Email newsletter campaigns that allow you to build relationships with customers at a low cost.
Did you know that there’s actually a pitfall that anyone can easily fall into?
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know to maximize the effectiveness of your email newsletter,
I’ll explain these three points. Please use this as a reference!
The Difference Between HTML Email and Text Email
To begin with, email newsletters come in two types: HTML emails and text emails,
You can send two types of emails.
First of all, the difference between these two and
Here’s why we recommend sending newsletters via HTML email!
Characteristics of HTML Email
HTML emails and plain-text emails differ in the following ways.
Whether or not you can insert an image,
Whether or not it is possible to measure metrics such as open rates and click-through ratesPoints such as these,
A major difference between HTML emails and plain text emails.
We recommend using HTML emails to implement the PDCA cycle based on customer feedback.
Advantages of HTML Email
Here, we’ll explain the three benefits of using HTML email in detail!
Allows for performance measurement
The biggest advantage of HTML emails is that you can measure their effectiveness.
Regarding the distribution of email newsletters3 Key Numbers You Must CheckThere is.
Look at these three numbers to identify areas for improvement, and
Implementing the PDCA cycle is essential for email marketing campaigns.
It offers a high degree of flexibility and is visually appealing
HTML emails, which allow you to include images and specify layouts, are
Compared to text-only emails, you can design your emails however you like.
For example, when sending a newsletter to promote a new product.
It's easier to visualize a product when there's a picture of it in the email rather than just text.Right?
Another reason is that you can create newsletters that users can visualize at a glance
Here are the benefits of using HTML email.
Easy for users (personas) to read
Now that smartphones have become widespread,
To begin with, text-only emails are becoming less common.
Even if people go to the trouble of opening your newsletter, there’s no point in sending it if they don’t read it.
Almost no one reads every single character in a newsletter.
By incorporating images in moderation and varying the font size,
It makes it easy to design newsletters that “get readers to read the parts you want them to read”That is also one of the benefits of HTML email.
Disadvantages of HTML Email
While HTML emails offer many advantages, there are also some drawbacks you should be aware of.
Next, we’ll explain two drawbacks you should be aware of!
Specialized knowledge may be required during creation
To create an HTML email from scratch,
You'll need knowledge of HTML to build the structure of the email newsletter and CSS to specify its styling.
Using tools and systems for creating email newsletters can save resourcesThis is possible.
Depending on the other party's system settings, garbled text or layout issues may occur.
If you are using half-width katakana or context-dependent characters,
Characters may appear garbled.
・Circled numbers
・Roman numerals
・Unit symbols
Be careful, as the three characters listed above are examples of context-dependent characters.
In addition, since the way CSS is applied varies depending on the device, operating system, email client, and other factors,
Another drawback of HTML emails is that the layout can sometimes become distorted.
Once you configure multipart email settings,
Since you can send either HTML or plain-text emails depending on the recipient's environment,
Don't forget to set it up.
Even taking these drawbacks into account,
We recommend sending newsletters via HTML email, which allows you to implement the PDCA cycle based on performance metrics.！
In the next chapter, before you send out a newsletter via HTML email,
I’ll explain two important points to keep in mind.
Please be sure to read this before creating your newsletter!
Points to Keep in Mind When Sending Email Newsletters
Users feel that they are being "sold to."
Email newsletters are one of the strategies for increasing sales.
And,Users also understand that “we send newsletters to get them to buy our products.”。
Therefore, information that is beneficial to users
When it comes to sending out email newsletters, it’s important to convey information as clearly as possible.
After including all the necessary information about the products and promotions,
A friendly tone that helps build a relationship between the writer and the user, and
Let's create designs that convey a sense of human warmth.
Depending on the content and frequency of posts, this can sometimes lead to users leaving.
If the newsletter comes across as too salesy or is perceived as being sent too frequently,
A trigger for customer churn...it might end up that way.
According to one survey, “posting frequently” is
We know this is the most common reason people don't read newsletters.
Not only will overly frequent emails go unread, but they may also lead to unsubscribes,
Furthermore, since this can sometimes lead to customers canceling their subscriptions to the product itself, be sure to consider an appropriate frequency for sending out emails.
The next chapter covers theseThree Key Points for Addressing These ConcernsI'll explain this in detail!
Key Points for Sending Email Newsletters
The first step is to increase the open rate.
