Connecting with your customers online has always been important, but in the middle of a pandemic it’s more important than ever. This goes beyond having a strong social media presence and an up-to-date website. Sending a semi-regular email newsletter (e-newsletter) to your customers allows you to build on your relationships and create long-term brand loyalty.
Does ‘sign up to receive 15% off your next purchase’ sound familiar? We love to see it, and will often expect to see another e-newsletter in our inbox within the next couple of days. The length of your e-newsletter can be a determining factor in the open rate (the number of people who open the email) and the click-through rate (CTR – the clicks to your site) of your emails, and is often a deciding factor on whether or not to hit the ‘unsubscribe’ button.
How long should my e-newsletter be?
There is a short answer, but we’re here to elaborate. Research has shown that the average person’s attention span has decreased dramatically over time as we’re exposed to mass amounts of information everywhere we go. Brands and businesses are constantly competing to try and grab our attention. Furthermore, the average person’s attention span is now approximately 8 seconds, and the clock starts ticking as soon as they open your email.
Introducing the E-newsletter Sandwich
When laying out an e-newsletter, most marketing emails follow the same formula: an image, a paragraph and a call to action. It’s short and sweet, and straight to the point. This formula is designed for the average person’s attention span, and it works.
Once the customer has clicked your punchy email subject line, start the clock – 8, 7, 6. Whatever you’re offering, that adds value, should be included in the headline to grab their attention. Here, the reader will find out what’s in it for them – 5, 4, 3 – and glance over the short paragraph. The reader will then decide whether to click the call to action – 2, 1 – and once clicked, will be redirected to your website. Eight seconds is all it takes.
What if I have more information to add?
Depending on the purpose of your e-newsletter, sometimes the email will need to contain more information. If this is the case, stick to the key points and always lead the reader to a call of action (what you want them to do). This is easily achieved by having a short excerpt of your blog or bullets of information, followed by a button (e.g. ‘learn more’). This also works well if you want the reader to RSVP to an event or check out the sale items on your website. Wherever possible, tease them with value-added information, then link back to your site for them to learn more. This will keep them opening your emails because they get value, but also encourages them to go to your site for more details on that value add.
The Verdict
Research has shown that having three images or less, and approximately 20 lines of text (200 words) will result in the highest CTR in most industries. It’s also important to note that your e-newsletter should always add value for your customers and be relevant to your brand, otherwise you risk losing subscribers. You can test different email lengths to see what works for your audience, and potentially have different lengths for different email topics. E.g. Longer formed emails (with two images and short text blocks) to share blog content, and shorter one image emails with little text for promotions and sales.
E-newsletters are a great way to connect with your customers, keep them engaged and increase brand awareness and authority. Contact Sims Advertising for more information about e-newsletters. We can take care of designing, scheduling and reporting the success of each campaign. We provide exceptional strategy, outstanding creative and seamless execution – all designed to deliver results.