

Axel Hernborg, Tripplo.com

Make The Subject Line Bold and Daring

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

Michael Ayjian, 7 Wonders

Create Action-Oriented Subject Lines

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

Farhan Advani, BHPH

Add Numbers To Grab Attention

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

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

Isaac Robertson, Total Shape

Use Emojis To Help Your Email Stand Out

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

Josh Smith, Roll To

Avoid Anything Spammy

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

Soji James, 1AND1 Life

Entice Readers With Actionable Subject Lines

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

Amy Keller, Climate Candy

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

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

Paul Chesterman, EthOS

Highlight a Solution With The Subject Line

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

Dillon Hammond, Achieve TMS East


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

The Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing

The Do's and Don'ts of Email Marketing

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


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


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

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

Don’t Ignore Email Personalization and Data

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

Iryna Kutnyak, Quoleady

Make Emails Natural and Avoid Excessive Branding 

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

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

Stephan Wenger, B2B Marketing World

Don’t Neglect Mobile Users

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

Tony Chan, CloudForecast

Allow Users Control Over Their Subscriptions

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

John Cheng, Baotris

Avoid Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

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

Karim Hachem, Sunshine79

Don’t be Desperate for Engagement

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

Alex Chavarry, Cool Links

Test Your Email Content for Effectiveness

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

Kevin Miller, kevinmiller.com

Avoid Obnoxious Subject Lines

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

Katy Carrigan, Goody

Do Not Use Black Hat Techniques

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

Marco Genaro Palma, Genaro Palma

Make Your Emails Load Fast

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

Igal Rubinshtein, Home Essentials Direct

Don’t Leave Out The Value When You Email

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

Anthony Puopolo, Rex MD

Include a Strong Call-To-Action

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

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

Shawn Munoz, Pure Relief

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

A Cool Mailchimp Hack for More Opens

photo of woman using her laptop

Here is a quick video showing you a really neat Mailchimp hack for the way your subject line and preview text line will appear in subscriber’s inboxes. It takes a small bit of code at the very top, but it’s super easy.

And below you’ll find the code to copy and paste! Enjoy and let me know if any questions. You can reach me at hello (at) westfield-creative (dot) com.

Copy and PASTE this exact code into a code block:

<div style=”display: none; max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;”>&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;&zwnj;&nbsp;</div>

And that should give you a very pretty preview text line!

What’s the biggest mistake people make in email marketing?

Email marketing mistakes

 

Email marketing can be challenging. From making a simple technical mistake that is then sent to thousands of people (we’re all human), like not testing your email or checking spelling, to not finding out what your subscribers really want to know, mistakes do happen. So we thought it would be helpful to ask the email experts. We surveyed 8 Mailchimp Pro Partners to find out what they see as the biggest mistakes that are made in email marketing. The answers are varied, which shows that so many mistakes can easily be made, so there’s a lot of great to stuff to learn here.

 

Here’s what they had to say about the biggest mistakes in email marketing:

 

“Sending the same message to the same people. It’s bonkers, but people do.”

Doug Dennison, CEO & Co-founder, MailNinja

 

 

“1. Not personalizing emails! Especially when I’m a customer and they know my name. “Dear Sir or madam” or “Dear customer”. Bleh!

2. Loooooooooong emails (without images).”

Nick Beuzekamp, CEO and Founder, Online Marketing Bonaire

 

 

“The biggest mistake most marketers make is telling subscribers what they want them to know and not what the subscriber wants to hear. You have to deliver on what you promised when the subscriber signed up. If your emails are self-serving and not valuable to the subscriber, you’ll quickly lose their attention.”

Adam Q. Holden-Bache, Director of Email Marketing, Enventys Partners

 

 

“Sending emails that are TOO long or too wordy. Simplify, simplify. Emails do not need to be long and full of TONS of content. Days of the long newsletter are over (in my opinion). Sometimes a great image, a short blurb and a button are all that you need for a great email. Try not to overthink it. 
 
Also, many people don’t think to recycle/reuse old content. Bring back an old blog post (and make it into an email). If you had an email do really well a year ago, bring it back. You don’t need to create brand new content with every email.”
 
Emily Ryan, Co-founder & Email Strategist, Westfield Creative

 

 

“Lack of segmentation: you have a huge mailing list and you send to everybody, because “it costs nothing and somebody could be interested”. As I always repeat, you can’t do nothing to raise relevancy of a message for anybody; or it is relevant, or it isn’t. What you can positively do, instead, is to diminish irrelevancy, by choosing not to send a message to people who are the least likely to be interested (e.g. send a discount reminder to people who have already made a purchase using that discount code, or invite people to events they can’t attend because of distance or other constraints).”

