Email Marketing: Functionality and Design

This week’s blog post is all about the significance of good functionality and design in your email campaigns and newsletters.

Functionality:

• Always have an unsubscribe function. 
• What is the purpose of the email? Use HTML for commercial newsletters as it can be customized to look like a catalogue. You can also use text-based email, however it doesn't allow images. 
• Use clear navigation. 
• Mimic the functionality of your website, i.e. if the navigation is at the top of the page on your website keep it at the top of the page in your email. 
• Allow for click-throughs to your website. 
• Allow view in browser functionality. 
• Allow text-based view if HTML doesn't render in their browser. 
• Make it mobile device friendly. 
• Allow links to social media. 
• Allow “Share this” functionality. 
• Allow “Forward to a Friend” functionality. 
• Don’t make the email too long. If you include long articles, use a “read more” functionality which links back to the article hosted on your website. This way you can also track how many people read your articles. 
• Have a clear call to action. 
• Include contact information. 
• Don’t use JavaScript as many Email Service Providers (ESP’s) recognizes Java as SPAM. 

Design

• Make sure your email design is “on-brand”, meaning the voice, look and feel of your brand matches your emails. 
• Carry the website theme throughout your email, but make sure it renders well on email which uses a smaller width. Try seasonal theming – different designs for different events or holidays. 
• Have a good balance between text and image. 
• Many of us use preview options in our personal and professional email accounts. Make sure your top 300 pixels have enough information for your subscribers to want to download the rest of your email. 
• The email shouldn't be more than 600 pixels wide. 
• Don’t clutter your email with non-essential text. 
• Use an email friendly font that is universally supported such as Arial, Helvetica and Times New Roman. 
• Remember: HTML coding is different from website coding in that you have to use inline styles, not cascading style sheets (CSS). You will therefore have to cross-test your email in as many browsers and email providers as possible to be sure it looks the same. 

Next week’s blog post will be our last in this mini-series on Email Marketing. We will cover the topics of Execution and Reporting – two very important elements in your email marketing!

Until then, have a great week!

Piggieback