We all know the basics of email marketing, but it’s important not to get stuck in a rut. Continuous improvement is the key to email success. Take a step back to find out where there’s room for an upgrade. All of these small tweaks will work together to provide a real uplift in email conversions. At Mapp, we work with many online retailers across the globe to do just that. One of our clients, an online retailer from Germany, looked to us for creative ways to improve their newsletter campaign.
Our client spends much of their marketing budget on email newsletters. They send two newsletters a week and their subscriber list has increased to 900,000 contacts over the last 7 years. The conversion rate is good, however, it was important to increase open and click rates. Mapp’s Campaign Management Team, who executes full-service campaigns for the client, has worked in cooperation with a partner design agency and Mapp’s project and email deliverability experts to identify three key areas of improvement:
1. Focus on mobile version
In Phase One, the existing HTML was not yet optimized, but we could already optimize the header images, including GIF-animations, catchy headlines, and editorials. In addition, the subject lines were tested: with or without personalization and emojis could increase the open rate. Then the newsletter was optimized on the UX level and improved for mobile devices to be fully responsive. It was tested on different email providers, like Gmail. Especially for Outlook, the coding had to be adapted to be sure that it is shown properly. All buttons or call-to-actions that drive to a product were coded as HTML, which ensures that the buttons are big enough and can be clicked well on a smartphone. The results after this first phase were already very promising: by optimizing the content and technical features of the existing newsletter, the open rates increased by 8% and the click rate by 4% within a few months.
2. Redesign and new focus
In Phase Two, our client asked for a redesign and a new concept for the newsletter. The aim was to maintain the look and feel of the existing newsletter but focus more on the offerings. The topic, wording, and product selection of the newsletter needed to be reflected in the design and always be consistent. Modules were designed and coded, in order to adapt to each topic and newsletter as a simple and cost-effective solution. Each email was designed and implemented in such a way that the newsletter recipient can quickly find his way through the variety of offers. There are several call-to-actions in which the user is simply invited to click and discover the products. Overall, a harmonious picture was created, which again had a positive effect on the opening and click rates.
3. Deliverability check
Parallel to Phase One and Two, an email deliverability project was started. Two IP pools and two groups, one for active users and one for inactive users, were created out of the big pool of addresses to increase the IP reputation and the number of opens and clicks. Their email reputation has already been increased after a few months, which has led to further recommendations. Our experts report the progress of the deliverability every month and track any changes and recommend steps (e.g. going through an IP-warmup phase or implementing DMARC).
Thanks to the modular redesign, refocusing, mobile optimization, and deliverability checks, the open and click rates have increased by an average of 31% (OR) and 42% (CR)!
Find out more about Mapp’s campaign management services here or get in touch with our team to see how to boost your own newsletter.
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