Email service provider Constant Contact has released new research findings, revealing exactly what it is that makes customers not only click-through emails, but also connect with the small businesses that are reaching out to them.

The data, which was collected using over 2.1 million customer emails, sent to more than 100 recipients, during the course of 13 weeks, further identified the ideal number of images and lines of texts that small business should include in their email campaigns, in order to optimise click-through rates.

On average, it was found that emails with three or fewer images, and around 20 lines of text result in the highest click-through rates from email subscribers. More specifically, however, it was found that business product and service companies saw the highest click-through rates in email with between 13 and 16 images, suggesting that email subscribers want and expect to see the products being offered by these companies.

According to Ron Cates, Director of Digital Marketing Education at Constant Contact, an essential element of any email campaign, regardless of industry, is to get straight to the point when delivering information, and with this in mind, it’s important to consider the following four C’s when planning your next campaign:

Clear: While it can be easy to sway from your main point, you only have limited time (and lines) to grab attention and get your point across, therefore stay focused on what it is you want to communicate and accomplish in your email.

Concise: In addition to being clear, you should aim to quickly and efficiently communicate your message, avoiding too many unnecessary words. That said, however, the email must be engaging and worth reading, so aim for the right balance.

Correct: The choice of words used must be easy to understand and deliver a clear message to your audience. Many marketers often mislead their audience by using words (or jargon) that don’t clearly represent the message being delivered.

Courteous: While brands have their own “voice” in terms of communication, emails provide direct communication to your audiences, and failing to keep your message nice and friendly may have a negative impact.

If you’d like any help implementing a successful email marketing strategy, give us a call on +44 (0)1243 531123, or send us over an email to mike@napierb2b.com.

 

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