While newsletters remain a popular method for sharing company updates, they can be challenging to execute effectively. The process involves crafting engaging copy, creating compelling calls-to-action (CTAs), designing emails that display seamlessly across different devices, using clickable subject lines, and more.
But did you know that Email newsletter ranks as the top content marketing choice for 81% of B2B marketers and boasts 28.5% higher ROI when compared to direct mail?
If you are eager to launch an impactful email marketing campaign, check out the following dos and don’ts of email newsletters.
What is an email newsletter?
An email newsletter is a form of communication that bridges the gap between your business and its email subscribers. It serves as a repository for company news, product updates, and upcoming promotions. Unlike other types of emails, newsletters have a limited lifespan as the information they contain is relevant for only a short period.
These newsletters play a crucial role in engaging subscribers and generating excitement about the latest developments within your company. The key to their effectiveness lies in maintaining a consistent sending schedule. Companies typically send newsletters on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, presenting them in diverse designs and layouts to suit their email list preferences.
It’s essential to differentiate newsletters from other types of emails you may send, such as daily promotional emails or automated transactional emails focused on specific actions or products. Unlike hard-sell approaches, newsletters primarily focus on updating your email list about your company, fostering connections, and building relationships with your audience.
Why should you have an email newsletter?
With four billion active email accounts worldwide, email newsletters present a massive opportunity for marketers to build brand awareness effectively. This versatile tool not only allows you to inform your subscribers about your company but also encourages them to take action. Among all digital strategies, email newsletters have the potential for the most significant impact due to several compelling reasons:
- Consistent Customer Connection: By utilizing newsletters, you can establish a consistent and reliable connection with your customers, setting yourself apart from competitors. As trust in your brand grows, so does customer loyalty, leading to repeat business.
- Personalization Capabilities: Newsletters offer the advantage of sending personalized messages to your email list, enabling customization of elements like subject lines, content, and location. This personal touch enhances engagement and responsiveness.
- Drive Website Traffic: An email newsletter becomes a powerful tool to drive traffic to your website, thereby improving your search engine ranking positions (SERP) and providing subscribers with more insights about your company through website content or blog posts.
- Nurturing Leads: As part of an effective lead nurturing strategy, newsletters allow you to stay top-of-mind with potential customers, guiding them through the buyer’s journey. By consistently providing valuable content, insights, and updates, you can build trust and credibility, making your brand the go-to choice when they are ready to make a purchase decision.
Every marketer’s top newsletter dos and don’ts
Email newsletter dos
While there isn’t enough time to mention every newsletter’s best practices, let’s take a look at the top four to help you get started.
Send targeted emails
Sending targeted emails means segmenting your email list based on specific criteria, such as demographics, behaviour, interests, or past interactions. By tailoring your content to each segment, you can deliver more relevant and personalized messages, which leads to higher engagement and conversions. Personalized emails record 188% open rates, compared to 12.1% for emails without personalization.
How to do it: Use your email marketing platform to segment your subscribers based on data you’ve collected (e.g., age, location, purchase history, preferences). Create content that matches each segment’s interests and needs.
Include clear CTA buttons
A clear Call-to-Action (CTA) prompts your subscribers to take a specific action, such as clicking a link, making a purchase, or signing up for an event. A well-designed and visible CTA button can significantly improve click-through rates and drive desired actions.
How to do it: Place your CTA button strategically in your email, making sure it stands out visually with contrasting colours and compelling text. Use action-oriented language that clearly tells the reader what to do. For instance, to promote a webinar, use a CTA button saying “Register Now” that directs recipients to the webinar signup page.
Here is the example of one of our email newsletter CTA:
Craft valuable content
Providing valuable content in your newsletters keeps subscribers engaged and interested in what your brand has to offer. Valuable content can be educational, informative, entertaining, or exclusive offers that cater to your audience’s interests.
