Email Newsletters: How Does Yours Stack Up?

In an era when social channels such as Facebook and Twitter are growing at such phenomenal speeds, the humble email newsletter might sound like an outdated concept. But while social media is important, it can’t reach everyone, and tools like email newsletters still have a role to play. That is, as long as they are well executed.

At propertyadguru.com, we receive nearly a hundred email newsletters a month, so we know the range of quality that’s out there. There are some common mistakes that plenty of email marketers make, most of which have easy fixes. To find out how your email newsletters stack up, consider these questions:

1. Does your newsletter make sense, even if pictures are blocked? Many people will choose not to display email images by default, and if you don’t offer something else to grab their attention, chances are they won’t turn on the images to see your whole message.

2. Are you writing too much? Just like a blog post, email newsletters need to be structured with scanning in mind. Long blocks of unbroken text will make readers’ eyes glaze over, so break things up with plenty of headings and links.

3. Are you writing too little? Readers will switch off if shown too much information at once, but they will never engage in the first place if your message isn’t clear. State who you are and what you’re offering within the first few lines to ensure people don’t give up in sheer confusion.

4. Are you going overboard with colour and/or bold text? It’s true that breaking up text with bold and colour will keep people scanning, but use too much of either and your readers won’t know where to look. Keep things consistent, using bold text sparingly and just a few well chosen colours.

5. How are you using subject lines and snippets? A good subject line will obviously help your email stand out in the inbox, but the snippet of text that tells readers what’s inside the email is also key. Make sure you’re telling people enough to get them to open the email in the first place, or it could end up in the trash, unopened.

For more email tips, check out our in-depth look at email newsletter creation, along with our Top 10 Tips for Email Newsletters.

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Tips for Email Newsletters
2. Email Newsletters: Awareness, Loyalty, Leads
3. 12 Tips for Christmas Email Newsletters
4. Email Marketing Tips from campaigner.com
5. Tips for Attention-Grabbing Emails
6. Four More Ways to Refine Your Email Marketing
7. The Great Social Migration: Email Left Behind
8. Top 10 Tips for Email Etiquette