creating email campaigns that work: a focus on design elements

5 Ways To Improve Your Email Campaigns (and Get Better Results)

Creating Email Campaigns that WorkA Focus on Design Elements@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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Hello, my name is John. @johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Tweet this session!@johnethies@EmailonAcid

#DENStartupWeek

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The feeling you get after a day of working with Outlook

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@johnethies | @EmailonAcidEMAIL TESTING

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Derived from Acid Test.

@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

ADVANCED ANALYTICSENGAGEMENT ACTIVITYGEOLOCATION REPORTINGCLIENT & DEVICE INFORMATION

John Thies (JT) - Would it be possible to remove the small text and icons and just say the title (i.e. Engagement Activity)? My thought is that it will be too small for people to ready.Why is emailso important?01.

marketing emails are sent each day@johnethies | @EmailonAcidbillion93

32 Million emails per second9

EMAIL delivers the highest ROI for Marketers@johnethies | @EmailonAcid*According to VentureBeat, email is the channel generating the highest ROI for marketers.

email marketing is going to remain a top priority for companies in 2016

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@johnethies | @EmailonAcid&68%OF TEENSOF MILLENNIALSPrefer to receive communication from a business via email.Source: Adestra73%

68 percent of teens and 73 percent of Millennials said they prefer to receive communication from a business via email.

In addition, more than half rely on email to buy things online.

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RESOURCES are shifting@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

71.8 percent) say they are planning to spend more time on email production and more than four out of five (86.7 percent) report that they will increase email marketing budgets this year.12

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidBUDGETS are following future needs

Additionally, of the 86.7 percent of the survey's respondents said they would spend more money on email marketing this year. The increased budget is expected to be spent on:13

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidWe read email everywhereSource: Adobe

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@johnethies | @EmailonAcid..and these places as wellSource: Adobe

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$40 return for every $1 spent in Email Marketing@johnethies | @EmailonAcid*According to VentureBeat, email is the channel generating the highest ROI for marketers.

if done CORRECTLY@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Getting to the INBOX02.

VSDELIVERABILITY@johnethies | @EmailonAcidDELIVERY

Making it into the inbox is one of the more ambiguous, misunderstood elements of sending great email. Marketers often mix up a key distinction: delivery vs. deliverability. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they have very different meanings.19

@johnethies | @EmailonAcid*According to VentureBeat, email is the channel generating the highest ROI for marketers.Whether or not a recipient accepts your message.DELIVERY

Where the message ends up once its accepted: inbox, spam folder or another folder.DELIVERABILITY@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Email design and content can have an EFFECT on inbox placement@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

AVOID using an all image design

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Target 500+ characters

Keep email size BELOW 100kb@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

BITLY is @johnethies | @EmailonAcid

for email

From Name,Subject Line + Preheader Text03.

3 opportunities to encourage a subscriber to open your email.

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USE A TRUSTWORTHY & RECOGNIZABLE FROM NAME


@johnethies | @EmailonAcidSUBJECT LINESof email recipients open an email based on subject line alone.35%

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Subject lines with 61-70 characters get more reads. KEEP THE SUBJECT SIMPLE@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Return Path, 65 characters seems to be a sweet spot for email subject lines, which is about 15 characters more than the average subject line. When subject lines are 61-70 characters long,they tend to get read. However, most email subject lines are between 41 and 50 characters.31

WHAT ABOUT EMOJI?Brands using emojis in their subject lines saw a 45% increase in their unique open rates.

EMOJIs @johnethies | @EmailonAcid[continued]

*Represents activity on Appboys platform, broader industry metrics may vary. Appboy, The Appboy Emoji Study: The Rise and Rise of Emoji Marketing, July 14, 2016

John Thies (JT) - Rachel, can you make this pretty? Maybe by creating a new graphic for this information? I don't think we need all the text, just referencing AppBoy as the sourcePreheaders are an EASY win!@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

NO BUENO!


CHARACTERLIMITS@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Preheader Text: CODE EXAMPLE@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

PERSONALIZED MESSAGE@johnethies | @EmailonAcidPersonalization, increases opens by

26%

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Does your email include a special offer? Let your audience know in the preheader text what awaits them upon opening the email. The Honest Company also does a nice job of referencing a non-sale related incentive in their preheader tex

Increased opens by 26%

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Have FUN with it

PetCareRx does a really nice job with this subject line + preheader text combination. Theyve personalized the message (with my dogs name, Fenway), let me know about the 75% off discount being offered and referenced the classic Baha Men earworm,Who Let the Dogs Out.39

Best PracticesWITH EMAIL04.

No standards, every client is DIFFERENT

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John Thies (JT) - Rachel, maybe on this slide we could use a big picture background on this slide (Like slide #4)?Rachel Girard (RG) - I'm open to other ideas...Coding like its 1999


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Is the email width rule of 600px still a best practice?@johnethies | @EmailonAcid


640px

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ALIGNMENTCreates order and organization@johnethies | @EmailonAcid


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Left Alignment:mirrors how we read and is easy to follow@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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John Thies (JT) - Hi Rachel, I was thinking for this slide and the following 2 slides, that we use the words to show alignment within a container (or use a solid line to indicate the alignment). Hopefully that makes senseCenter Alignment: harder to follow from line to line@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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Right Alignment:hard to read for Western Languages


FONTS@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

ArialArial BlackTimes New RomanComic Sans MSVerdanaImpactCourier NewGeorgiaTrebuchet MSWebdingsEmail SafeFONTS@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Limited web font support, if used, have a fallback


iOS MailApple Mail

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FONT SIZE:minimum 12pxpreferred body text size is 16px@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

NEGATIVE [white] SPACE@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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INCREASE Legibility + Usability

Surround call to actions with white space to make it STAND OUT


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Negative space can be ANY color


Simplified CONTENT05.

