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Email marketing is booming. According to a Statista report, 52% of marketers said they saw their campaign return on investment (ROI) double last year, and 5.7% said they saw their ROI quadruple compared to 2022.
How can you create similar results for your business this year?
The effectiveness of email marketing comes down to a few key factors.
- Know your audience, their problems and wants.
- Create emails that address specific needs.
- It delivers your emails to inboxes and allows your subscribers to interact with them.
As the CEO of a B2B email marketing company, I often hear from clients about their biggest challenges. A big one is crafting emails that really capture attention and get results. Getting the content, length, and target audience right can be hard.
Related: How to get your emails opened and read
Most prospects prefer short emails
If you're struggling to make your emails more engaging, there's one thing you're missing: making them shorter. Recent data from a ZeroBounce report shows that 66% of consumers prefer short emails, and only 6% prefer longer emails.
But keep this in mind: For 28% of people, the length of an email doesn’t matter if the content is tailored to their needs and interests.
It's no surprise that people prefer short marketing emails. When your inbox is full of messages, why would you choose a long message over a short note? A concise, direct email respects your prospect's time and is more likely to grab their attention. While most people prefer brevity, it's the quality and relevance of your email that really captures and keeps their interest.
For the 28% of readers who don't care about length, the message is clear: if the email is well-tailored to their needs and interests, they're willing to spend more time with it, regardless of word count. This segment of readers will embrace more in-depth content that speaks directly to their challenges.
How to determine the appropriate length for your email
So how do you balance brevity with content? The key is to first understand your audience. Segment your email list based on behavior, preferences, and past interactions. This segmentation will allow you to tailor your messages more precisely. You'll also likely send different types of emails. That alone should guide your approach.
- Newsletters are longer and can cover some information in more detail.
- A drip campaign can consist of a series of emails that gradually move your prospects closer to purchasing. These emails can be short, and in some cases, just a few lines followed by a call to action might be enough.
- For targeted campaigns such as discounts and free offers, you can combine a compelling image with a few lines of text and an eye-catching CTA button.
If you're still not sure if your email is too long, here are some tips to save you time and make your life easier.
Start with a clear goal
Every email should have a clear purpose. Whether it's to inform, increase engagement, or drive sales, that will determine how long it needs to be. Don't add unnecessary content just to make the email longer; make it as long as it needs to be to achieve your purpose.
Choose simplicity and clarity
Use simple language and clear CTAs. Metaphors don't do much good in marketing emails. Your email should smoothly guide your reader from the beginning to the desired action without any unnecessary detours.
Customize every detail
Use what you know about your customers to customize your emails: When your marketing emails are personal, people care more about the message than the length.
Test and adjust to audience preferences
While research can point you in the right direction regarding consumer preferences, only you can determine what your audience responds to best. Before you send your next email, consider A/B testing different lengths. Then analyze the metrics to see what works best.
Improve the layout
Sometimes the way you present information can change the perception of an email's length. Breaking up text with relevant images or using bullet points can make even longer emails more digestible and engaging.
Related: 4 Ways to Automate Your Email Marketing to Save Time and Increase Sales
Ask your subscribers
Asking for input shows your interest in serving your readers better. Try incorporating a survey into your next newsletter. Ask your subscribers to tell you how long they like your emails to be. Nothing beats direct customer feedback when it comes to creating more effective campaigns.
Bonus tips for increasing email engagement
Here are some additional tips to help you get more clicks on your next email:
- Try to keep your subject lines to 30-50 characters. Not only will your subscribers be able to process your email faster, but shorter subject lines also display better on all devices.
- Check the health of your email list to avoid bounces and potential spam folders.
- Assess your spam complaint rate. It must be below 0.1% to comply with new email sending rules from Yahoo and Google.
And remember that your goal is to genuinely connect with your readers, no matter how many words it takes to get there. Don't worry if your email is longer than you intended, as long as it covers a topic that many of your subscribers care about. Longer copy is fine if the content is compelling.
