Email marketing is among the most powerful marketing tools. It’s no surprise because it attracts a whopping 4200% ROI! That’s why marketers put much energy into creating their email marketing strategy.
But to stand out in the inbox, marketers must use creative strategies. Below we discuss the top eight strategies to increase email engagement:
What Is Email Engagement?
Before we dive into the different email engagement strategies, let’s discuss the basics.
Email engagement refers to a prospect’s actions to interact with your content. It includes clicking and reading an email. Or it may be following a call to action by clicking on a website link.
Email is crucial for B2B marketers, helping them connect with C-suite executives. So, most marketers spend time designing and implementing email engagement strategies.
Read also: Key Metrics to Grow Your Business
Email Engagement Metrics
Email engagement metrics allow marketers to gauge their email engagement’s success. But there’s no single metric; instead, you use multiple to determine engagement rates.
Thus, it gives you an idea of the percentage of subscribers who find your emails engaging. Here are several key metrics to track email engagement:
Open Rate
The open rate determines the percentage of subscribers clicking on your message.
Click Mapping
Click mapping allows marketers to track which link in an email attracts the most clicks.
Click-Through Rate
CTR tracks the percentage of recipients clicking on links within successfully delivered emails.
Conversion Rate
It measures the total percentage of subscribers taking the desired action. It may be filling out a form or purchasing.
Bounce Rate
It measures the percentage of emails that didn’t end in the recipient’s inbox. Marketers may track hard and soft bounce rates.
Time Spent on Email
The metric represents how long a recipient views your email. A high open length suggests the audience finds your content engaging.
Spam Rate
The spam complaint rate is the percentage of people marking your email as ‘spam.’ You might get flagged as spam by the subscriber or their email client.
Website Traffic from Email
Website tracking tools can show users how many visitors arrive through email.
Unsubscribe Rate
The metric shows the percentage of recipients who unsubscribe from your newsletter. Although a downer, knowing who no longer finds your emails engaging is essential.
8 Ways to Improve Email Engagement
Let’s explore the eight best ways to improve email engagement:
Create Catchy Subject Lines
The number of emails sent daily will hit an astronomical 374.3 billion in 2023. With millions of emails flooding subscribers’ inboxes, marketers must think outside the box.
The subject line allows you to make lasting impressions on the recipient. You learn to stand out when you start an email with an irresistible one-liner.
So, what makes a subject line good? The best way to draft one is to keep it short and sweet, with up to five words. Create a sense of urgency or intrigue to encourage recipients to click immediately. But avoid using excessive exclamation marks, or your email deliverability will suffer.
Besides this, add a hint of deep personalization or humor by sprinkling emojis. You can also make subject lines memorable using the subscriber’s first name.
Show You Care with Welcome Emails
Over 76% of people expect welcome emails after subscribing to a newsletter. So, it’s no surprise that its average open rate is up to 50%!
With welcome emails amassing so much attention, it’s clear this email is essential. And if you’re not making the most of it, you will lose massive traffic.
Therefore, you can improve email engagement rates by crafting a personalized welcome email. You may use it to deliver a promised discount code or to appreciate the subscriber.
Make Your Copies Interactive
Take email engagement to the next level by incorporating interactive elements. Adding interactivity inspires purpose, and it keeps readers engaged for longer.
Using interactive elements like GIFs, games, videos, games, and quizzes entertain your subscribers. As a result, these can drive click-through and conversion rates.
Furthermore, interactivity triggers curiosity, which tempts the recipient to view your emails. You can also capture subscribers using sliders, accordions, and countdown timers.
Create Mobile-Friendly Designs
Approximately 1.7 billion people check emails on their mobiles, outnumbering desktop users. So, it’s crucial to create inclusive, mobile-friendly email designs.
Using a simple and attention-grabbing design will hook your subscribers. Additionally, by using concise sentences, you can make your text scannable and consumable. It will also optimize your content for readers using various screen sizes.
Remember to use mobile-friendly templates and images. You’ll turn off customers if the graphics take too long to load.
Wield the Power of Pre-header Text
Most email clients showcase the first line of an email next to the subject line. The pre-header text is every marketer’s second grab at captivating the recipient.
The snippet is valuable for mobile readers and can make or break your email. So, aim to provide value within 50 to 130 characters. You may also use the pre-header text to deliver a special offer!
Add a Compelling CTA
The best way to end an email is with a stunning call to action. The last thing you want is for recipients to wonder why they ‘wasted five minutes!’
Using your CTA strategically can help increase conversion and click-through rates. But to achieve this, you should follow several best practices:
- Create a clear and concise call to action. Using too many will confuse the subscriber
- Incorporate a compelling verb that inspires recipients to take the desired action
- Leverage contrasting colors to make your CTA button stand out
- Link your CTA to your landing page, where visitors can complete the desired action
- Use first-person language to add a dash of personalization
A/B Test Your Emails
You can A/B test everything in your email, from subject lines to CTA. Carry out multiple tests by crafting alternative versions of an email. You can also send emails at different times and frequencies.
The more you test, the better you’ll know your audience. Consequently, you can incorporate better email personalization strategies to engage them! Remember to evaluate your email metrics after running test campaigns.
You can identify the successful subject lines, copies, images, and CTAs. It can also ease segmenting target audiences.
Use Transactional Emails
Transactional emails have among the highest open rates, second only to welcome emails.
Research shows these emails enjoy an 85% open rate. That makes them the perfect opportunity for marketers!
Most transactional emails only contain information about the transaction. It includes order confirmation, forgotten passwords, and abandoned cart copies. By giving these emails extra attention, you can boost email engagement rates.
Better Data, Better Email Engagement
Email communication is a crucial communication channel for marketers. But most people struggle to keep up-to-date with listings and personalization strategies.
Luckily, there is a solution – integration! You can streamline your contact databases by syncing your CRM and email tools. That way, you’ll be updated with relevant data.
In addition, you can automatically send recent leads to your best email marketing automation tool and MQLs to the CRM. As a result, marketers can nurture and convert prospects more effectively!
Mistakes Affecting Your Email Engagement Metrics
Here are several mistakes to avoid ensuring your email engagement rates don’t suffer:
- Crafting Poorly Written Subject Lines – As we discussed, your subject line is critical in capturing the subscriber. So, spend time writing and A/B testing them.
- Incorporating One Too Many CTA – Using multiple calls to action will confuse the reader. Ensure you don’t distract subscribers by adding one clear CTA.
- Failing to Segment Your Email List – You can’t send one email, cross your fingers, and hope everyone loves it. Segment your listings to craft emails based on target audiences.
Conclusion
Email engagement is all about building long-lasting relationships with prospects. Follow the strategies we discussed to design stunning emails.
Use persuasive words and catchy subject lines to outshine your competitors. You’ll also show subscribers that you are worth their time and money!