How to Keep Email Relevant to Your Audience

For many businesses, email is the old reliable.

Set up a campaign. Let it roll out to subscribers and not worry about it for a few…gulp…years.

After all, you’re still getting a relatively regular stream of email signups, right? Does it matter that much if your open, click, and conversion rates are down?

It does, actually.

Any reduction in those rates, even fraction of percentage points, can have an impact on your total profit. The reverse is true as well, getting more people to open your emails is a good thing, and that trickles down to more clicks and conversions too.

If you’re nervous about steadily declining subscription and open rates, there are things you can do to help turn things around — make your emails more relevant to your audience.

In this post, we’re going to let you know a few ways to flip the switch and make your emails appeal to more of your readers.

Take a look at your design

Email shouldn’t be a set it and forget it type of thing. You should always keep an eye out for ways to consistently update and improve what you’re offering your readers and how your emails are being received.

The first place to look is the design of your current emails. What looked slick three years ago might seem like old news today. A simple update in design can make your emails more appealing and drive more action.

Plus you have to take mobile into account too.

More people are opening their emails on mobile devices and they are engaging with those emails longer too. So if your emails aren’t mobile friendly, you’re losing a ton of potential readers right off the bat.

Dig into the data

Now, when it comes to making updates that doesn’t mean you have to do a full overhaul every few months. Instead, be strategic.

Look at your stats first and really dig into them because you can learn quite a lot. Take note on the emails that get the best responses, what is it about them that are driving clicks? The topic? The copy?

Also look at the emails that aren’t seeing any engagement and try to determine if you can see patterns as to why they aren’t getting the clicks. Sometimes, it might only take a few small tweaks to bring those numbers up.

Have a little fun

Fun?

Yes, you’re allowed, especially in your emails.

That doesn’t mean to throw caution to the wind and ignore professionalism. But, you can insert fun into your emails by embracing interactive content.

Here are three examples.

Gamification

Gamification is just one example of interactive content that can knock the socks off your subscribers. With gamification, it’s all about engagement. Within the email, you’re asking readers to play along and in doing that you’re activating all sorts of hidden psychological triggers that make them want to come back for more.

Gifs

While gifs aren’t exactly the new kid on the block, there is a ton you can do with them inside your emails. Gifs can be used as a way to break up content, to illustrate a point, and even to make people laugh. But, you can dig even deeper with them too, use gifs to highlight something interesting about your product, show an unboxing, or use as a way of instruction too.

Video

Video is one of the hottest marketing trends around. And in 2019 (and beyond) you’re going to see a lot more video inside email marketing campaigns. Using video is a great way to breath new life into a stale campaign and get your readers to engage with your content, they will have to click on your video thumbnail to be able to see it, which is a great first step in capturing their attention.

Stay relevant and you’ll see improvements

While you might feel ok about your email stats right now, only time will tell if you’re effectively running interesting, engaging, and educational campaigns that are relevant to the interests of your readers.

By making even small tweaks and looking for ways to engage your subscribers interactively, you can get your brand prepared for the future of email marketing — and get an edge on your competition.