If you’re looking for an Intercom email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our Intercom integration. Email verification for Intercom is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
If you’re using mailfloss for Intercom email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected Intercom to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected Intercom account. Here’s a screenshot of the […]
Getting started cleaning your email lists with Intercom is easy with mailfloss. Once Intercom is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with Intercom going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
Digital marketing trends come and go, but some stick around longer than others. Email marketing is one of the oldest and longest lasting. In this article we talk about some of the email marketing trends that are hot right now, and that aren't going away anytime soon. Use these in your own email campaigns for maximum effect.
So, you want to brush up on your brand’s email marketing strategy? Of course––high traffic, heavy engagement and click-through rates are vital checkmarks for any successful business. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got some tips and tools on offer, along with some examples of where you can get started. Here are some tried and tested email marketing trends that are here to stay.
Mobile optimization
To put things simply: everybody is on a mobile phone. EVERYONE. And for those who aren't? You're not going to want to waste time and resources trying to appeal to them. They have made their choice, and they can live with it. That leaves everybody else––no small number. In fact, by 2022, there are estimated to be 7.26 billion mobile users around the world. That’s a little less than the entire current global population (try to figure that out). A lot of people are online and on the go. And when they are going, a lot of them are checking their emails. This presents one of the most important opportunities for businesses to engage with their customers. And yet, most email campaigns are not optimized for mobile readers.
According to studies, nearly 80% of mobile users have made a purchase online using their device. If you want to increase traffic while delivering your brand message effectively, you MUST make mobile optimization a priority during your next email campaign. This does not involve draining your resources or dollars from your company budgets. On the contrary, your existing campaigns likely need only a few minor tweaks. Well-optimized emails are clean, concise and to the point. They fit the smaller screen without overwhelming users by incorporating heavy graphics or bad UX/UI. If you want to increase the click-through rates, without sacrificing brand identity, try to keep things to the point.
Who’s doing good work on good mobile optimization?
There are many great examples of brands that use effective mobile optimization in their email campaigns. Some consistently great ones include FilmSupply, RalphLauren, and Glossier.
This one goes hand in hand with mobile optimization but is strong enough of a trend to deserve its own spot. By now, you know the figures around how many people are using their phones to make purchases. But what marketers may not be considering is where and why these people are using their phones.
There are many reasons why mobile users might choose to switch their phones over to dark mode. To conserve energy, to ease eye strain, to maintain a Gothic aesthetic. Or because they are scrolling through emails in bed next to a sleeping partner. The possibilities are endless. That's why it's best NOT to forget about them. Dark mode mobile use is a growing trend for all the above reasons. Brands should be adapting to keep up with competitors.
Who is doing dark mode content right?
Apple has always had an innovative and sleek approach to designing email marketing content for dark mode mobiles. It's a significant chunk of the brand's aesthetic. Minimal copy, high-definition product shots, accessible maneuvering. It's no surprise that their emails are also clear and consistent. Other brands capitalizing on their signature colors and tones and producing effective email marketing content include Netflix, Spotify, and Bose.
Companies today are trying to capture their audience’s attention. And while there are many ways to go about this, one of the most popular in recent years is personalized video content. A personalized video is essentially a video customized for each viewer in a way that uniquely engages them. One way of achieving video personalization is to customize the content towards a viewer in a way that's unique to the viewer. And while this trend has proven profitable for businesses, there has also been an increase in usage on social media. Given the rise in popularity of video personalization platforms like Cameo this shouldn't be a surprise.
Using video personalization technology, marketers can customize their content to each email recipient by incorporating unique identifiers. (i.e. a viewer’s name, their company, their job title, or even their profile picture). What makes this form so popular is the fact that you don’t have to create a new custom video every single time. By recycling the same video and using the platform’s designated frames, you can give viewers the look and feel of an individual personalized video. It’s easy.
So does this actually work?
Personalized video email marketing is definitely not going away anytime soon. Business results have shown a surge in numbers over recent years. The benefits of personalized videos include an increase in user engagement, higher open rates, and higher CTRs. In fact, a study by Smart Insights found that 72% of consumers would only engage with marketing messages that are personalized to them. More than anything, personalization allows brands to connect and build relationships with their audiences. This improves the likelihood that those viewers will not only open these emails but will also become dedicated, long-term consumers.
Amnesty International Canada and Norton Software are examples of companies that have caught on to the trend. Creating unique and personalized video content for their email subscribers. In fact, according to Vidyard, one particular Amnesty International campaign resulted in an 83.1% click-through rate and boasted an entire viewership of 75%.
