Boost Email Conversion Rates With Your Next eBlast Campaign

eBlast Design and Production

When it comes to emails, IMAGE = SUCCESS. A strong, compelling image immediately gets your reader asking Who, What, and Why. That’s why most email experts recommend putting the image first –in the top half of your email. Your audience will be hooked before they’ve even read one line of copy. Talk about working smarter not harder! But a poorly designed or improperly coded image can do more than just chase your readers away. (Think spam folders and broken dreams.) Here are a few tips to help you strike the perfect balance in your next eBlast campaign.

Beauty is in the eye of the email service provider

Not all email service providers default to the setting that automatically downloads images. And most people don’t know how to change their default settings to do so. In fact, studies show that only 50% of all email users actually take the time to download images. Translation? Your images are only being seen by half your audience. Here’s how to make sure that your message gets to the other half as well.

  1. Use images sparingly. Never send an email that’s all images or a large group of images. Less is more. A simple banner graphic at the top of your email can accomplish your goals.

  2. Keep it simple. Stay away from large, overly designed images and graphics. Keep everything compressed and clean. Larger images can bog down your email, increasing the likelihood that it will be flagged as spam.

  3. Never embed your main message or call to action in an image. The same goes for using images as links. With 50% of your audience unable to view them, your click-through rates will plummet! Main messages should always be in plain HTML text.

  4. Use alt text and title headers. Alt text is the HTML text that appears when an image doesn’t. It’s a great opportunity to get creative. Instead of “Click here to download images,” try something like “This is a great offer. Don’t miss it because the image didn’t load! Click here to learn more.”

  5. Use the preview pane to your advantage.  It’s the perfect spot for a graphic. Just keep in mind, most preview panes are 2 inches or less. Your image should fit within that space. And for the % of your audience who are NOT downloading images, don’t forget the alt and title text.

And there’s more techie stuff – max image size, file format, compression settings, file names, etc. All of which we will be providing to you in future blog entries. If you need help with a project or have any questions about this topic, give CMW a call. We have a full-time web staff with over a decade of experience creating eBlast campaigns. We use images and graphics to communicate your message–not interfere with it. Let us help you develop a strategy for your next eBlast campaign that will deliver your emails to the Inbox…not the spam folder. Email us at info@creativemediaworks.com or call (800) 737-1123 to speak to our Web Manager.