How to Design the Best Email Marketing Messages
Many people mistakenly think that email marketing has lost its edge. The rise of social networking has indeed opened up an entirely new avenue of online interaction, but an effectively managed mailing list is still one of the greatest assets of a business.
An important part of a successful email marketing strategy, is about understanding how to design the emails. Follow these best practices in email design, to get your subscribers clicking on those messages.
Optimize Your Brand
Having a clear brand and style is the first essential step in getting the readers attention. Use the From Name field to quickly establish your brand name and identity. The Address field should be clearly linked to your business website to maintain consistency.
The subject text needs to be considered very carefully. Keep it short and to the point. In most cases don’t make the subject line overly cryptic. You need to quickly and clearly inform the reader what the email is about. Avoid any spammy words or phrases so as not to damage your reputation.
Email Header
One you have got the user to click on the email you need to continue to hold their attention. The top left cornet of the email will play an important role. Keep the recipient engaged by writing text that encourages and motivates the reader. The headline and description should make the purpose of the email clear.
Keep the header short so that it remains above the fold. The height should remain below 150 pixels so that your call to action can be seen in full without scrolling.
Visual Layout
Images can greatly increase engagement. Make sure to include a descriptive alt-text in case the recipient can’t or doesn’t enable the images.
Create an enticing layout that makes the user want to find out more. Each section should separate each of your points to avoid overwhelming the reader. Use visually distinct panels to allow the content to flow easily.
If you have a lot of material to cover, create a clickable table of content to make navigation easy.
Email Copy
Sentences and paragraphs should be short.
Use dividing lines and blank space to easily distinguish each section from the next. Use subheadings to highlight important phrases.
Features and benefits should be shown in a bullet point or numbered list format.
Email Footer
Finally, the email should end in a professional manner. Make it obvious where the unsubscribe link is, to decrease any spam complaints. Also a short line that says why the recipient got the email will help avoid complaints and confusion.
Provide the full business contact details. This should at the very least include the business name and physical address.
Don’t forget to link back to your websites, social media pages, product and services. Make it easy for your subscribers to share your email with forwarding options and social sharing links.
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