Effective Email Marketing

While SMO has become a major force for driving website traffic and addressing users, the email component of any Internet marketing strategy should not be overlooked. Email offers a personalised and targeted form of address, which, provided the email gets past filters, is likely to be seen.

Email marketing strategies should always be ‘opt-in’ based. ‘Cold emailing’, may have benefits depending on the situation, but more often than not, it will be more beneficial to build a list of people who are interested in hearing from you. In any case, there should be an easily located ‘opt out’ option. Often, offering a form of incentive to sign up can be enough to coerce users into opting for your list. This offering can be as simple as a promised e-resource.

Email is a personal and private platform. If someone signs up to receive your service, they should be targeted as an individual. If you can acquire the names of interested customers when they sign up, they should be used for the emails, as the message will seem more targeted and relevant to the reader.

Subject lines should always be an accurate representation of the content to be found in the email. There is always the possibility of filters blocking out the more complex content of emails. A simple format may be wise so that readers don’t miss any important information upon opening the email. Marketers should ensure that their content has a specific purpose and isn’t convoluted with numerous topics. Each ‘purpose’ should include a means of taking action, and if links are used, make sure they are recognisable as such, to avoid any barriers to following through.

It is best to monitor the success of the emails you send out. Multiple services offer statistics that will measure success, depending on your intention. Ideally, marketers should have a clear idea of what they wish to achieve and evaluate success through bounce rates, open rates, and CTR. You can then make changes based on recipient reactions and continue to tailor your use of email as part of a wider online marketing campaign.