Looking for a few ways to improve your email marketing from message to message? Use this list to identify areas for improvement for email messages sent by your organization or your clients.
- HTML Code - Is the email coded in simple HTML, not using one flat image or web-only markup?
- Subject Line - Is the subject line concise and to the point? Does it reflect email content?
- From Name - Is the "From" name a relevant individual or organization?
- PreHeader - Does the email message include a preheader?
- Images with ALT - Do each of the images utilized include proper and descriptive ALT tags?
- Personalization - Does the image include a personalized direct address or other content that indicates the message is for "me"?
- Legible Design - Has the email been designed in a manner that is easy to read on a screen (e.g. black text on white background, no background images, etc.)?
- Scannable Text - As email recipients do not spend much time per message typically, can the email be scanned quickly?
- Mobile Responsive - Does the email render properly on mobile devices? Here you may recommend adding the @media query and relevant markup to allow the email to respond to smaller screens. Please see this post on responsive email design
- Preview Pane Friendly - Does the primary message and call to action appear if the email is cropped to ~250 pixel height?
- Call to Action - Is there a recognizable call to action? Do we have a reasonable expectation that the recipient will know what to do next?
- Social - Does the email include social sharing icons or ways to connect with the sender via its chosen social media channels?
- CAN SPAM Compliance - Does the email include an unsubscribe option and a physical mailing address?
What other elements do you consider when evaluating email messages?