All the email marketing in the world won’t do you much good if no one ever clicks through the links in the email. It can get discouraging to see hundreds of emails opened, but a pathetically low click-through rate. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. It just requires a little bit of motivation.
- Keep it short. Shorter emails tend to get more click-throughs. If you have too much copy, it’s more likely the reader will click away or delete the email rather than clicking the links. This is particularly true if your links are at the bottom of your email.
- Share the best first. Since it’s possible your readers will only read the first part of the email, put the best writing first. If you have big news to share, this is a good spot to put it. Adding the most important information first ensures it will be read. Don’t forget to include a link in that section.
- Split your lists. Email segmentation is key to providing your subscribers with the most relevant content. However, it has another benefit. When you offer highly personalized and targeted content in your emails, you’ll see a much higher click-through rate.
- Mention previous purchases. By segmenting your email lists, you can easily personalize the emails. For example, if you have a list that has only customers who have purchased a specific product from you, go ahead and mention it. You might let them know that you have an upgrade to the product, or something that will go well with it.
- Add a social media button. Everyone is on social media these days, so when you include social media buttons in your emails, it can drastically increase your clicks. In fact, some sources report up to 30% increases in click-throughs.
- Focus on one link. Rather than give your readers multiple links to click on, just give them one. You’ll notice this technique used by the top email marketing experts. They’ll share the same link three different times in the email. If someone is going to click, they’re going to click on that one link. This lets you direct your readers to a specific page.
- Alternatively, offer several links. This goes opposite the previous tip, but it can also be effective, from time to time, to provide a list of links. A good example of this would be when you are showcasing the top blog posts from the past month. Offer your readers a few links to your top posts and let them choose which to select.
- Optimize for all screens. Your emails may be read on a variety of screens, but mobile is one of the most common options. Make sure your emails show up nicely on a mobile screen, as well as other screens. Subscribers will tend to click away if they can’t easily read what you’ve sent.
- Add a ‘view in browser’ option. If your email doesn’t show up correctly, you should make it possible to click on the link to see it in their browser. This will usually resolve any viewing issues that may come from the email client. It can also encourage click-throughs.
- Add a postscript. A P.S. section on your email will encourage readers to click on any link in it. That extra little note feels more personal than the rest of the email and can really appeal to the reader. This is particularly true if you’ve included a call to action or made it sound urgent that they click.
Email marketing is part of every business and there are always ways to improve it. The process is an ongoing one, so try implementing a few of these tricks at a time and see how they affect your click-through rates. Take the ones that work best with your audience and make them a regular part of your marketing campaigns. Looking for an email service provider to house your growing lists and email automations? Check out OSP’s preferred ESP, AWeber.
Get started with what to write and a free PDF that includes fill-in-the-blank email templates to make getting started even easier.
