For many years the experts have been predicting the death of email marketing. But we both know it’s not going anywhere. It’s cheap and, when done properly, works well.  But it does need to become more sophisticated if it is going to continue to deliver leads, rather than just cluttering up overflowing inboxes.

The high volume of emails hitting inboxes means that it’s getting harder to achieve cut-through and the all-important engagement that we need. I think there will need to be better spam filters and privacy laws as email users tire of the increasing levels of unwanted email.

So what tricks will we see in 2017?

Animation

Emails need to become more engaging, and animation is a key tool for marketers to deliver their message graphically. Click here to view some great examples of how companies are using animated gif. A word of caution though, this format is not supported by some versions of Outlook or Windows Phone 7. Video is also growing in popularity but it’s not widely supported by many email clients, but links through to video still deliver the same results.

Content

Email text will become shorter and more conversational. Mobile devices are now the most common device for viewing emails so it’s best to stick to shorter subject lines of around 27 to 41 characters, or 3 to 4 words.

I find that keeping emails short – between 50 to 125 words – increases engagement and response rates. Many people are time poor and don’t have time to read long emails – a short email that is sharp and clear (that may click through to a larger blog post) will be the most effective marketing tool in 2017. Clear and concise calls to action will direct your readers to the next steps.

Light box pop-ups

Yes those boxes that pop up when you are browsing a website will become a more prominent way to capture email addresses and grow your mailing list.

Mobile optimisation

As we covered earlier, mobile devices are the most popular device for reading emails. That makes responsive emails no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have. Before sending emails, test/view on a variety of devices and desktop clients. Call to action buttons need to be bigger and text formatted for touch. For this reason
, minimalist email templates will work best, while catchy graphics that support the message will become more prominent.

If you need help getting more from your email marketing please click here to contact us.