If you want to maximize the revenue you generate from your online store, it’s essential to have a successful email marketing strategy. Email marketing is an immensely profitable marketing channel that offers you the chance to achieve a stunning ROI. In addition to helping your bottom line, email marketing carries several additional benefits, like boosting your website traffic, helping you establish your brand voice, and allowing you to communicate directly with your target audience.
However, to reap all these benefits, you must follow email marketing best practices. Great email marketing campaigns can have high click-through rates and bring hugely positive results, but bad marketing emails will turn off your email subscribers and backfire.
So, let’s get right into our list of 16 crucial email marketing best practices!
16 Best Practices for Email Marketing
The essence of a successful email marketing campaign lies in building a healthy email list, crafting compelling and engaging content, using clear subject lines, actionable language, concise messaging, and visual aids to captivate your audience.
1. Don’t Buy Email Addresses
While it’s technically legal to buy an email marketing list in the US (and most other jurisdictions), sending an email message to those addresses is illegal in most countries. None of the new “subscribers” on the list you purchase have opted in to receive email campaigns from you. Purchased lists often contain inactive emails, and the recipients are unlikely to engage with your campaigns.
2. Use Lead Magnets to Build Your List
The best way to collect email addresses is by using a lead magnet to convince your website visitors to voluntarily complete an email sign-up form. A popular lead magnet is a discount offer, but you can also offer valuable informational resources for free. This way, you build a list of people truly interested in what you offer.
3. Create Audience Segments
Segmenting your list into smaller groups allows you to send targeted campaigns to customer segments that share key characteristics. Characteristics include interest in a certain type of product, geographic location, or where they are in the sales funnel. The more data you have, the more targeted your email campaigns can be.
4. Collect Zero-Party Data
Zero-party data includes all information that website visitors willingly and intentionally share with a brand, often in exchange for an improved shopping experience or to obtain value. Collecting this data through quizzes and surveys helps personalize the customer experience and improve email open and click-through rates.
5. Clean Up Your List Regularly
Regularly update your email list to remove inactive accounts and unsubscribed users. Sending emails to inactive accounts affects your rating on email marketing platforms and can lead to your emails being marked as spam, reducing deliverability and engagement rates.
6. A/B Test Your Subject Line
Email subject lines are crucial for determining the success of each campaign. Use A/B testing to find out which types of email subject lines resonate best with your audience. This helps optimize open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement.
7. Use Personalized Email Greetings
Connecting with subscribers on a personal level is essential. Addressing your subscribers by name in your emails makes them feel valued and increases the likelihood of them regularly opening your emails.
8. Personalize the Subject Line and Body of Your Emails
Personalize everything from the subject line to the content of your emails. Use data on your subscribers’ interests and behaviors to tailor your email campaigns, such as sending personalized product recommendations or behavior-triggered emails.
9. Have a Compelling CTA
A compelling call-to-action (CTA) is essential for encouraging your subscribers to take the next step. A good CTA is short, simple, and clear, helping improve click-through rates and conversion rates.
10. Optimize Your Landing Page Headlines
Ensure consistency between your email campaigns and landing pages by matching headlines. This creates a seamless experience for subscribers and aligns expectations, reducing confusion.
11. Redirect Subscribers to Personalized Landing Pages
Personalize landing pages using subscribers’ names and other details. This can significantly boost conversion rates and enhance the overall user experience. Ensure these pages are optimized for mobile devices as well.
12. Improve Your Email Marketing Strategy Based on Data
Continuously track and analyze email marketing metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribes. Use this data to refine and improve your email marketing strategy, ensuring it remains effective and relevant.
13. Always Include an Unsubscribe Link
Including an unsubscribe link at the bottom of your emails is crucial. It provides a way for uninterested subscribers to opt-out, improving your email list’s overall health and compliance with regulations.
14. Don’t Use a No-Reply Email Address
Using a “no-reply” email address can convey detachment. Use a recognizable sender name and a genuine email address that recipients can reply to, fostering trust and engagement.
15. Optimize the Preview Text
Craft a concise, compelling preview text that complements your subject line and provides additional context. This sneak peek into your email’s content entices recipients to open and engage further.
16. Send Automated Welcome Emails After Opt-In
Implement automated welcome emails for opt-ins. These emails help personalize the user journey, nurture leads, and drive conversions. Most email marketing tools allow you to send automated emails, maintaining consistent communication with your audience.
FAQ
What are the elements of a successful email marketing campaign?
- List segmentation: Reach highly specific target groups.
- A compelling subject line: Ensure it stands out in a crowded inbox.
- Great copy: Ensure all text, from the subject line to the body, is on point.
- A clear CTA: Move subscribers through the sales funnel without confusion.
- Personalization: Use data to deliver relevant content.
What’s the best way to build an email list?
Build your email list organically using popups, which are effective at capturing attention and building an engaged audience.
What’s the best email marketing software?
The best email marketing platform depends on your needs, budget, and business goals. Top contenders include Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Sendinblue, Campaign Monitor, and HubSpot.
How to write great subject lines?
Keep subject lines short (30-50 characters), use personalization, create urgency or curiosity, and avoid spam-triggering words.