How to do it: Understand your audience’s pain points, interests, and preferences. Create content that addresses these needs and provides solutions. For instance, if you are a B2B software company, you can send newsletters that offer in-depth guides on maximising the use of your software, share success stories from other businesses, and provide industry-specific insights on technology adoption.
Optimize for mobile devices
Considering that there are over 2.2 billion mobile email users globally, optimizing your emails for mobile devices is crucial. Incorporate clear and visually striking Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons to encourage recipient engagement. Keep the copy concise, making the content easy to scan and understand quickly.
How to do it: Use responsive email templates that automatically adjust the layout and font size based on the device’s screen size. Keep the email design simple and easy to navigate. Test your newsletters on various mobile devices to ensure they render correctly.
Maintain consistency
Consistency in sending newsletters helps build trust and keeps your brand in your subscribers’ minds. Regular communication establishes a connection with your audience, increasing engagement and reducing the likelihood of being marked as spam.
How to do it: Set a consistent sending schedule that works for your audience and your content creation capacity. Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, stick to the schedule. Inform your subscribers about your email frequency during the sign-up process to manage their expectations.
Email newsletter don’ts
Write vague subject lines
The subject line of your email plays a vital role in making a lasting impression on your subscribers and can be the deciding factor between a click or being ignored. Crafting an attention-grabbing and concise subject line with five words or fewer is crucial.
Since consumers tend to scan their inboxes swiftly, your subject line must capture their attention instantly and set clear expectations about the content of the email. Emails with personalized subject lines generate 50% higher open rates.
By nailing your subject lines, you can significantly increase open rates and ensure your emails don’t end up in the dreaded trash bin.
Here is an example of one of our email newsletter subject lines:
Forget about accessibility
Neglecting email accessibility can alienate a portion of your audience, including those with disabilities. Ensure that your email design and content are accessible to all users, with clear font sizes, alt text for images, and a layout that is easy to navigate using assistive technologies.
- Avoid relying solely on images or colour
- Ensure that the text stands out from the background
- Arrange content in logical reading order from left to right and top-to-bottom
- Utilize alt text for images in your newsletter
- Compose informative and descriptive text for links
Send without testing first
Before sending your newsletter, it is essential to thoroughly test it across various devices and email service providers. Email designs may appear differently in recipients’ inboxes than initially intended, and some elements might be blocked by email providers. Ensuring your newsletter’s formatting, links, and content are error-free is crucial. Many email platforms offer a “test” option, allowing you to preview how your email will look on different devices and clients, reducing the risk of delivery issues and ensuring a seamless user experience for all recipients.
Ignore the metrics
After each newsletter campaign, analyzing the metrics is crucial to identify areas for improvement in your email marketing strategy. Most email platforms offer a comprehensive suite of analytics, including:
- open rate
- click-through rate
- delivery rate
- bounce rate
By monitoring and analyzing these metrics, you can identify areas that need improvement, understand what resonates with your audience, and optimize your future email campaigns. Tracking these key performance indicators (KPIs) empowers you to make data-driven decisions, refine your content, and ultimately achieve higher engagement and conversion rates.
Avoid A/B testing
To further enhance your understanding of audience preferences, consider implementing A/B testing for your newsletters. This method involves testing different variations of subject lines, CTA buttons, email formats, and more to determine the most effective elements. A/B testing allows you to experiment with different versions of your newsletter to determine which parts perform best. By neglecting to conduct A/B tests, you miss out on valuable insights that can inform your email marketing strategy and optimize your campaign’s performance.
Conclusion
Email newsletters have proven to be a highly effective content marketing choice, with a substantial impact on brand awareness and ROI. By implementing the dos and avoiding the don’ts, you can craft newsletters that captivate your audience, generate higher engagement, and drive desirable actions.
However, we recognize that developing impactful newsletters and implementing these best practices can be time-consuming and challenging. That’s why we are here to offer our expertise and support. Contact us today to get started on your journey to email marketing excellence.