More effective brand storytelling
Brand storytelling is a storytelling method that connects your brand to your customers. It does this by establishing a bridge between what your company stands for and what your customers are looking for. While every brand has a story to tell, many aren’t great at communicating what that story is. And businesses can suffer as a result.
In order for a brand story to work, it must stand heads and shoulders above the brand’s services and products. Something MORE! Effective brand storytelling creates something that an audience wants to be a part of, to engage in. It’s almost secondary to the shopping experience. Pop-up shops are a great example. By using temporary, non-traditional retail space, brands have more freedom to tell a story with their layouts and displays. This is inviting people in for an experience. And then a reminder…like, oh ya, we also sell stuff. Check it out.
Once your brand has established, and can communicate, its own story, then your team can create and execute more effective email marketing content.
Good examples of brand storytelling:
Refinery29. The popular female lifestyle website took a unique approach when creating a campaign that further appealed to their followers. They found the unsettling fact that 67% of American women are plus-sized, yet make up less than 2% of the images we see. What did they do about it? They teamed up with stock photo company Getty Images to produce a new series of shots that more accurately represent its audience. And they made the series free to download.
The results proved VERY successful. Refinery29 uses the images consistently throughout their website and emails. They used strong consumer insight to learn more about who their audience really was. And in the process established itself as a brand dedicated to standing up for its customers authentically.
Accessibility
One marketing trend that will never disappear is the shift towards accessible and inclusive design. This means designing your emails and content so that every subscriber can easily understand your message, regardless of any disability. Best of all, this trend is the easiest to capitalize on if you haven’t already. It relies so much on your brand storytelling (remember??). You put enough thought into your email content. You should be able to take it that much farther by ensuring that your audience understands it as you intended.
When designing accessible marketing content, it is important to acknowledge that not every subscriber is interacting with their email the same way. A good UX/UI designer and copywriter know how to get this done. If your business doesn't allow for this, there are steps your marketing coordinators can follow. As always, put yourself in the position of your audience. Let's say you've shot an in-depth, comprehensive personalized video and included it in your content calendar. Before you have it added to your next email marketing campaign, consider the subscriber with hearing issues or vision problems. Will your overwhelming use of colored banners and text blocks be easily absorbed by a colorblind reader?
Nowadays, a lack of accessibility can make or break a brand. If you can’t provide a useful tool for communicating your business’s services and/or products, customers will go somewhere else. There are hundreds of competitors for them to choose from.
Even if you think your marketing content is beautiful and engaging, it doesn't mean that it is. Good and bad designs are not always recognizable. Always be sure to keep your eyes peeled for functionality across your platforms. Consider some of these tips for keeping accessibility in front of mind:
Know your text. Using text, as opposed to text in images, is best. It is easier to read and will retain its size when utilized in mobile platforms. Speaking of easy to read, makes sure your font size is large enough to see by those who may be visually impaired. Study your audience statistics, particularly age groups. It should give you an indication of how many of your followers may be of an age when poor vision is common. And try to avoid centering or justifying text in emails for the same reason.
Use alternatives. Alt-text is the copy that appears on-screen if an image fails to load. It is also a foundational tool for screen readers who are “listening” to email. When adding in your alt texts, consider the fact that some visually impaired subscribers will have images described to them. Make them as accommodating as possible.
Don’t over-do it with colors. Of course, you'll want your email content to stand out. But you don’t want it to stand out for all the wrong reasons. If you are using multiple colors to support your campaign messaging, make sure they do not contrast with one another. And be sure to perform tests when using copy on colored backdrops and graphics.
Saying thanks!
Nowadays, people want more from brands than just innovative products. They want a full-on shopping experience. And a big chunk of that experience falls under the category of customer satisfaction. The data for 2019 consumer reviews speaks for itself. More than 80% of people say that they read online reviews for local businesses. While 52% say that they ALWAYS read reviews before making a purchase. These statistics are more than just numbers. They can actually be translated into larger sales. And smart brands are beginning to taking note.
Email marketing is the most direct way in which companies can interact with their customer base. So it’s a good idea to use it to its full advantage. Most email marketing platforms allow businesses to set up automated feedback requests from their subscriber lists. When customers receive targeted emails about a recent purchase, they are usually happy to engage. Especially if companies offer incentives on future purchases as a result. If your business gets a few 1-star reviews, you should take that as a learning lesson. And as an opportunity to redeem yourself before losing unhappy customers to competitors.
Who’s good at making it good?
