As email marketers, it is our job to understand how and when people want to receive our email messaging. So, when we find ourselves tapping away on our preferred smart phones, checking our emails on the go, we begin to wonder how many other people ultimately prefer to do the same. Is the desktop email experience slipping behind us? Are hand-held phones begging for us to re-imagine the way we once knew email marketing?
According to a recent study by research firm Radicati Group, the number of consumers who access email on mobile phones is expected to soar from 200 million at the end of 2009 to more than 1 billion worldwide by the end of 2013. These past two years have introduced to us the new Blackberry and Android smartphones, both capable of rendering HTML emails. As of Q3 2009, there have been 41 million smartphones sold globally, increasing the chances that your subscribers are indeed viewing your emails on a mobile device.
The day when more people open and respond to their email on phones rather than PCs is closer than we may think. Thus the question is – when is it time to start creating a mobile version of your emails?
Here are a couple questions suggested by MediaPost to help you figure it out.
1. Does your site offer a good browsing experience when viewed from a mobile browser?
What is beyond the email for mobile users? By creating a mobile-friendly email experience for your subscribers, you set the expectation that they will be able to browse your site as well. You will want to make sure your mobile landing page does not include rich-media content for mobile users. Perhaps you will need to create a mobile-friendly website as well.
2. Is your branded content designed to be viewed “on the go”?
Consider how your subscribers engage with your content. If you typically send long newsletters, perhaps a mobile version wouldn’t be the best. Or if you want to encourage subscribers to spend a lot of time on your site, this may not be the best direction for you either. Think short and sweet. Mobile users are not going to zoom and scroll for a long read. Create a path for mobile users to make quick decisions and actions.
So, you think you have what it takes to be an email marketing maven? Here are a few design tips suggested by AWeber Communications that will put you on the right path towards successful mobile email messaging.
1. Include a plain text version of every email message
If a subscriber’s mobile device doesn’t support HTML, subscribers will still see a plain text version.
2. Optimize images
Adding alternative text, or alt-tags, to your images will prevent blank spaces if an image cannot properly render. At least your subscribers will know what the image is about and ultimately get the message.
3. Use a Powerful Subject Line and design for the “top of the fold”
In case subscribers have trouble viewing your email, keep subject lines to the point so they understand the email and perhaps are inspired to hop on to the old desktop to re-view the message. And when they do get your email on their smartphone, remember, they have a smaller viewable area – so keep it compelling at the top.
4. Don’t crowd clickable links
Have you tried touching the correct link on a touch phone? Not only is it frustrating but it doesn’t provide proper navigation to your site. Always include links to the important pages on your site so it is easier for subscribers to reach the next step of your interaction.
5. Watch your width
Make sure subscribers can view your email by scrolling down – not to the right. If you are expecting to send more content heavy mobile emails, consider both vertical and horizontal width limitations.
So, do you think you’re ready to make the next step in your email marketing strategies? This is the future friends but don’t worry, we’re here to help!
Happy emailing,
Kelly
This is a great post, Kelly.
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