New to email marketing? Or maybe you’re a seasoned pro looking to share the tips you’ve learned along your journey. Either way, yesterday’s #emailchat was the place to be.
We asked the AWeber community to share their tips and guidelines for sticking to email marketing best practices. Josh, our Best Practices Manager, was there to share his expert advice with everyone. From subject lines to responsive email, we covered the spectrum.
Missed out on the chat? Here are the 7 email marketing best practices that everyone should know:
1. There are lots of ways to grow a healthy email list.
Q1. What are the most effective ways to grow a healthy email list? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/1DBrRmggRl
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A1 Find a way that works for your business. Offering something to potential subscribers is a great way to build a list. #emailchat
— Josh S (@Josh_SmithPA) February 18, 2016
a1: i’ve found that giving a free video seems to work the best! but wonder what others have found. #emailchat
— Michael Babcock (@PayOwn) February 18, 2016
A1: Always test out differnet types of sign up forms (lightbox, inline, etc) to see which converts the best #emailchat
— Elysa (@ElysaZeitz) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Incentives are a great way to get people to join your list. (Get inspiration here and here.)
Test different types of sign up forms to find your conversion sweet spot.
Be upfront about the types of content and frequency you’ll be sending.
2. There’s no right or wrong time to send.
Q2. What is the best time and day to send an email? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/H10HaKhZC7
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A2. There’s no right or wrong answer. I recommend testing to get the perfect strategy. #emailchat
— Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) February 18, 2016
Q2: also, know your audiences time zones. #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
A2. It usually depends, but it’s worth testing send times! #emailchat
— Monica Montesa (@missmontesa) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Testing is key to finding the optimal date and send time.
Know your audience!
Keep subscribers in the loop so they know when to expect your emails.
3. Email frequency: there’s no magic number.
Q3. How often should you send an email to your subscribers? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/O8boBL0Y4J
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
Q3: Audience aside, it depends on the type of mail. Promotion series can be daily. Content (newsletter-like) can be weekly. #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
a3: #emailchat that depends on the list; one list i only send a message once a week, another i send 3-5 times a week!
— Michael Babcock (@PayOwn) February 18, 2016
A3. Check out this great blog post by @missmontesa for the answer: https://t.co/TjNSMcXkt2 #emailchat
— Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Think about the type of content you’re sending. When does it make most sense for you to send?
Set expectations with your lists about how often they will hear from you.
Check out this recent blog post for more great tips!
4. The ideal subject line? Short and sweet.
Q4. What is the ideal subject line length? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/yeH8x8lsT9
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A4: My personal answer is ‘whatever minimum gets the open AND is inline with the content of the mail’ #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
A5: Under 50 characters is a good idea so that subject lines don’t get cut off on mobile. #emailchat
— HomeLiving Furniture (@HomeLivingFurn) February 18, 2016
A4 Subject lines should be as sort as possible with a high attention to detail.Get your point across with as few words as you can #emailchat
— Josh S (@Josh_SmithPA) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Optimize your subject lines to get subscribers to click.
Short and concise subject lines are a winning combination.
Think about how your subject line displays on a mobile inbox.
5. Test before you send!
Q5. How do you optimize your emails to look good across all devices? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/VAygPXJmAb
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A5. I think we mention them every #emailchat, but @litmusapp is our go-to for email testing.
— Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) February 18, 2016
A5: Optimizing means testing. Split testing is great tactic. #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
a5: #emailchat test on as many devises as possible.
— Michael Babcock (@PayOwn) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Test.
Test.
Test.
6. Your metrics depend on your goals.
Q6. What metrics are most important when it comes to your email stats? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/k5C6PwxQVV
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A6: It starts with list size, delivered, unique opens, unique clicks, unsubs and complaints. #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
A6. Check your spam rate – that’s a good way to get a sense of the quality of your email content. #emailchat
— Monica Montesa (@missmontesa) February 18, 2016
A6. What’s your goal? Why are you sending? Your most valued metrics should reflect that. #emailchat
— Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
List size, open rate, unsubscribes… all of these metrics are important!
Keep an eye on your spam rate!
Set goals for every email campaign.
7. Take note of these “email rules.”
Q7. What is your #1 rule when it comes to email marketing? #emailchat pic.twitter.com/HGeB0zcjSZ
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
A7 When running a email list, set your expectations and follow through on them. #emailchat
— Josh S (@Josh_SmithPA) February 18, 2016
A7: Don’t forget the call-to-action. #emailchat
— Antonio (@AspiringAntonio) February 18, 2016
A7. Never. Buy. A. List. #emailchat pic.twitter.com/6APPFCpwVt
— Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) February 18, 2016
Key Takeaways:
Set expectations for your content and stay consistent!
Whether it’s your sign up form or your email copy, never forget your call-to-action. (Here’s how to write a killer one.)
Never buy an email list. Ever.
What’s Next
We’re back next week with an all-new #emailchat! Join our email experts as we talk calls-to-action next Thursday, February 25 at 12 pm ET. Help spread the word:
Join us next Thursday at noon ET as we talk calls-to-action! #emailchat pic.twitter.com/8LlqYFMyb7
— AWeber (@aweber) February 18, 2016
Follow us on Twitter (@AWeber) to stay updated on the latest news, updates and resources. See you next week!
The post [#EmailChat Recap] Email Marketing Best Practices – The Dos and Don’ts You Need To Know appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.