We’ve been living in the digital age for quite some time now. Internet users have seen digital marketing channels explode in popularity, only to fizzle out a few years later (remember MySpace or Vine?). One channel, however, made its
debut in the late 1970s
and has stood the test of time.
We’re talking about
electronic mail
.
In the world of
digital marketing for small businesses
, email still reigns supreme. Globally,
over 4.2 billion email users send 333.2 billion emails each day
. By 2025, the number of people using email is forecast to increase to 4.6 billion.
With a bombardment of emails pouring into inboxes daily, responsive design plays a crucial role in making your
email marketing
content stand out.
What’s a responsive email design?
A
n email designed for responsiveness looks good across all devices, whether a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Responsive design is about creating content customized to the user’s chosen device. For example, in a non-responsive email design, the content might look great on a laptop but appear distorted or misaligned on a smartphone.
Over half of all mobile email users unsubscribe from promotional messages because they don’t open properly on their mobile devices. Other factors determining the responsiveness of email marketing content include a subject line and preheader text, copy placement, layout, font size, and imagery.
Check out the tips below to learn how to utilize
responsive email marketing
to take your business to new heights.
Prioritize the subject line and preheader
Think about the last time you received an email. What was the first thing you saw when the message came across your mobile device or laptop? Most likely, it was the subject line. That single line of text is what will persuade or prevent someone from opening your email.
The preheader is the text that follows a subject line in an inbox. Always think about your email’s preheader in conjunction with its subject line and vice versa. The two components sit side by side in the inbox and are therefore registered in a recipient’s mind in relation to one another.
A mistake made by many email marketers is putting the majority of their effort into the content of the email and leaving the subject line as an afterthought. While the content is an important part of
responsive email marketing
, how can your marketing campaign succeed if no one reads it?
Here are some tips for writing persuasive subject lines:
• Keep your character count low. Subject lines should never exceed 40 characters (with spaces).
• Don’t be afraid to use Emojis when appropriate. Emoticons are great storytelling tools, perfect for short lines of text.
• Try subject lines that ask a question. Questions pique interest and draw the reader into the conversation as a participant.
•
Include the recipient’s name in your subject line. This personalizes the email and makes the recipient feel your message is coming from a human, not a company.
Use responsive email templates
Several tools
are available if you don’t have the technical expertise and are looking for a more straightforward approach to responsive email. With an email template builder, you can produce responsive email designs by writing the code yourself or using ready-made templates.
Look for an email template builder that offers responsive design across all devices, so none of your hard work is compromised and your audience can fully appreciate your message. The template should automatically adapt to the user’s screen size and resolution regardless of their device.
Here are some of our favorite email template builders:
Stripo
Litmus
Chamaileon
Moosend
BEE Free
Mosaico
Keep your content clear and purposeful
Your readers
are busy and on-the-go, so you want to get to the point quickly. The most effective emails have a clear focus and are designed to elicit a single action from the reader. Maybe your call to action is to encourage readers to sign up for your blog or newsletter. Or, perhaps you’re trying to promote a new product or service. Whatever the purpose of your email is, it should be laser-focused.
Here’s an example of a marketing email with a concise message and straightforward call to action:
In this case, HelloFresh is attempting to reconnect with former customers. The “Come Back” CTA is accompanied by attention-grabbing colors and a tempting offer to remind customers of their products and services, while the content of the email is short, sweet, and straight to the point.
If you fill every inch of the screen, the reader won’t know where to look. Instead, use lots of white space to draw their eyes to your content and keep paragraphs short and sweet.
Use imagery wisely
When it comes to images, having a good balance is key. If your email is nothing but a wall of text, it won’t be easy to hold the reader’s attention. However, not all mobile devices display images by default, so you need to ensure your message will still be clear if your images don’t appear on the reader’s screen.
A good rule of thumb is to stay away from image-only emails. When the reader blocks images, your entire message will be blocked.
Web Marketing Today
says, “Blocked images remain a challenge for image-heavy emails. Descriptive body copy has to do the heavy lifting. It’s useful to think of images as optional, supporting the surrounding text, rather than the reverse.”
Image size matters, too. For example, larger images can take too long to load. People often decide they don’t have enough time to wait for slow emails. Plus, while the images are loading, it can slow down other applications on their phone, which increases the chances of your email going straight to the Trash folder.
The takeaway
When connecting with your prospects and customers, email provides a wider reach than any other marketing channel. Knowing how to create and use responsive email content that looks good on any device could be the key to a successful
digital marketing strategy
.
Email marketing can deliver valuable information to customers while allowing you to grow your business, increase brand awareness, and
set yourself up as an expert in your industry
without breaking the bank.
If you’re ready to
implement an email marketing campaign
but don’t know where to start,
Hyport Digital
can help. Our marketing specialists will work with you strategically to build a responsive email campaign that will drive results and significantly impact your revenue.
Reach out to our team
today to get started!