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Put the MOST important message first@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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You have approximately 8.25 seconds to capture someones attention.

Emails are open, on average, 5-15 seconds.

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidKeep it SIMPLE

as your content is brief, entertaining, and fresh, Millennials very well might evenshareit with their friend group.61

ONE audienceONE goalThe Rule ofONE

This Clinique email is an excellent example of the Rule of One at work. It is clearly targeted at one audience, men, who are interested in one goal, getting their "skin in shape for summer." Not to mention, the CTAs are strong and actionable.

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GRANDMA TEST:Write in plain language.

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Start with what is importantShort sentences, she won't remember the beginning by the time she gets to the endSimple words63

Design for MOBILE06.

50%of all emails are opened on mobile devices.@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

80%of emails are deleted if they dont render correctlyof those people will unsubscribe30%DID YOU KNOW@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

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@johnethies | @EmailonAcidDESIGN forevery inbox, every device

Keep it simpleSingle column layout is most-readable on mobileKeep important information at the topGet your call to action across quickly

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Mobile FriendlyMobile FirstSCALABLE

Scalable design can be defined as any design that works well across both desktop and mobile without using code to adjust table or image sizes, or display or hide content between the two platforms.

typically the easiest to implement. Since scalable emails dont adjust the widths of tables or images between devices, and dont use CSS media queries

FLUID

Fluid emails use percentage-based sizing to make the width of tables and images adapt to the screen size on which they are viewed

fluid designs typically work best for text-heavy layouts since theres less control over how copy and images relate to each other.

RESPONSIVE

Gmail doesnt like your@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

SpongyFLUID-HYBRID

Fluid tables and elements by defaultMax-width CSS to constrain widths on desktopMSO conditional comments to constrain widths in Outlook

Gmail SUPPORTS your fluidity!@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Android GmailiOS Mail App

Progressive ENHANCEMENT07.

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidSource: @actionrocket

Make the BEST experience for each user @johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Source: @actionrocket

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidsimpleStyled ALT textAnimated GIFsButton enhancementsCSS animation Carousels, Hot spot animationCOMPLEX

of users view email with images off

Styled ALT TEXT43%@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Free shippingNo styling or background colorFree shippingBackground colorFree shippingStyled alt textFree shippingBackground color + styled alt textStyledALT TEXT[continued]

STYLED ALT TEXT[continued]

STYLED ALT TEXT[continued]@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

MOZIFY

[original email][no Mozify]

[with Mozify]


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John Thies (JT) - Hi Rachel, do you mind making animations on this slide to show all 3 versions? I believe you created a slide like this for a previous PPTRachel Girard (RG) - Wasn't sure how this ended up in the last PPT, but let me know if you'd like me to change it.

Animated GIFS

Outlook 2007+ shows the 1st frameOther programs show the animation

Animated GIFS@johnethies | @EmailonAcid[continued]

NOT supported in Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 for WindowsFirst frame should include crucial info & CTAAnimatedGIFS[continued]

support and how-to

26% @johnethies | @EmailonAcid

GIF emails increase a click through rate up to

Rounded cornersI am a button I am a button

I am a button I am a button BordersI am a button GradientsI am a button Web fontsHover effects

Button ENHANCEMENTS@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

I am a button Progressively enhanced: Apple MailI am a button

Graceful degradation: Outlook 2010I am a button

Lotus NotesI am a button

Scale to fit: iPhoneButton ENHANCEMENTS[continued]@johnethies | @EmailonAcid


RULE OF THUMB:40px height for buttons

What movie is this from?90


CSSANIMATION

FALLBACK

INTERACTIVECAROUSEL{Creative by RebelMail

HOT SPOT ANIMATION

Stick theLANDING08.

Incorporate RESPONSIVE Design@johnethies | @EmailonAcid

Take a look at an example fromGetResponseon how a landing page SHOULD look on your desktop and your mobile.95

@johnethies | @EmailonAcidKnow the PLATFORM of the visitor

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@johnethies | @EmailonAcidLow conversions on Mobile?

This suggests smartphones are more of browse or research platform rather than a buy platform since many of the

Smartphone experiences should be personalized to show this different form of usage.

Lead generation and acquisition

Revisit on Desktop97

BOTTOM LINE:@johnethies | @EmailonAcidEmail is an AMAZING channel for marketers, if done correctly.

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Our PANEL ANTHONY CHIULLI - Senior Consultant, Deliverability Services, Salesforce (@anthonychiulli)

JILL GUEST - Engagement Marketing Manager, SendGrid (@jillpguest)

JAMES EINSPAHR - Digital Creative Director, FURNITURE ROW DIGITAL

CHESTER BULLOCK - Vice President, Digital Marketing Technology / Salesforce MVP, Trendline Interactive (@coskier)


THANK YOU!@johnethies@emailonacid@johnethies | @EmailonAcid@DENStarupWeek

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