If you send emails to your email list, be aware that up to 43% of your opens could happen on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. It might be time to redesign your email template so mobile users with small screens can comprehend your email and — most importantly — take the action step inside your email.
A mobile-friendly email looks great on a desktop and laptop computer, and on mobile devices. This helps you get your message across and have more success with your email campaigns. Here are four easy tips to make your emails more mobile-friendly:
1. Use a single column email template.
A simple layout is easier to see on a small screen. Two or even three-column newsletter templates will require your subscriber to zoom and scroll to see everything. This gets frustrating for them and makes them hunt around for your call-to-action. An email template with just 1 column is better.
2. Make your call-to-action clear.
The rule hasn’t changed about having a single call to action. Focusing on just ONE thing you want the subscriber to do simply gets better results than dividing their energy between two or more things they can do, in most cases (exceptions: ecommerce products, events calendar, etc.). Put the call to action at or near the top of the email. Explain, briefly, what you want subscribers to do, and make it very simple for them to do it.
3. Be concise.
Don’t kid yourself that very many people read your long, wordy emails. Be pithy and to-the-point. Since real estate on a mobile device is valuable, keep the design and content clean. It’s actually harder to write something short than something long, so be prepared to shorten it after you finish a draft.
4. Make fonts legible.
Your text needs to be legible on a small screen. The minimum font size should be 12 points for regular text and 22 points for headlines. Remember that people over age 40 have trouble seeing small text at all! Use high-contrasting colors, such as dark text on a light (white) background. Mobile devices are often set to have dim screens in order to save battery power, and they are often used in bright sunlight. So contrasting colors will make the difference between legible and ignored.
Spend a little time making your opt-in emails more mobile-friendly. You will cater to the growing number of customers and prospects who check their email on their mobile devices.
