The campaign we are covering here is from the present month, October 2023. The email sent out achieved a click-through rate (CTR) of 5.80%, a 500% jump compared to the client’s average CTRs for previous emails. For a perspective, as per Campaign Monitor, a good click-through rate should be between 2-5%. So what made this newsletter fall in the very-good category?
💡 Before we get into details, click-through rate (CTR) is the measure of how many people clicked on a hyperlink, call-to-action (CTA) within your email’s content. The main goal for tracking click-through rate is to measure engagement. Click-through rates can be calculated by taking the total number of clicks an email receives, and dividing that number by the total number of delivered messages.
With that cleared, let’s get into the hacks of what went into creating this email.
1. A compelling subject line
The subject line is the first thing your subscribers see, so it needs to grab their attention. Make it concise, intriguing, and relevant.
There’s a tendency generally to write long subject lines, or reveal too much within. Sometimes it helps to keep a secret. Subject lines are meant to tease.
Here’s we recommend trying out Send Check It. This is an amazing tool which can give you great insights into the subject line you may be considering.
Our subject line played with the word “Revealed: ……” and scored 92 points on the Send Check It scale.
We’ll leave it to you to play with this; but here are some quick handy tips,
- Avoid jargons. Keep it short and simple
- Emojis are cool to include within
- Avoid words like Free
- Don’t use all caps
2. Find a sweet spot
We reviewed many of the client’s previous newsletters and narrowed down a sweet spot in the emails. How do you do this? It’s easy.
Check the report of previous newsletters and see the area that has maximum clicks. That’s your sweet spot. You’d want to place the most important CTA in that spot. In this instance, it was in the top 1/3 rd section of the newsletters.
If you’re just starting off, keep your most important CTA in the top half of the newsletter.
3. Keep CTAs limited
While CTAs are important for driving conversions, it’s essential not to overwhelm readers with too many of them in a newsletter. Limit the number of CTAs in your newsletter to avoid confusion. Focus on one or two key actions, and make those CTAs prominent within the mail.
4. Make the newsletter visually appealing
Check your mailbox now and have a look at some of the newsletters you’ve received. What stands out and what do you like seeing in a newsletter? Plain plonks of text, or text interspersed with visuals.
Incorporating visually appealing elements in your newsletter can significantly enhance its appeal. Use high-quality images, charts, memes (assuming they fit into what you’re doing. Never try to force memes into a newsletter) to break up the text and make the content more engaging.
Visuals can help convey complex information more effectively and capture your readers’ attention.
5. Don’t make it too word heavy
In some ways, a repeat of the previous pointer. Keep your newsletter concise and easy to digest. Avoid overwhelming your readers with lengthy paragraphs or excessive text.
Use bullet points, subheadings, and short paragraphs to make the content scannable and easily understandable. Focus on delivering valuable information in a concise and engaging manner.
Tip: Make use of emojis within the mail. They help bring in some element of ease while reading. Again, don’t force them in.
Remember, there’s no set formula that will make a newsletter work. It will take some process of trial and error, but the rewards from a successful newsletter can be immense.
If you’re still figuring out how best to make newsletters a part of your communication strategy, get in touch with us now.
