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Keep it (mobile) friendly. It's not hard & just might be fun!
Denise Aday's EMAIL MARKETING TIPS: Top Today | Must-Know | Ready-to-Use
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And we're back!

This issue features the second in a series of quick check-ups for your marketing emails.

In case you missed it, last month was about how to entice opens with a winning combo of your from info, subject line, and preview text.

Now let's talk about responsive, mobily-friendly design.

(Pretty Image: Assorted Screens)You're probably hearing this a lot -- take heed: over half of email is now read on a mobile device. Besides smartphones you have tablets and eReaders and smartwatches (o_e), oh my! And often what's first opened on mobile is re-opened on desk or laptop.

Regardless of device, if it doesn't look good people will hit delete. So we have to make sure it does.

Don't be scared, seriously. You don't have to learn a bunch of code. Yes, there's complicated code-y stuff we could do, but that's not what most of us want or need to spend our precious time on. What we certainly should do is use the tools readily available from our email service providers (the ones who should be doing the code-y stuff for us) and a few simple guidelines:

Email Campaign Check-Up


Making it Mobile-Friendly Part I

 

Choose a Layout for Easy Vertical Scrolling

None of this side-scrolling or tiny, scrunched up mess. People simply won't deal with it; they shouldn't have to.

A single-column layout is usually best.

Some multi-column designs are technically responsive. Ideally, the columns will restack themselves for vertical scrolling (so pay attention to content order). However, sometimes all the columns are resized to fit the screen and remain side-by-side in tiny, unreadable copy. Yes, people can zoom and scroll back and forth, but don't count on it.

Try to stick with a single column template overall that maybe, sparingly, incorporates some multi-column blocks. Your ESP should provide some good, responsive template choices. If they don't, find another provider that keeps up with technology.

As always, test your template. Test, test, TEST! Across devices, email clients, and browsers. Don't let your emails leave home without it. MailChimp paid accounts include Litmus testing via the Inbox Inspection. Well worth it.

Next time we'll talk fonts, so stay tuned.

But wait, there's more! ↓

Don't Just Take MY Word for It

(Interesting Image: paper smartphone with abstract infographic chart)

Check it - the ultimate mobile email statistics overview

  • 53% of total email opens occurred on a mobile phone or tablet in Q3 2014
  • Mobile email opens have grown by 180% in three years
  • Responsive design results in a nearly 15% increase in unique clicks for mobile users from a 2.7% average to 3.3%
  • 30% of consumers now read their email exclusively on mobile devices

And much more like this, updated regularly.

(Fun Image: match sparks an idea)

Get Inspired

MailChimp's inspiration gallery is a great place to look for ideas that might work for your own email marketing pieces, including many cool, mobile-friendly designs.

Browse them all or by category. Every page refresh gives you a different combo.

Have fun!

Denise is a godsend to the technically challenged.
~ Henci Goer, Childbirth U

READY for some HELP with your EMAIL MARKETING?

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Denise AdayProfessional Virtual Assistant for 8+ years, with over 20 years’ experience including corporate, small business, nonprofit, and independent entrepreneurs.

Email Marketing Specialist -- multi-platform with significant expertise in MailChimp.

I care deeply about how we treat one another in this life — and that good business does, too.

Many thanks,
Denise Aday

Copyright © 2015 Denise Aday, Digital Content Editor & Proofreader, All rights reserved.



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