Boost your Email Marketing open rates overnight

The objective of all email marketing campaigns is to achieve the best possible open rates - if people are reading your email, then that increases the chances that they will then convert into sales.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top ten ways to boost your open rates overnight:

A/B Test different variants of your campaign to a small sample of your list first.
Testing different variants such as subject header line, content, send times and call to action will give you the all import inside knowledge to apply to your send to the rest of your database. A/B testing takes the guesswork out of knowing what works.

Try a subject header line that asks a question

Small changes to the subject header line can have big results. Asking a question that prompts the viewer to read on can have dramatic effects on your open rates.

Use Emoji’s in your subject header line

Again, here’s another one that you can try with the subject header line. As the subject header line is the first part that people see, it often influences whether your recipients will read or delete your mailer.

If you use an emoji in your subject header line, it really helps your email to stand out in an inbox full of text only. It’s a really easy technique to apply - but can have some pretty impressive results. One source reported that it can boost your open rates by an average of 47%.

Write custom text for your email preview section

When you send an email, your recipient’s email browser will show them the first few lines of text inside your mailer. Again, this will often help the viewer to decide whether to open your mailer or not. So give careful thought to what your opening few lines are, or use software such as email blaster that lets you write your own custom text to use purely as a preview.

Add text at the top reminding people of how they opted in

Sometimes, people forget that they opted-in to receive your mailer - this often results in them deleting your mailer before reading it. If you add some text at the top explaining why they are receiving your mailer - this will be displayed at the very top. It often jogs the memory and prompts people into reading on.

Add a clear call to action in the top half

The Call To Action is the part of your mailer that asks people to do something - often it could contain the incentive to do something such as a discount or coupon code. If this call to action is not immediately visible in the preview section. Or your viewer doesn’t see the purpose of the emailer, this may not tempt them into opening the mailer and reading it.

Test different send times

Different send times can have a really big effect on your open rates - if your mailer hits your viewer’s inbox at a time when they are busy, they may not read it. If you test different sending times, you’ll see which are the optimum time that works for your target audience. Get those time right - and your opens will increase dramatically.

Segment your list

Study your results - and look for trends, this could be open times or message layout. If you segment your data into groups of people who have a particular prefered time or design style of layout, then your open rates will get a real boost. As you are taking the time to send people what they want when they want it.

Verify your sending domain

This one is becoming more and more important - if you are using email marketing software to send your broadcast, then you are effectively sending via your email marketing supplier.

Most email browsers and sending domains nowadays, as a security measure will have a rule imposed to only accept mail if the sending domain has been verified.

This means adding a seal of authenticity - such as an SPF record or DKIM signature. It’s very easy to do and your email marketing software provider will be able to supply you with the information that you need to do this. By doing this - your open rates will dramatically increase as it decreases the chances that you will be incorrectly sent into the spam folder.

Don’t use purchased lists.

Lists of this type are typically fraught with issues, they are generally stuffed full of old data, spam traps and duplicates. Open rates from lists of this nature are typically without exception very low indeed. Sending to them can also trigger a blacklisting. They really are best avoided.

OK, that’s our list of 10 areas to try to really boost your open rates. Please let us know how you got on when using these, we’d love to hear your comments and feedback.