There are a lot of companies putting together creative response emails. And being creative is key. You don’t want your followers to feel like they are answering to a robotic, automated request from an online business. Check out some great work by companies like Bellroy, Uber, Anthropologie, and Headspace.
There you have it! Popular and on-the-rise email marketing trends to watch for in 2020 and beyond. Now you have a better understanding of how these processes work and how they can potentially help grow your brand and business. Now you can keep ahead of the competition and dramatically increase your traffic and click-through rates. Keep your eyes forward!
If you’re looking for a GetResponse email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our GetResponse integration. Email verification for GetResponse is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
If you’re using mailfloss for GetResponse email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected GetResponse to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected GetResponse account. Here’s a screenshot of the […]
Getting started cleaning your email lists with GetResponse is easy with mailfloss. Once GetResponse is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with GetResponse going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
Email marketing is one of the most efficient strategies you can employ for a business. This applies whether you are a small business or a Fortune 500 company. There are countless case studies and stats that speak about the effectiveness of email marketing to prove this. But how do you actually go about experiencing that kind of success yourself?
Pursuing growth via email marketing takes a lot of trial and error for many business owners. The good news is that there are lots of growth hacks that you can employ to see your campaign conversions skyrocket. From learning the best times to send emails and sticking to a consistent schedule to mastering the art of penning emails that convert. Here are the 12 best email growth hacks that will put you on the path to success.
1. Make Email Automation a Priority
Business owners are busy individuals — that's a given. This is especially true for small business owners who don't have staff to help them with marketing. This is where email marketing automation comes in handy. Automation is perhaps the growth hack that will deliver the most visible results. A study by emailmonday showed that 75% of marketers use at least one type of marketing automation tools.
Automation is an excellent tool for saving precious time that you can spend on other tasks. And it is also essential for nurturing growing customer relationships. By automating your emails, you can create templates, personalize your messages, and send emails around the clock. Many marketers consider email marketing automation to be similar to a dedicated employee. It does an excellent job and requires very little input on your part.
Subject lines are the first thing a subscriber sees, which means that they need to be compelling enough for them to click on them. It really doesn't matter if you have a beautifully crafted email body. If the subject line is not persuasive, your open rates are bound to remain on the low side. This translates to large portions of your subscriber list missing out on your emails.
So how do you know whether your mail subject lines are in immediate need of optimization? While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, you should make sure the subject line is:
Not too long — never go over one sentence. Let's be honest, how likely are you to open an email with a subject line of two or three full sentences? Subject lines with five words tend to perform best, and Instapage has shown that they generate a 15.9% increase in open rates.
Personalized — personalized subject lines can generate a 50% increase in open rates, according to data by Yes Lifecycle Marketing. Millennials tend to be the segment that is more likely to engage with personalized emails. So really focus on this aspect if that is your target audience.
Indicating value — the average consumer receives at least a dozen emails every day. This means that you need a subject line that communicates a clear value proposition to stand out in the subscriber's inbox. The subject line should immediately tell subscribers that there's something in it for them if they open the email.
3. Add an Element of Surprise and/or Incorporate Humor
It's a common occurrence for businesses, especially start-ups, to write their emails in a formal tone because they don't want to take unnecessary risks. But first impressions and nurturing long-lasting relationships with a reader/customer base can benefit tremendously from humor.
The use of humor helps build a solid relationship with subscribers. They are bound to open each of your emails because they expect something that's both informative and relaxing. And it can also dissolve the marketing intent. There are multiple ways to infuse humor in emails, and adding visuals is perhaps the best strategy. A GIF or a meme can uplift any email while also being the perfect ice-breaker for first-time subscribers.
4. Optimize All Your Emails for Mobile
According to OptinMonster, 58% of people start their day by checking their emails. And because most of them use their phones to go through their emails, it's vital to have your emails optimized for mobile. Badly formatted emails are likely to be dismissed by users without a second thought. So if your emails are not yet formatted for mobile, changing that needs to be on top of your priority list.
Areas to pay attention to when optimizing emails for mobile include the following:
pre-header text
using device detection
considering your columns to make them suitable for small screens
image size
font-size
Of course, it's important to consider the rest of your audience as well. Don't foget the OGs who check their emails the old-fashioned way, on a desktop computer or a laptop. You need to be sure your emails are properly formatted for all categories of users and devices.
5. Tell a Story
People love stories, not only because there's always something to learn from them, but also because they tap into their emotions. By telling a story you are likely to see more engagement and more clicks. A story doesn't have to be long, just make sure it's engaging.
Of course, not all emails can include a story, so you shouldn't force it. But whenever you can, weave a story into the beginning of the email to hook the reader. Make them read on and entice them to click on your links to finish the story.
