When email became widespread a few decades ago, marketers everywhere rejoiced. There was finally an exciting new way to communicate with consumers away from the crowded bustle of most other mediums. Today, email marketing remains such a pillar of online campaigns that it’s ranked third overall in the average return on a company's investment, and most marketers use email. However, the inbox is now a very crowded place compared to the 1990s—and that makes it even more important to focus on the benefits of content writing for effective email.
Unfortunately, it's easy to lose one's way with email. There can be a tendency to oversimplify the medium and assume there is an easy path to long-term success. As a result, you could fall into a pattern of mistakes that hold back your email campaigns. What are these problems, and where can you find solutions?
Ultimately, we all want email marketing to lead to a positive ROI—after all, we don't do this for fun. With more than a third of brands currently boosting their email spend, results are expected. The pressure created by these expectations can lead you to pushy email copy that's too focused on making a sale and not on the reader's experience. The benefits of content writing include the ability to inform, educate, and entertain—your emails need to do these things, too. You need to target readers at all stages in the funnel.
A good subject line is a potent tool—the right ones will have a measurable impact on your open and click-through rates. Many people receiving marketing emails also look for evidence of promotions and deals. This combination can lead some to become over-reliant on FOMO or the fear of missing out, crafting subject lines that implore a reader to hurry, act fast, and open this message right now! These are effective strategies in moderation and at the right times, but it's easy to exhaust readers. Working with an experienced email marketer can help you plan a campaign that chooses the right moment to make such a push.
There are about 350 billion emails sent every day. You read that right: that's "billion" with a "B." The average user can receive dozens of messages daily—so you can't afford to "just get by" with boring copy. That's if anyone opens it at all. If your email content doesn't pop off the screen with your brand's character and personality, chances are it's headed right to the trash folder. Email campaigns can't be generic or full of boilerplate; they must be unique and emphasize the selling points of your brand with a voice readers recognize as your own.
Yes, audience segmentation is extra work. Yes, it can take time to drill down into the data to figure out who your most valuable demographic targets are. Neither is an excuse for avoiding the process altogether. If you simply blast the same email to everyone on your mailing list, you're missing opportunities to tailor content more effectively. Supplementing your efforts with outside help can ensure enough capacity to produce the different kinds of content you need—and the results should speak for themselves. Your brand might have broad appeal, but it's always worth identifying which specific aspects of that identity appeal to which people.
In line with segmenting your audience, you should break down your emails into two categories. Are you testing how different versions perform with the same audience categories, or are you leaving this data on the table? Professional A/B testing of email campaigns reveals what works best for your brand while highlighting what doesn't resonate with your readers.
Email marketing has come a long way from its origins—and it's no longer as easy to "DIY" a successful campaign. Email marketing professionals with a clear understanding of the digital landscape can be valuable assets to harness the latest techniques and explore the benefits of content writing tailored specifically for email. From structuring campaigns that guide readers towards your goal over time to thoroughly testing different copy for different audiences, there are many opportunities you could embrace for better results today. Which ones will be the best fit for your brand?