Email Message Diagnostics

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.
 
email marketing checklist

  1. HTML Code – Is the email coded in simple HTML, not using one flat image or web-only markup?
  2. Subject Line – Is the subject line concise and to the point? Does it reflect email content?
  3. From Name – Is the “From” name a relevant individual or organization?
  4. PreHeader – Does the email message include a preheader?
  5. Images with ALT – Do each of the images utilized include proper and descriptive ALT tags?
  6. Personalization – Does the image include a personalized direct address or other content that indicates the message is for “me”?
  7. 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.)?
  8. Scannable Text – As email recipients do not spend much time per message typically, can the email be scanned quickly?
  9. 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
  10. Preview Pane Friendly – Does the primary message and call to action appear if the email is cropped to ~250 pixel height?
  11. 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?
  12. Social – Does the email include social sharing icons or ways to connect with the sender via its chosen social media channels?
  13. 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?