Email open rates not what you'd like them to be? Welcome to the club.
90% of marketers see email marketing as a primary objective, and yet many struggle to show clear ROI and hit their campaign goals.
Our team did some research to help our clients understand why their email open rates and click-throughs may be struggling.
Why is this a primary focus for most marketing teams year after year?
Email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing tactic, (4400%)
I'm sure the low costs of email marketing tools (even free tools) certainly help this ratio look good.
3 Major Factors to Boost Email Open Rates
The Subject Line
The first thing that you need to evaluate is the subject of your emails and how they are performing. In order to increase engagement, your subject lines need to be short, relevant and portray either urgency or familiarity.
- Subject lines with 6-10 words are ideal
- Including the client's name increases email open rates dramatically
- Avoid using obviously genericized phrases like ("Something for you", [Company Name} Newsletter, etc.
- Do not try to create a false sense of urgency with CAPS or puctuation !!!!!!!
- Make sure the subject line is relevant to the user. If not, don't send them the email
Additionally, make sure that your subject lines are in no way misleading. If you say you're offering a discount, make sure to include details. If you say you're giving them some resources, make sure you actually do.
Call me a Boy Scout, but I am a firm believer in integrity and honesty in all communication...even marketing.
In addition to the subject line, a recognizable sender’s name increases open rates by 35% or more. If you're using a tool that allows you to edit the Send From name, think twice before trying to make it something catching that a user won't recognize.
Delivery Time/Method
Sending the email at the correct time and day is also a major influence. That being said, your customer base is diversified, but is your email? Based on our research the answer is no.
One key contributing factor to this is that most companies do not segment their contacts properly, which means they are forced to send emails en masse without consideration for delivery time, contact title, and other needs. Keep in mind that:
- Only about 83% of B2C businesses use basic email segmentation
- 58% of those companies send targeted emails
- 4% of them use layered targeting (use multiple factors to segment specific groups before sending emails)
Want to know a great time to send your email maximize email open rates with a group of executives in technology companies on the East Coast? Check out this free tool.
The key takeaway - tailor to your audience.
Automation is also key to make sure you send it at the right time. If only we knew someone who could help you with that...wink-wink.
Email Content
One of the most important factors in increasing click-through rates is how engaging your content is. First and foremost, ensure your content is mobile-friendly. As Gmail is now opened almost exclusively on mobile devices reaching 75% last year, and >70% of emails that were not formatted to mobile devices were deleted within the first three seconds.
Also, make sure you provide real value to your clients. It's funny how novel this concept remains. A simple rule we try to follow in our email automation and as we coach our clients is each email is your first date with your client or prospect.
When you're dating someone you really care about, your movie, restaurant, and activity choices tend to lean toward their preferences and interests. You share and talk about you sometimes too, but successful relationships and trust are built by focusing on others' interests.
Now think about your last email, newsletter (ugh), or other message sent to your client. Were you an email Me Monster?
So, when you have nailed the perfect time, the perfect subject line, and have properly segmented your list, write an email that that group of people will not only want to read, but they may also want to share it with a friend. If you write like that, you'll see your email open rates and click-through rates take a jump.
Moral of the story
In order to increase your email open rates/click-through rates, segment properly, write engaging subject lines, send your emails at the right time, and for heaven's sake, write content worth reading.
Happy Sending!
Click here to check out how ClientTether can help you engage customers!
