At $42 for every $1 spent, email marketing still boasts one of the highest ROIs around.
Of course, for you to enjoy that return on investment, subscribers need to actually open and click through from your emails.
Average click-through rates for emails vary by industry. Hobbies and media emails can generate click-through rates as high as 4.6% to 5%, while e-commerce hovers around 2%. Across industries, however, the average is 2.6%, according to the latest data from Mailchimp.
Here are ten tactics to improve your email click-through rates.
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1. Make your CTA buttons stand out.
Take a look at your emails. Is it easy to spot where the reader should click? If not, your CTAs may need a bit of a makeover. Make your CTA buttons bright and bold, and give them a contrasting color so people have no confusion over where to click.
2. Change up your anchor text.
Buttons will always grab more attention than text, but there may be reasons you want to include clickable text in your email copy. If you use text links in your email, optimize your anchor text. Go from “learn more” to “read the blog now.” Instead of “click here,” use “explore your options” or “see it in your space.”
3. Keep it short and sweet.
People don’t have time to read, so keep your email copy short and sweet. This increases your chances that they’ll reach your CTA button before getting bored or overwhelmed along the way. Use short, snappy sentences and leverage color and images instead. Did we mention emails with images have 42% higher click-through rates than emails that don’t feature images?
4. Make images clickable, too.
Speaking of images, if you’re including them, why not make them clickable? Prevent frustration for your subscribers and help them get where you want them to go, whether they click on an image, button, or text. Ensure the image goes to a link that makes sense and fits with the nearby text or CTA button.
5. Include social sharing buttons.
The more people your email reaches, the more likely you’ll reach someone who wants to click. That’s where social sharing buttons come in. Add these to your email, and your subscribers can share your emails with others who may be interested — boosting your clicks and your subscribers.
6. Segment your email lists.
Segmentation is easily one of the best ways to increase your email click-through rates. By segmenting your email list, you increase your chances that the people receiving your emails will be interested in what they have to say. According to research from HubSpot, segmented email campaigns can enjoy more than twice the click-through rates of generic marketing emails:
Check out our guides to segmenting your email lists for e-commerce and lead generation.
7. Link thoughtfully.
Avoid linking for the sake of linking. Sometimes having multiple links makes sense, but often, having just one, single, clear link is best. With one CTA, it’s easier to keep your copy short and ensure there’s no confusion about where to click.
8. Pay attention to analytics.
Every brand is unique, and that uniqueness extends to their email marketing. What do your analytics say? Do you see higher click-through rates or open rates on certain days or times of the week? Try adjusting your email schedule to optimize your click-through rates.
9. A/B test your emails.
Use A/B testing to see how different elements of your emails impact your click-through rates. Test out different:
- Headers
- Images
- Subject lines
- Copy
- CTA buttons
10. Get the basics right.
Finally, make sure you’ve nailed the basics. Are your emails mobile-friendly? Do your images include alt text? Are your emails formatted for the optimal width across devices? Answer yes to all three, and you’ll be in great shape.
Looking for more tips on building an email marketing strategy that leads to clicks and conversions? Talk to Your Marketing People.
