Time is precious! Everybody would agree that this statement is absolutely right. This is also valid when speaking about email marketing. But why does it matter?

Email Marketing itself is an extremely important and even growing part of marketing measures in general. It reached already a very high daily volume but the number of sent emails is even growing.

Every person is confronted with this fact in daily life, and a high number of emails reaches constantly our inboxes. Every email fights for our attention and there are winners and losers.

Winners are the Emails that are well and clearly structured, pleasant to the eye, and offer a decent amount of information. Therefore they are comprehensible without any effort and in a very short period of time … one could also say, they are easily “SCANNABLE”.

Emails should be created and structured with these facts in mind. Success is not the email being opened by the addressee, much more important is the email being read and it would be even better if the reader really understands the content. The ultimate goal is undoubtedly that the CTA button would be clicked.

Measures for the Perfect Reading Experience

A pleasant reading experience can be reached quite easily with several measures that should be considered when creating the email. There are some key factors, starting with the general structure of the email, the text itself and the design of the email. These three go hand in hand with creating a successful concept. Beyond this, there are further measures that can and should be considered to create an exceptional email that will undoubtedly be easy to digest or even a pleasure to read.

Keep an eye on your Email Text

A readable text is the basis for a successful email, of course.

1. Font Size and Style: Opt for a readable font with an appropriate size for both, headings and body text.
2. Concise Copy: Keep the copy short and to the point, avoiding unnecessary details.

Email Structure – the crucial backbone

A well-structured email is the best container for your content.

1. Use of Headers: Employ headers to categorize content sections and guide readers through the email.
2. Clear Headings: Concise and clear headings will present the content and guide readers.
3. Meaningful Subheadings: Subheadings can be added to convey the main points.
4. Short Paragraphs: Brief paragraphs help to make the content more digestible.
5. Bullet Points and Lists: Bullet points and lists help to organize large amounts of data.
6. Hierarchy of Information: Arranging information hierarchically will improve your email.
7. Progressive Disclosure: Revealing details gradually helps to maintain interest and guides readers through the content.

What about your Email Design!?

Design creates emotions and emotions can create a better experience reading our emails.

1. Color Contrast: Contrasting colors for text and background enhance readability and draw attention to important information.
2. Whitespace Usage: Whitespace between sections allows for visual breaks and improved readability.
3. Interactive Elements: Buttons and clickable elements that encourage engagement make it easy for readers to take action and interact.
4. Emoji Usage: Depending on the target group, some scattered emojis can add visual appeal and convey emotions, making the content more engaging.
5. Visual Elements: Integration of visuals sparingly to break monotony and attract attention to key points.

Further measures improving scannability

Stepping up the game with attention to detail

1. Preview Text Optimization: Crafting a compelling preview text to entice readers and to guarantee a positive first impression and overview.
2. Localized Content: If applicable, customizing content based on the recipient’s location or language will certainly help, this includes using the right language.
3. Personalization: Tailoring the content to the recipient’s preferences and the content will be understood more quickly.
4. Descriptive Hyperlinks: Making hyperlinks descriptive helps the reader to know what to expect.
5. Mobile Optimization: Ensuring the readability is optimized for mobile devices is nowadays more than nice to have.

Test your Emails – Simple and Effective

As very often in Email Marketing, it is difficult to evaluate certain measures, because a good outcome depends on so many factors.

Therefore emails and their elements should always be tested to make sure, they have a positive effect.

In this respect, there are two options to be mentioned.

• The well-known A/B testing can also be used on different email elements to identify the most effective scannability strategies for your audience.

• Another simple solution would be to create test groups with colleagues or even friends. A standardized questionnaire can help them evaluate different versions of an email, in our case, especially the readability.