While you might think the use of email is a thing of the past, according to recent data the number of emails sent and received per day (worldwide) in 2021 was 319.6 billion – 4.3 percent more than in 2020. Email is one of the most effective mechanisms for bringing traffic to your website and communicating with your customers. Even if they never open your emails, your brand will still be on their minds. And that is the goal of marketing. You want to be the “go-to guy” when your customer has a problem. In this post, we’ll explain the basics of email marketing in 2025. Then, we’ll give you some practical tips on setting up a newsletter.
6 minutes
The pros and cons of email marketing
People who end up on your contact list are there because they either subscribed directly or because they clicked on, downloaded, or purchased something from you. That means this part of your audience is interested enough in you and your product/service to part with treasured personal information (their email). Because they are already invested enough to want to receive your emails, and because the costs of email marketing are relatively low, email marketing has a pretty high ROI (return on investment).
Additionally, email marketing can increase customer retention and can turn customers into brand ambassadors. You want people to champion your products and your brand; email marketing can help you accomplish this, since those emails keep your brand top of mind.
In order for this to work, though, you need to make sure your emails are enticing and engaging, and above all, clear! Your messaging must be on point, otherwise you risk getting lost in all the noise. While you will have to put in some time on the front end of things and make sure you have great content to share, the benefits to your business far outweigh the costs.
Related: How To Find Ideas For Blog Posts
How to set up a killer newsletter
While there are many different types of emails you can send, we’ll focus here specifically on blog newsletters that provide valuable information to your audience.
There are many email services out there to choose from. If you want to avoid monetary investments in email marketing, MailChimp or TinyLetter are great options. For those who want a more robust solution, we recommend ConstantContact. Once you’ve chosen your service and have imported your contacts, you can start setting up your newsletter.
1. Use a clear, enticing subject line
If you want people to open your newsletter (and any email for that matter), you need to use a powerful subject line. Avoid annoying clickbait titles, but use language that will entice your readers to open the email and learn more. Consider asking a question or addressing your customer’s problem. For example, “Tired of clothes that never smell fresh?” or “5 Tips To Keep Your Kitchen Spotless All Summer”.
The subject line and preheader (the text people see either after or below the subject line) serve as your appetizer. You want them to draw people in. So take the time to craft them well!
2. Start with the most important info
You’ve successfully gotten someone to open your email. Now you need to keep them interested! Chances are most people won’t read your entire newsletter. So it is crucial to start with the article you really want them to read, or the one that would draw their attention and make them want to click through to your website to learn more.
As you send more and more newsletters, take a look at the reports. You may notice a difference in the number of clicks that occur at the top of your newsletters versus the middle and bottom. Don’t let that opportunity go to waste!
3. Keep your design clean
Try not to clutter things up too much or go crazy with different design elements. Keep your email layout simple, so it can easily adapt to any device. Don’t underestimate your brand color palette; the colors, fonts, and images you’ve chosen to represent your brand are really all you need to make your emails look unique and engaging. All the rest is just bells and whistles you can almost always do without.
Additionally, keep your excerpts short and sweet, with enticing language to make people want to read the rest of your blog post(s). If you put too much text in the email, you’ll turn off a large chunk of your audience.
4. Include a direct call to action
Your customers won’t take action unless you explicitly tell them to do so. If you want them to click through to read more on your website, add a “Read More” button beneath the excerpt in your email. Want them to subscribe? Add a button telling them to do that. Want them to purchase a product? A “Buy Now” button will work wonders. Yes, a hyperlink technically does the same thing, but nothing screams “Do it! You know you want to!” more than a colorful button. 🙂
It is also important that your call to action be direct and clear. Vague, passive calls to action like “Learn More”, “Any questions?”, “Click here”, or “Get started today” are generally far less effective because there is no sense of urgency in taking action.
5. Use images and colors
This may seem like a no-brainer, but include images and color in your emails. Even sales emails need to be visually appealing and pleasant to read, or you risk your email being ignored. Images can help break up the text of your email into manageable chunks.
Paired with your brand color palette and font selections, your images can help you develop your own unique tone and persona. Use them wisely, of course. Having too many images is just as much a mistake as having too few of them. After designing a few email templates, you will find the balance that works for your material and for your brand.
Reeling in subscribers
If you want people to subscribe to your emails, you need to provide opportunities for them to do that. Make sure to offer a subscribe form beneath your posts and in other visible places on your website. Pop-ups are an option here, but be forewarned: most people simply click out of them without reading them at all.
Conclusion
Email is a lucrative, effective way of reaching your audience. With its high ROI, email marketing encourages your customers to keep coming back to your website. With email marketing, you are communicating product offers and company news and thereby bringing traffic to your website. With great content, a clean design, stunning visuals, and a strong call to action, you can reel in customers and grow your business!
Read More: Designing Your Website’s Call To Action