Email Creative That Works

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Email Creative That Works

• Stephen Guerra
• Email Communications Strategist
• Silverpop

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Silverpops Email Creative That Works Study

• We wanted to find out where email creative
  matters
• Which content strategies really make a difference
  and which ones more purely aesthetic?

BtoB 147 messages 20,000 average recipients
BtoC 465 messages 900,000 average recipients
Details 612 messages 430 brands
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Eleven Creative Elements Studied

• From line
• Subject line
• Logo
• Text and images
• Layout
• Number of links

• Type of links
• Navigation bar
• Lifestyle photography
• Offers
• Call-to-action

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1. The From Line
The From address is your primary branding
opportunity

• 92 of emails included company or brand name in
  the From line
• Impact on open rates
• With brand/company name 27
• Without brand/company name 29
• Of the 8 of emails without brand/company name,
  half used an individuals name
• Messages From a person had average open rates
  of 30
• Bottom line Best practices should be applied
  here even if the impact isnt significant

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2. Subject Line Content

• Best practice Connect with recipients by
  including your brand or product name in the
  subject line
• Surprisingly, a quarter of marketers dont do this

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2. Open Rates for Subject Line Content

• Theres value in branding the subject line

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35
29
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
BtoB
BtoC
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3. Logo Where Are Marketers Placing It?

• Logo position important 
• JupiterResearch found 7 out of 10 users with
  email clients that accommodate preview panes
  always use them
• Percent of emails with logos in various positions

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3. Logos Where marketers shouldnt position them

• Placing the logo below the fold is even worse
  than having no logo at all in the message

No Logo 3.2
5.7
Average click rates
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4. Ratio of Text to Images

• JupiterResearch artwork in emails doesnt
  substantially affect response rates
• Overall most emails have more text that images
• Categories of Text to Images evaluated

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4. Click Rates Based on Text Versus Images

• BtoC gets better click rates with images
• BtoB achieves higher click rates with all text

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5. Various Design Layouts

• 1 column
• 2 or more columns of equal size
• 2 or more columns of varied size
• Letter
• Newsletter
• Varied cell blocks
• Postcard

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5. Layout Design - Examples
2 columns equal size
1 column
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5. Layout Design - Examples
Dear ,We noticed you have not used your
BankXpress Bill Pay service in the last 60 days. 
In order to maintain the highest level of
security from Sandy Spring Bank, we only support
active online Bill Pay services linked to your
accounts.  To continue to receive online Bill
Pay service for your accounts, please log into
BankXpress, setup a payee and schedule a bill
payment.  If there is no bill pay activity on
your account within the next 30 days, we may
disable your Bill Pay services. To use BankXpress
Bill Pay, please visit www.sandyspringbank.com
and log into BankXpress.  Next, click the
Payments tab to add and pay your bills. Forgot
your password?  Call our Client Service Center at
1-800-399-5919 and press 2.  Have Questions? 
Send a secure email through BankXpress or call
our Client Service Center at 1-800-399-5919 and
press 2.  Thank you for choosing Sandy Spring
Bank.
2 columns varied size
Letter
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5. Layout Design - Examples
Varied cell blocks
Newsletter
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5. Layout Design - Examples
Postcard
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5. Message Layouts What are BtoB Marketers
Doing?
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5. BtoB Click Rates for Various Layout Styles
The layout of BtoB messages seems to drive real
difference in response rates
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5. Message Layouts What are BtoC Marketers
Doing?
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5. BtoC Click Rates for Various Layout Styles
The layout of BtoC messages probably doesnt
matter as much as offer and content
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6. Number of Links

• How many links are marketers putting in their
  messages?
• Most messages reviewed contained between 1 and 3
  links
• BtoB emails averaged 2.5 links per email
• BtoC emails average 2 links per email

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6. BtoB Click Rates Based on Number of Links
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6. BtoC Click Rates Based on Number of Links
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6. Number of Links Bottom Line

• Exceeding a certain number of links actually
  deteriorates click rate
• For BtoB messages, link count doesnt seem to
  directly affect response rates
• For BtoC messages, having one or half a dozen
  links appears to drive more response than
  anything else

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7. Types of Links Best Practices

• Links can be text, image or both
• Remember, the type of link doesnt matter if it
  cant be found
• Text links in a different color type
• Include both text and image links near each other

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7. Types of Links - Most Commonly Used

• Text links are the predominant kind of link in
  todays email marketing

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7. Types of Links Which Work Best?

• For BtoB, text links seem to drive more response
• For BtoC, link type doesnt matter as much but
  using both types is definitely a best practice

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8. Navigation Bar What Are Marketers Doing?

• 33 of the emails studied included navigation
  bars

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8. Navigation Bar What Works (clicks)?

• For BtoB marketers, Nav location doesnt matter
• For BtoC marketers, left hand nav drives the best
  response

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9. Lifestyle Photography

• Photography is a staple of print advertising
• Photos that capture the mood can also attract
  attention and clicks
• 35 of the emails reviewed included lifestyle
  photography

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9. Lifestyle Photos What Works?

• BtoB and BtoC have the opposite response to
  photography

Without Photography
Without Photography
With Photography
With Photography
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10. Offers

• 40 of emails studied offered no call-to-action
  to encourage clicking, ordering, download, etc.
• Offers reviewed, in order of popularity
• Free gift
• Percent off
• Dollar off
• Prize drawing
• Multiple offers
• Free shipping

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10. Offers What Works?

• Consumers would rather have 2 off a 10 item
  than a 20 discount

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11. Location of Call-to-Action

• 73 of emails reviewed placed the call-to-action
  above the fold
• Surprise finding! Some customers will scroll to
  find the offer

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11. Call To Action What Drives the Most Click
Rates?

• Its critically important for BtoB marketers to
  put the call-to-action above the fold
• Consumers, however, are more willing to scroll
  for an offer

Above fold
Above fold
Below fold
Below fold
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Conclusions

• Include the company or brand in the subject line
• Use text and image links together where possible
• BtoC marketers do well with lifestyle photography
• BtoB marketers must place the offer above the
  fold
• Switching formats can generate renewed interest
  among recipients
• Avoid complete overhauls of your designs to
  ensure recipients still recognize your messages
• Bottom line Creative matters a lot. Response
  rates will be driven, not only by artwork and
  offers, but by how these things are used in your
  messages

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Thank you