A case study from Sleeknote shows how the company increased its engagement and click-through rate by incorporating storytelling in emails. By implementing storytelling and combining GIFs, memes, and elements of humor, Sleeknote managed to get a 139.94% increase in open rate and a 352.63% increase in click rate.
6. Never Forget the Call to Action
An email without a call to action lacks one of the most important elements that make people click on your links. Whether you choose to make the call to action a button or a link, make sure you have one in email. Clearly written CTAs tell readers exactly what they should expect when they click and why exactly should they take action. Examples include CTAs that encourage a purchase, CTAs to collect feedback, and CTAs that focus on results.
The key to writing compelling call to actions is keeping it simple. You don't need to use complicated words or confuse the reader in any way. Simply tell them what you want them to do and what's in it for them if they click, and that should be enough. Simply including links in emails without a call to action is not going to deliver the same click-through rate. Especially when it comes to readers who are on the fence about clicking through, and they need a bit of convincing.
7. Proofread Your Emails
This one should go without saying. However, how many times have you received an email that was littered with typos? Making grammatical and spelling errors frequently is a very quick way to ruin your business reputation.
Forgetting to proofread your emails is the kind of rookie mistake that can cost you in the long run. There are people out there who unsubscribe from lists that send emails with poor spelling. So buckle up and proofread every single email. And make sure you use a grammar tool for those instances you miss a small thing.
There are lots of grammar and spell checks out there that do a great job of catching typos and erratic punctuation. The free version of Grammarly is a good start for anybody.
8. Only Focus on One Topic
Many marketing emails lack focus, and this can be incredibly confusing for readers. The reason marketers often include lots of information in an email is that they don't want to bombard their audience with too-frequent emails. However, this often results in readers not listening to any of the things included in the email.
Emails that only have one focus are more effective. And they often result in better conversion because they are easy to absorb. The readers are never confused by what they have to do to take action. By sending focused emails with a single point and call to action, you are likely to see an increase in click-through rates and revenue.
9. Push for Referrals
It's not news that referrals are one of the most effective methods to generate new business. By building a customer referral program and telling your subscribers about it, you are likely to speed up your growth. To reach your growth goals, you can offer referral discounts, which are often enticing for subscribers who want a direct return to their referrals.
Numerous successful businesses have been built via incentive-based referral schemes (think Airbnb and Dropbox). These companies and many others like them, leveraged email marketing to ask for referrals and the result has been outstanding growth over the years.
10. Don't Make It Difficult to Unsubscribe
This is a rather unusual growth hack, and it might sound odd, but make it really easy to unsubscribe. The thing is there is always going to be someone who wants to unsubscribe. You should make it super easy for them to do so by placing an "unsubscribe" link to the bottom and top of your emails. If you do this, users who are on the fence on whether they should unsubscribe might give you a second chance. Since it is so easy to unsubscribe, they could always unsubscribe next time. Seeing the "unsubscribe" button readily available every time gives readers peace of mind, allowing them to feel in control.
11. Always Stick to a Consistent Schedule
The importance of consistency when it comes to email marketing cannot be overstated. Whether you are planning to send a daily, weekly, or monthly newsletter to your subscribers, it's essential to stick to a consistent schedule. This allows you to plan your content ahead of time, and your readers will know when to expect your next newsletter in your inbox.
Sticking to the schedule is essential, but it doesn't mean that you can't send other emails outside it. For example, you can still send out your big promotion emails, like those intended for Black Friday and Christmas. Just make sure to maintain as much consistency as possible throughout the year.
12. Segment Your Subscribers
If your website or business covers several topics, it's extremely important to segment your subscribers. Say that you have an online clothing shop, for example. It wouldn't make sense to send someone who signed up for the latest trends in women's fashion emails about baby clothing. They aren't likely to be interested, and as such, your engagement rates won't be pretty.
Instead of sending all emails to everyone who ever subscribed to your list, segment them. An easy way to segment your subscribers is by logging which section of the site they signed up. You can go even further and segment your audience by age, responsiveness to discount codes and so on. If you run an online shop, it's also a good idea to send out abandoned cart emails to those who well, uh, abandoned their cart.
If you're a business owner and you're not tapping into the potential of email marketing yet, it's high time you got started. All the email marketing growth hacks above can help you grow your list and improve your conversion rates quickly. Because email marketing doesn't work the same for every business, always analyze what works for you. Do this by testing and perfecting strategies until you build a system that will keep your subscribers engaged and your business booming.