How to Improve your E-Newsletters

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What’s your open rate like these days? Are your subscribers engaged with your content? Are they clicking links? Perhaps even forwarding to their colleagues and friends? If not, perhaps it is time to take a second look at your e-newsletters. And, even if you’re fairly happy with the success of your newsletters, there is always room for improvement. If you’re ready to learn how to improve your e-newsletters, continue down the page…we’re about to dole out some great tips.

 How to Improve your E-Newsletters

1. Make your content educational and promotional

Sorry, but no one wants to hear you talk about your products and services all day, every day. Mix up the promotional content with educational content – content that makes readers want to open up and learn more. In fact, strive for a 90% educational/10% promotional ratio of content. If that number sounds a bit unrealistic, trust us: your subscribers will thank you for making the change.

2. Give them a heads up

How are you getting new subscribers on your email list? Through your “subscribe” button on your website, most likely. Give your readers a heads up by detailing what kinds of content they can expect from you and at what frequency. It takes out the fear of the unknown, and you might just see your subscriber rate go up because of it.

3. Make your subject lines more creative

Make a different, new, creative and engaging subject line for every newsletter you send. Why? Because subject lines like “March Newsletter” don’t have any incentive! Convey something interesting in your newsletter’s subject line, and your readers are more likely to open it.

4. Stick with one primary…

…CTA, or call to action. Of course, you’re going to have multiple links and buttons to different places, but one of those should stand out as the most important. Set if off by making it bigger or brighter on the page. Or, make it the first thing your readers see. Or, put flashing lights around it a lá the best dressed house at Christmas time. Whatever works.

5. Simplify the design

Surprised by this one? Truly, you don’t want to overwhelm the reader. Keep design minimal. Let the fantastic verbiage and vivacious visuals do the talking. With simple, minimal design, you’re telling your audience to get off this email and onto the website, where full copy and design are waiting.

6. And a bonus tip, just for fun…

Include alt text. Just in case your subscriber doesn’t automatically download imagery in emails. Otherwise, they’ll miss those vivacious visuals we were discussing earlier. With an appropriate description in the alt text, you might just convince them to download (or click on a CTA without downloading the image).

Want to read more about creating and sending effective e-newsletters? Wish granted! Click here.