By: Jared Tarbell - CC BY 2.0
How well are you converting email opens into website visits?
If you’re targeting readers through email newsletters, Click-Through Rates (CTR) is a great way to track which messages and content are resonating most with your audience. CTR of course also affect your advertising sales.
If your CTRs aren’t what you want them to be, you might want to consider improving your email campaigns. Here are a few ways to better connect with your audience and get more eyeballs to your website.
1. Motivate your readers to take action
Don’t just throw information at your audience; engage them on a deeper level. Your readers don’t want to read through a long laundry list of facts and figures. They want to soak up new and interesting thoughts and perspectives.
Start by asking your readers interesting questions like, “what would people say at your funeral?” or “how would you describe yourself in 3 words?” Yes/no questions can be easily answered and dismissed by your audience. Asking open ended questions leaves a lasting impression in your readers’ minds. If you can make them think about a topic in a new or interesting way, then they’ll remember you and your content.
Include a compelling call to action is also a must. Eliminate boring words that your readers see all the time like, “download” or “register,” and replace them with words that evoke a sense of urgency. Timing words like, “right now” and “today” to get them to act immediately.
2. Eliminate anxiety about taking that action
You want your readers to feel comfortable with taking the next step with you. It’s a lot easier for your audience to offer up their email address or open up their wallets when it’s clear there’s something for them to gain.
Don’t be too aggressive. Trying to sell a new subscriber right off the bat will probably only result in an unsubscribe. Before you go for the ask, make it clear that you can add value to your audiences’ lives.
Your need to build confidence and trust by showing your audience tangible results. Show, don’t tell them about your successes. Including social proof like case studies and testimonials will help you establish solid credibility. Build trust and confidence with your readers before you go for the ask, and there’ll be less hesitation on their part.
3. Make the converting process easier by eliminating distractions
When creating your layout, eliminate extra text or graphics that distract from your call to action. Keep call to action buttons clean and easily identifiable. Color attracts the eye, so stay away from grey, white, or any colors which might blend into the background and be overlooked by readers.
Don’t try to be too clever. Remember, you want your call to action to be obvious. Avoid doing too much with the design of your call to action buttons. Graphics like arrows and exclamation marks can actually distract your readers. Keep your message clear and straightforward. Phrases like, “start” or “go” may seem boring, but they’re unmistakable to the naked eye.
Be careful not to overwhelm your readers. Giving your audience more choices is not necessarily better. A good rule of thumb is to not give your audience more than 2 options at a time. Any more, and you risk confusing readers, which could cause them to give up on you completely.
4. Keep a consistent message across all your content
Your readers need to be able to recognize you and your message. Building a constant flow of regular clicks depends on establishing one coherent voice from email to website.
Why is voice important? It gives your audience a glimpse at the personality behind the content. It helps your readers to connect with you on a more personal level. A familiar and trusted voice is particularly important when you’re asking people to take a risk.
Maintaining your brand’s message is all about knowing who you are and what you want to say. Think about the core values of your content. Ask yourself a few questions:
1) Why did I start writing?
2) What value does my writing offer?
3) Why am I different from other content publishers?
Establishing these values will help ensure your content speaks with the same voice, regardless of which medium you’re using.
5. Make your emails and content mobile friendly
More and more consumers are turning to mobile devices exclusively to access the internet. Without a mobile friendly device, these readers will simply be out of your reach.
It’s not enough for readers to be able to load your website through their mobile browser. People today want the full website experience from the convenience of their mobile phones or tablets. If you content isn’t readily available, your prospects will go elsewhere to find the content they crave.
It isn’t only about giving consumers what they want, it’s also about optimizing your message in order to reach as many users as possible through multiple devices.