Email marketing remains a formidable tool in the digital marketer’s arsenal. It’s cost-effective, direct, and has a tremendous reach. However, with inboxes flooded daily, achieving high open rates can be challenging.
In this article, we’ll explore strategies and tactics backed by facts, data, and real company examples to help you 10X your email marketing open rates.
Email marketing remains a cornerstone of digital marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes, and its importance cannot be overstated. In an age where social media platforms and search engine algorithms are in constant flux, email marketing offers a stable and direct means of communication with your audience.
It provides a unique opportunity to establish and nurture lasting relationships with customers and prospects, allowing you to engage them on a personal level. Furthermore, it consistently proves to be one of the highest-performing marketing channels, delivering an impressive return on investment (ROI).
According to the Data & Marketing Association (DMA), email marketing has an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent. This, coupled with the ability to segment, target, and personalise messages, makes email marketing a powerful tool for businesses seeking to drive sales, increase brand loyalty, and boost overall marketing effectiveness.
The subject line is the first impression your email makes on subscribers. According to a study by Adestra, 47% of email recipients decide whether to open an email based solely on the subject line. To increase open rates, create subject lines that are:
Example: Grammarly, an online writing assistant, uses personalised and intriguing subject lines like “Improve your writing, [Name] – 20% off today!”
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Segmentation is a powerful tool that allows you to send targeted emails to specific groups of subscribers. According to the DMA, segmented and targeted emails generate 58% of all revenue. Real company example:
E-commerce giant Amazon excels at segmentation. They analyse customer purchase history, browsing behavior, and demographics to send personalised product recommendations. As a result, their open rates and revenue have consistently increased.
A/B testing involves sending two versions of an email to a small portion of your list to determine which performs better. Test elements such as subject lines, email copy, images, and calls to action. Use the winning version for the main campaign.
Example: Airbnb conducts extensive A/B testing to optimise their emails. By testing different visuals and wording in their email campaigns, they increased their open rates by 3%
Unify your omnichannel customer feedback and analyse it to drive: growth, retention and customer satisfaction
With the majority of email opens occurring on mobile devices, it’s crucial to ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. A study by Litmus found that 46% of email opens happen on mobile devices, and emails that aren’t mobile-optimised can be deleted within seconds.
Example: Uber, the ride-sharing company, designs emails with a responsive layout that adapts to various screen sizes. This strategy has resulted in higher open rates and increased engagement on mobile devices.
Timing plays a significant role in email open rates. Send your emails when your subscribers are most likely to check their inboxes. According to CoSchedule, the best days for email marketing are Tuesday and Thursday, and the best times are 10 AM and 8 PM.
Example: HubSpot, a marketing software company, analysed their data and found that sending emails on Tuesdays at 11 AM EST led to the highest open rates and click-through rates for their audience.
Using a recognisable sender name is essential for building trust with your subscribers. Avoid generic names like “noreply@company.com” and instead use a real person’s name or a company representative.
Example: Neil Patel, a prominent digital marketing expert, uses his own name as the sender for his email marketing campaigns. His subscribers know and trust him, resulting in higher open rates and engagement.
Your email content should provide value to the recipient. Share useful information, educational resources, or exclusive offers. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 93% of B2B marketers use email to distribute content.
Example: Adobe sends regular emails with tips and tutorials on using their software products. By providing valuable content, they keep their subscribers engaged and eager to open their emails.
Leverage social proof to boost your email open rates. Include customer testimonials, reviews, or mentions from reputable sources in your emails. Social proof helps build trust and credibility.
Example: Booking.com, a travel website, includes social proof in their emails by showcasing customer reviews and ratings for hotels and accommodations. This reassures subscribers and encourages them to open the emails to learn more.
Interactive emails capture attention and engage recipients. Incorporate elements like polls, surveys, GIFs, and buttons that encourage interaction.
Example: BuzzFeed, a popular news and entertainment platform, often includes interactive elements like quizzes and polls in their emails. This approach increases open rates and user engagement.
To continually improve your email marketing open rates, closely monitor and analyse your email campaigns. Use analytics tools to track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Identify what works and what doesn’t, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Achieving high email marketing open rates is not an easy feat, but it’s essential for the success of your campaigns. By implementing these strategies backed by facts, data, and real company examples, you can significantly increase your open rates and ultimately drive more engagement and revenue through email marketing. Remember that consistency, personalisation, and valuable content are key to building and maintaining a loyal subscriber base.
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