・Open Rate
・Click-through rate
・Conversion Rate
Of these three, which number should you increase first?
The answer is, of course, “open rate”!
The reason is that,The first step to getting people to read the email newsletter you've sent is
"Getting people to open (read) the email"That's why.
There are two essential steps you should take to increase your open rate.
[1] I’m extremely particular about titles
[2] Determine the best time to send your newsletter based on your users’ lifestyles
I'll explain each of these two points in detail!
I'm extremely particular about titles
What's the first thing you should do when creating a newsletter?
The answer is,"Thinking of a Title"！
It’s common to find yourself focusing too much on the content of the newsletter.
However,The open rate is almost entirely determined by the subject lineIt’s no exaggeration to say that, so
Let's be really particular about the title.
Users receive a lot of emails in their inboxes every day.
To get recipients to open the email newsletter you sent from among those messages,
Include information that benefits users in the title so that it stands outThis is necessary.
For example, when sending out a newsletter announcing pre-orders for a new serum.
・Place compelling discount offers and limited-time promotions at the very beginning
・Use symbols to highlight the parts you want to emphasize
Just by keeping these two things in mind, your open rate will increase significantly.
In an A/B test actually conducted by a certain online retailer,
There’s even a case where simply tweaking the subject line increased the open rate by 8%！
When it comes to email marketing strategies,The most important thing is to “think from the user’s perspective.”。
"When and what kind of email newsletter subject line would make me open it?"
It's a good idea to try putting yourself in the user's shoes!
Determine your broadcast schedule based on your persona's lifestyle
Are you deciding when to send out your email newsletters based on a "gut feeling"?
No matter how carefully you craft your subject line, your open rate won't go up much unless you send it at the optimal time.。
For example, if you send the same newsletter at 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.,
Which newsletter is more likely to be opened? The answer is, “It depends on the persona.”
If your target audience consists of office workers, sending a newsletter at 12:00 p.m. will,
We can expect that many people will open and read their emails during their lunch break.
On the other hand, if the persona is a college student,
A newsletter sent at midnight might actually be read during the time people spend looking at their smartphones before bed.
As such, it’s important to consider your persona’s lifestyle when deciding on a broadcast time.
By clearly defining your target audience, you can determine not only your broadcast times, but also
The optimal messaging and layout will also change.First, let's clearly define our target audience!
Reach the Right Audience Through Segmented Delivery
A segment refers to factors such as age, gender, occupation, place of residence, membership tier, etc.
Classifying users based on certain factorsThat's it.
Targeting only the group of users who share a certain characteristic from among all users
Sending the most appropriate email newsletter is called segmented delivery.
The benefits of segment-based delivery include the following:
＜ユーザー側＞
・You can get only the information you want
＜配信側＞
・Improves email engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates
Instead of sending out mass emails indiscriminately,
Segmented email campaigns enable more effective email marketing strategieswill be.
Enhance the content
Are the newsletters you create just “one-way communications”?
Is your newsletter something your users actually want to read?
If you only write about what you want to convey (such as urging people to buy your product),
The user was put off, thinking, “All they care about is selling,” and
People will stop reading the newsletter.
From here on,Three Elements of a Newsletter That Keeps Readers Coming BackHere's an explanation of that!
Quality of Content
・The "introduction, development, turning point, and conclusion" structure is solid, and the sales pitch flows naturally.
・The layout is designed to be easy for users to read
・The text avoids using demonstrative pronouns such as “this” and “that,” so users don’t have to use their imagination.
Quality of Information
・Contains a wealth of information
・This is new information.
・It contains information available only through the newsletter
A sense of warmth and familiarity that feels human
・You can get a sense of the writer's personality
・Send out newsletters containing updates on topics other than sales
In particular,To keep readers engaged, it’s important to convey a sense of humanity, warmth, and approachability.。
One online retailer includes an illustration of the person who wrote the newsletter in the email, or
By incorporating casual, everyday conversation, we’ve managed to maintain an open rate of 20%.
When creating your newsletter, approach it with the mindset of “Let’s build a fan base for my newsletter!”
Summary
We’ve explained what you can do to maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns! What did you think?
Even today, with the widespread use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and LINE@,
Email is one of the most important tools for sales promotion.
Let’s aim to maximize customer satisfaction and sales by designing newsletters from the user’s perspective!
Hide&Seek, the author of this blog, is,
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