No BS - Email Optimization

Email Optimization Presented by Bob Woodbury @FireDrumIntMktg

Design, Test and Measure to Optimize Results!

Is email still relevant?

Great Design

Compelling Calls to Action

Relevant Content

Testing and Measuring

Is Email still relevant? Hotmail has 375 million active accounts Yahoo has 288 million active accounts Gmail has 100 million active accounts QUITE SIMPLY, YES!

Email IS still relevant!

Newsletters still work!

SPAM and Reputation is in the eye of the beholder

Testing is the Best Metric

Design Makes the Difference

NO BS Bullets!

Not designing for the preview pane is BS .

Assuming the images will display to all clients is BS .

Using images to communicate your message is BS .

Not testing your email in different email clients is BS .

Not including an unsubscribe link, a physical address and privacy policy in your footer is BS .

Including Javascript and Flash in your email is BS .

Optimization in Email Marketing As an interactive medium, the web also presents new language and phrasing challenges. Text can be both content and navigation; an in-text hyperlink using optimized anchor text is implicitly a latent ‘action’.

Subject Lines

Placement and Language

Relevant Content

TESTING

Crafting Compelling Subject Lines

First 2 Seconds to GRAB the recipients attention

50 Characters so make it concise!

Urgency Instigates Action

Pose a Provocative Question

Placement of Call to Action Most effective Calls are in top 1/3 of email/preview pane Feature more than one Call to Action A picture is worth 1000 words Break in the Action

Call to Action Language Give them a reason to “Click Here” Use Verbs to instigate Action Be Bold Inviting people to “Read the Full Story” Telling them the Action they can take

Optimize by Integrating Email Marketing and Social Media By including Share-to-Social paths you open the door to a viral email campaign. Gain relevant links back to your content and your website across social media, bookmarking and the blogosphere.

Share to Social Media

Convenient twist on the Forward to Friend Feature

Effectively coordinates all Internet Marketing efforts

Share to Linkedin

When sharing to Linkedin you can share with your groups, contacts, email as a newsletter and more.

Seamlessly inform professional contacts in Linkedin

Share to Facebook

Seamlessly integrate email marketing to customers and “Fans” of your business

Share to StumbleUpon Integrate your email marketing with Social Bookmarking to create awareness and optimized content for Search Engines

Post to your Blog Posting your newsletters to your blog not only increases your exposure, it ensures that those who do not receive your newsletter get a clear idea of what to expect if they opt-in. It also serves as another source of fresh, relevant content which will help with your sites organic rankings.

Test, Measure and Refine to Optimize your Emails