CONGRATULATIONS YOU’RE RIGHT! 7.9% of Email Worx openers viewed the last issue on a mobile device.
The growth of internet-enabled mobile devices in 2011 has been undeniably impressive, and the implications for those engaged in email marketing are profound.
Return Path recorded an 81% growth in mobile email since January. And according to recent data from Litmus Email Analytics, 9.29% of total opens come from mobile devices – although data from individual campaigns ranges wildly from 2% to 15% depending on the types of brands and products analysed.
With such a broad range of findings, we thought it was time to revisit our own primary source – subscribers to Email Worx. So how many viewed the most recent edition on their mobile? Here’s what we found:
Optimising email for mobileThis is not just a case of making a few tweaks to your email design. Subscribers behave differently when using mobile, so you also need to consider your strategy, subject lines, calls to action and related landing pages.
Here are 8 tips from us:
Consider the objectives of your email
If your CTA is ‘purchase’, you should ensure your landing pages are also designed and optimised for mobile users. You may also want to allow subscribers to continue their session via the desktop later on.
Think about the nature of your product
You might prefer people to see your beautifully designed products in all their glory rather than in a thumbnail-sized image. Ask yourself: ‘Can my email generate greater revenue with bigger images and fewer products?’
The great debate: mobile text links
The decision to include a mobile text link at the top of your email depends on how much you know about your subscribers. But it’s safe to say that if the majority are using an HTML-enabled phone, there’s little point entering the phrase ‘click here to view the mobile version’.
Make your email mobile friendly
Ensure buttons are designed to be smartphone friendly – and don’t forget devices like the iPod touch. Apple advises that buttons should be approximately 0.8cm square.
Optimise your testing process
Consider testing your emails on all the platforms and clients that your subscribers are using. Unfortunately this won’t remain static for long, so you’ll need to review your lists frequently to make sure you’re up to date.
Remember the Nudge Effect
Ensure your email has value, even for those subscribers who don’t read the whole thing.
Don’t waste the top-left corner
This is the most important part of your email as it’s the part that’s seen and read by everyone. Use this space to convey key messages and important imagery like logos and branding.
Keep email size below 100KB
Few subscribers have the patience of a saint, so don’t force them wait an age for your email to open or for content to appear.
Revisit your data often
Mobile email is still in its infancy and developing rapidly. The best policy, therefore, is to revisit your data and question your assumptions on a regular basis. And of course, you should keep on reading Email Worx for the latest thinking.
Finally, special thanks go to our mobile email users for making this edition Email Worx possible.
Last updated: May 12, 2015 Alchemy Worx
