AINalerts, now more than 15 years old, is sent four times weekly to over 40,000 opt-in readers around the world and commands an open rate of better than 40 percent. Here are some best practices we abide by that may be useful in your own email marketing.
Optimize for mobile
-Over 50 percent of our audience now reads AINalerts on a mobile device. Create a simple layout that will display clearly on a wide variety of desktop and mobile email clients. (We prefer a single column no wider than 600px.) Then use a service like Litmus to test.
Value the content above the click
-Stories for AINalerts are customized for the mobile inbox. Readers can digest the day's news without being forced to click, open a web browser, and wait for a page to load. Write content that can be consumed within the email message rather than relying on teasers to entice clicks.
Set a time with your audience
-AINalerts is sent Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern, and our audience has come to expect this (almost) daily ritual. Whether once a week or once a month, set a schedule with your audience and stick to it.
Cut the fat
-People who haven’t opened an email in over six months probably aren’t going to start. Remove them from your list and keep the focus on quality.
