E
-mail newsletters
are an effective way to communicate with potential customers. Since e-mail newsletters can be sent to many potential customers all at once, it is important to get them to open them.
This time, we will introduce techniques and tips for creating email newsletters that will lead to higher open rates.
How do you know the open rate of your email newsletter?
The open rate of an email newsletter refers to the percentage of email recipients who open the email. It can be calculated using the following formula.
Open rate (%) = Number of emails actually opened ÷ Number of deliveries × 100
In order to measure open rates, you need to send emails in
HTML
format. A transparent measurement image (tracking pixel) that is so small that it cannot be seen in the HTML email is embedded. When the measurement image is displayed, the number of openings is counted.
Marketing automation (MA)
tools make it easy to create HTML emails. In addition to open rates, it is also possible to obtain data such as delivery success rates and click rates. Swich Plus, a marketing tool that combines CMS and MA, is a recommended tool that allows you to easily create HTML-format emails and measure open rates.
Why subject lines are important for improving open rates
The subject line is the first touchpoint with your customer
No matter how great the email content you send, an email newsletter is meaningless if no one opens it. Potential customers first look at the subject line of an email to decide whether or not to open it. The subject line of your email is your first touchpoint with a potential customer.
For e-mail newsletters, from email sending to conversion, you can measure the total number of deliveries → number of opens → number of clicks → number of conversions. Also, the number gradually decreases after the number of opens.
The open rate is the first metric to focus on, as it becomes the basis for subsequent click-through rates and conversion rates.
Distribution list and subject do not match
It is difficult for potential customers to check each email in their inbox one by one, so it is important to create a subject line that will grab the potential customer’s attention when they look at their inbox. Additionally, if the email newsletter’s distribution list and subject line do not match, it will cause a low open rate.
The email newsletter distribution list consists mainly of leads acquired through marketing and sales activities. Since there are a wide variety of acquisition
channels
, users are at various stages, such as those who already know the product/service to some extent, those who do not know about the product/service but are aware of the issues, and those who are not yet aware of the issues. Since there are many cases, the information that is desired tends to change depending on the phase, such as the latest information on products and services, update information, know-how information, etc.
If you try to send information that does not match the phase, the open rate will be low because there will be no interest. It is necessary to understand
the needs
of customers further down the distribution list and narrow down distribution to those customers who are seeking that information.
Key techniques and tips for creating subject lines
4U principles
When creating subject lines for your email newsletter, it’s a good idea to keep the 4U principles in mind. The 4Us refer to “Useful,” “Urgent,” “Ultra specific,” and “Unique.” By being aware of these characteristics, you will be able to capture the reader’s interest more easily.
①Useful
If the subject line suggests that potential customers will receive some kind of benefit from reading this email, they will be more likely to open it.
②Urgent
If you can make them feel like they need to open the email now, such as by saying it’s for a limited time only, it will make them more likely to open it.
③Ultra specific
If you use numbers to be specific, such as “30% increase” or “5 points,” it will be easier to visualize the content of the email.
④Unique
If you know who the email is aimed at, such as “For marketers only!”, it’s easier to give it a “special feeling” and make it easier to get interested in the content.
Number of characters
The subject line of an email will look different depending on the device. On smartphones, the number of characters that can be displayed in the subject line is limited, so it’s a good idea to put the parts you especially want people to see in the first half. Another option is to display the sender’s name as the company name or product/service name to reduce the number of characters.
If you use the preheader (the part of the main text that appears after the subject line) well, you can show what is hidden in the second half of the subject line or what cannot be conveyed. Be sure to perform a test distribution and use a device such as a smartphone to check whether the subject, sender, and preheader are displayed as intended.
It is also effective to shorten the subject line of your email newsletter. Many of the other e-mail newsletters in your inbox have long titles, and short titles are more likely to catch your eye. A short subject line that clearly conveys the content of your email newsletter will be easy to understand to potential customers and differentiate you from other companies.
summary
We introduced techniques and tips for creating subject lines to increase the open rate of your email newsletter. The success of your email newsletter is at the first touchpoint, and it is important to get potential customers to open it. Creating subject lines that match the needs of potential customers will lead to the success of your email newsletter.