Content is King.

Far and away, the most important thing beyond the subject line of your email, is the content.  Readers subscribe for specific information, so it’s important to deliver the right stuff to the right people.  If possible, segment your list so you can better target your emails, giving the readers exactly what they want.  Test phrasing, colors, and where the important copy points fall in the message. General rule of thumb: keep key points “above the fold.”

So what works? We’ve done a study here at Texterity, and found that short, simple emails are most effective.  Although lots of colors, text and graphics might look nice, this does not always resonate with the reader.  The subscriber has to grasp what the email is about at a glance. Without clarity and speed, you won’t get the click thru rates you want.  As for graphics, large, clickable graphics work best, since readers instinctively know to click on large images to get through to their digital magazine from their email.  So use a cover thumbnail and leave some white space around it. 

Aside from the content of your email, it’s also important to have a permanent footer, with unsubscribe link, contact links and general information about the company and the newsletter the reader is receiving. This not only assures that you comply with anti-spam regulations, but it minimizes complaints and confusion. Again, make sure to keep it simple– the last thing you want is to confuse or potentially annoy your subscribers!

For more information from Texterity about digital editions and email delivery, go to www.texterity.com/inforequest.  When Texterity deploys a digital edition for you, you can expect comprehensive analysis and bounce reports.

Ring in the New Year with High Open Rates.

Segment your email list. Whether you are mailing to prospects, current customers, or advertisers, it’s important to segment your list so you get accurate results, because each list performs differently. Subscribers will often be more responsive to an email from your publication than prospects, because they consider you a trusted source, therefore those lists should have higher open rates. Be sure to also clean the list often, and make sure that those who have opted out are actually opted out and not receiving messages from you.

Target your content. Subsequently, once you have segmented your list, the content should be specific for each audience, so that the audiences have something in their inbox that interests them. An advertiser might be very interested in seeing their ad in your digital edition, but not interested in a competitor’s spotlight in your newsletter. However, a subscriber might find both of interest.

Think long and hard about your subject line, but keep it short and sweet. This might seem an obvious piece of advice, but brief, to-the- point subject lines tend to catch the eye better and not get lost within a sea of other messages in an inbox. Try to create a subject line that’s descriptive but not too wordy. Avoid using words which commonly trigger spam filters, like “free,” “dear friend” or “buy.” If possible, avoid using lots of punctuation like exclamation points, because that also triggers spam filters.

Keep in mind the sender of the email. It should be someone that the target audience knows and trusts, and should always have both an email address – ie: texterity@texterity.com – and an alternative “from name” – ie: Texterity – so that the recipient understands who the mail is coming from.