Email marketing is dead. Or at least that’s what you have been led to believe. With Facebook Ads, Instagram models, and YouTube celebrities, does anyone even look at email marketing anymore?

Yes. Yes, they do. And you could be missing out.

Email marketing has been a mainstay of Inbound marketing strategy since that Internet thing really took off. Today it remains an incredibly valuable asset if used correctly. However, companies insist on using techniques that are stuck in the past.

According to a report by Litmus in March 2017, 54% of people now open their email on mobile devices before a desktop. However, the emails they receive are not always optimized for these devices. Here are some simple steps to ensure that your emails aren’t just opened on a mobile device but enjoyed!

1)    Columns should stay in Rome

When was the last time you turned your phone landscape, except to watch a video clip?

The majority of emailed newsletters were originally designed to be open on a desktop. That was perfect for a long time. A wider screen enabled marketers to offer their prospects an array of information at the same time.

Today, smartphones have revolutionized these traditional formats. Instead of numerous columns, focus on having a single column which can be scrolled through with the swipe of a finger. Each page should contain new information from a different category, allowing the reader a simple finger tap if they want to more.

Readers don’t want to be swamped with content, within a few seconds they have decided whether they will continue reading the newsletters. Focus on content quality, rather than content quantity.

2)    Bigger is always better

Forget what you’ve been told, in terms of mobile email marketing, size matters. With people reading their emails on a smaller screen, font size becomes far more important. Nothing is more off-putting to a reader as having to zoom in on an email and scroll across the email manually.

You shouldn’t be testing your readers eye-sight. Instead, everything should be arranged to make your email as easy as possible to enjoy.

As a basic guide, anything under 14-point font should be left to the optometrist, comic sans should be left alone. 

3)    Fewer links, more action

Hyperlinks are great... when you’re using a mouse. Trying to zoom in with one hand whilst clicking a single word with the other is not as fun.

Instead, why not use a Call-to-Action button?

A well formatted CTA button is perfect for a mobile display. A large, screen-width CTA button will stand out from the rest of your email and when combined with an offer of genuine value ensures your CTA will be unmissable for your reader.

For more information on how to optimize your email marketing click here.