This document discusses email design best practices based on statistics and research. Some of the key points covered include: - Email is widely used and accessed on mobile devices, with over 60% of people reading email on mobile. It has proven to be adaptable across platforms. - Subject lines are extremely important for getting emails opened. Clear, compelling subject lines under 10 characters have higher open rates. Symbols and emojis in subject lines can also increase open rates in many cases. - Mobile optimization is critical for email design. Over 45% of emails are now opened on mobile, so emails must be responsive and adaptive to different screen sizes and resolutions. - Flat design is popular for emails and works well for

1. Text
Haydn Sweterlitsch
VP, Executive Creative Director
Hacker Group, Seattle
LIES,
DAMNED LIES
+ EMAIL DESIGN

2. behold, the majestic email
61% of people read at least some email on a mobile device
like a cockroach, email
+is 354 million years old

3. behold, the majestic email
30% of people read email exclusively on a mobile device
like a cockroach, email
+is 354 million years old
+is sometimes seen as a pest

4. behold, the majestic email
like a cockroach, email
+is 354 million years old
+is sometimes seen as a pest
+is adaptable, mobile, everywhere
wireless market penetration in the US surpassed 104% in 2012

5. behold, the majestic email
More users (~78%) read email on smartphones than make calls
like a cockroach, email
+is 354 million years old
+is sometimes seen as a pest
+is adaptable, mobile, everywhere
+will survive nuclear war

6. email is the goat
Email is the most popular smartphone activity (~78% of users)

7. email is the goat
internet time on mobile devices outpaced PC in may, 2013
481 billion minutes vs. 477 billion
+email is a machine

8. email is the goat
The only mobile purchase influencer greater than emails is friends/family
+email is a machine
+design yours exquisitely
in structure
in style
in form
in function

9. +culture of zero
forces aligned against the email
As of 2013, there are 3.6 billion email accounts

10. +culture of zero
+swipe/delete UIs
forces aligned against the email
By 2016, there will be 4.3 billion email accounts

11. +culture of zero
+swipe/delete UIs
+tabs
forces aligned against the email
82% of users open emails they receive from brands/companies

12. +culture of zero
+swipe/delete UIs
+tabs
+canned meat
forces aligned against the email
This year, about 84% of all email traffic will be spam

13. +culture of zero
+swipe/delete UIs
+tabs
+canned meat
+OS, client anarchy
forces aligned against the email
~66% of mobile traffic is on iOS

14. design starts in the inbox
33% of email recipients open email based on subject line alone
+clear subject lines are compelling ones

15. design starts in the inbox
64% of people say they open an email because of the subject line
+clear subject lines are compelling ones
+agencies sometimes ignore preheader
+users never ignore preheader

16. design starts in the inbox
+clear subject lines are compelling ones
+agencies sometimes ignore preheader
+users never ignore preheader
+the thunder+lightning of the inbox
Subject lines with fewer than 10 characters get an open rate of 58%

17. symbols: what the $@!#?
Subject lines with unicode have a higher open rate in 56% of brands surveyed
+if a symbol is in a subject line and
users don’t see it, does it really exist?

18. symbols: what the $@!#?
the sun symbol increases open rates 14.9%
+if a symbol is in a subject line and
users don’t see it, does it really exist?
+no best practices

19. symbols: what the $@!#?
Airplanes (✈) show a 10.7% lift in open rate, umbrellas (☂) generate 50% lift
+if a symbol is in a subject line and
users don’t see it, does it really exist?
+no best practices
+no patterns

20. symbols: what the $@!#?
Unicode: 60% of the time, it works every time
+if a symbol is in a subject line and
users don’t see it, does it really exist?
+no best practices
+no patterns
+go for it

21. +adaptive
+responsive
+fluid
get responsive or gtfo
24% of brands don’t optimize email creative for mobile in any way

22. +adaptive
+responsive
+fluid
get responsive or gtfo
39% of marketers have no strategy for mobile email
image: @stammy
Paul Stamatiou, 2013

23. +adaptive
+responsive
+fluid
+optimize or die
get responsive or gtfo
87% of online retailers optimize mobile email (or plan to) in 2013

24. +adaptive
+responsive
+fluid
+optimize or die
+always see #rwd
+why not #red
get responsive or gtfo
45% of 2012 holiday season emails were opened on a mobile device

25. get responsive or gtfo
97 unique screen resolutions in 2010. 232 in 2013
12 million monthly touch email program
+average 25% open rate
+50%-60% opened on mobile devices
+3% click-through rate
+click-through up ~400% since
introducing adaptive design

26. flat is so hot right now

27. flat is so hot right now
+flat UI feels better to the touch/mobile (or is that just me?)
71% of mobile purchase decisions are “most influenced” by brand emails

28. flat is so hot right now
+flat UI feels better to the touch/mobile (or is that just me?)
+lends itself to responsive design (or is it just timing?)
17% of Americans create a new email address every 6 months

29. flat is so hot right now
+flat UI feels better to the touch/mobile (or is that just me?)
+lends itself to responsive design (or is it just timing?)
+lack of depth forces true hierarchy
Subscribers below age 25 prefer SMS to email

30. flat is so hot right now
+flat UI feels better to the touch/mobile (or is that just me?)
+lends itself to responsive design (or is it just timing?)
+lack of depth forces true hierarchy
+simple ≠ basic
Monday delivery drives the highest revenue per email

31. form + functionality follow function
43% of mobile email users check email four or more times per day
+progressive disclosure

32. form + functionality follow function
72% of B2B buyers are most likely to share useful content via email
+progressive disclosure
+persistent buttons

33. form + functionality follow function
social sharing buttons increase email click-through rates 158%
+progressive disclosure
+persistent buttons
+horizontal scrolling

34. form + functionality follow function
44% of users made at least one purchase last year based on a brand email
+enewsletter: 10 million touches/month

35. form + functionality follow function
Personalized subject lines are 22.2% more likely to be opened
+enewsletter: 10 million touches/month
+28% open rate
+62% opens on mobile (48% on iOS)
+1.5% click-through
+5.48% click to open rate

36. form + functionality follow function

37. five lies agencies tell (and believe)
+emails don’t drive ____, they drive _____.
+the most effective emails are _______.
+the single most important factor in email design is _______.
+_______ has largely replaced emails in importance.
+we have emails figured out.

38. thanks for your time
+haydn sweterlitsch
+executive creative director, hacker group, seattle
+hackergroup.com
+@haydn_s