Alessandra Farabegoli, Digital Strategist, Co-Founder, Digital Update and Freelancecamp Italia

 

 

“The biggest mistake I see with email marketing is not doing it. The next mistake is businesses just ‘ticking the box’ with their email marketing and not seeing the value in the customers they’re sending too. That sucks to me. Email addresses are like gold. They are literally putting you in the palm of someone’s hand and they need to be treated as such.”

Glenn Edley, Director & Email Strategist, Spike

 

 

“Most businesses and organizations who do not use professional email marketers make the mistake of not sending enough email. There is an ingrained concern about over-messaging by email in most organizations that is a direct result of past attitudes and technologies that no longer play in the space. For those of us who work every day in this business, we understand that the correct strategy and planning means that you can send email every day, sometimes more than once per day, and you will not only see great results from your campaigns, you will build loyalty and engagement with your audience.”

MaryAnn Pfeiffer, Digital Marketing Strategist, 108 Degrees Digital Marketing

 

 

“Not having a plan before they start. I’ve spoken to too many people who jump into Mailchimp, get quickly confused or disillusioned and then think the system doesn’t work. If you don’t start with a clear goal you’ll always struggle no matter what it is your trying to do.”

Robin Adams, Founder, Chimp Answers

 

“Not doing it or giving up on it too soon or both together. If you’re not sending regular emails and people don’t know who you are don’t expect them to jump at the chance to purchase from you on that 1 email you sent this year. Email is a dialogue. Email is a relationship. Relationships take time. Email marketing needs consistency and persistence.”

Amy Hall, Email Marketing Strategist and Certified Mailchimp Partner, amyhall.biz

 

 

Want to learn about these Mailchimp experts and Pro Partners? Check them out in the Mailchimp Directory here.

Mailchimp experts

6 Ways To Maximize Mailchimp To Get Results

6 Mailchimp customers

With so many features, how can you get the most from Mailchimp’s platform and tools? 

To answer this question, we asked six Mailchimp customers and experts for their best tips. Here’s what they had to say about maximizing Mailchimp to get results.

Take Advantage of the Campaign Analytics

Tapping into the analytics from a campaign on Mailchimp will better equip you for the next one and the many more after that. Using their analytics will help you have a solid idea of the success, including how many people it reached, how many opened it and how many people engaged with whatever you sent. By using these numbers, businesses can continue to improve their email campaigns and gain more and more engagement. 

Daniel Cheetham, Y Scouts

Research Mailchimp Packages

Research all their offers and choose the tools that are best suited for your needs and business. While it may be tempting to use all sorts of services, if you do not understand them or how to use them, they will be of no use to you and you will blow your budget.

Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional

Chat with Mailchimp’s Customer Service 

If at any point in your Mailchimp journey you get stuck and need help to see results, don’t be afraid to reach out to their Customer Service staff. These are people that work day in and day out with Mailchimp, knowing it much better than the average user. Go to them for anything and you are guaranteed to get your answer as well as better your Mailchimp skills during the process. A win-win! 

Kayla Centeno, Markitors

Set It and Forget It

In the spirit of efficiency, one of my favorite features of Mailchimp is the ability to automate your campaign. For example, you can set up triggers for when the initial intro email to your new customer should be sent or an email to be sent to a customer based on their website activity. Mailchimp’s “set it and forget it” approach truly provides you with the necessary tools and platform to provide timely and relevant information to your customers with ease.

Jennifer Leicht, Marketing and Small Business Consultant

Utilize Tags to Send Relevant Emails

My best Mailchimp tip to get the most from their platform is to use tags to send more relevant emails. For example, create a tag for email subscribers who have not opened your last 10 emails. Such subscribers are in danger of disengaging! You should talk to those disengaged subscribers differently. For example, offer a “welcome back” coupon exclusively for them. You can start the email with something like this “we noticed you haven’t opened our emails so we created a special offer just for you!”

Bruce Harpham, Technology Marketing Consultant

Back to Back Email Campaigns

On top of manual, one-off email campaigns, Mailchimp has the ability to set up back-to-back email campaigns—many paid users don’t make use of this feature. For instance, for new customers, you can set up weekly onboarding emails for the first month, to educate and inform this pool of users on your product/service. You can also set up a rule to only send out follow-up emails if a user had not previously opened the last campaign. This one—you don’t over email customers who are already actively using your service and may not enjoy the over-supplement of email-based content.

Hung Nguyen, Smallpdf