Top 10 Copywriting Tips to Help Convert Your Mobile Audience
When it comes to email marketing today, mobile definitely can’t be ignored. How can you create compelling email messages that cater to your on-the-go mobile audience? Find out in this month’s feature.
In a recent NewsLever article, we shared some mobile statistics that indicate the significant impact mobile is having on the way consumers read and interact with their emails. This year, for example, more than 50% of most brands’ emails will be opened on a mobile device.
So whether your mobile subscribers are checking their email while riding the subway or watching television or taking a sneak peak during work hours, you can be pretty sure that they’re scrolling through their emails quickly. That means you have a matter of mere seconds to grab their interest and instantly convey your message.
We’ve previously talked about responsive design, suggesting several design tips for developing mobile-friendly emails. Here we shift the focus to copywriting for your mobile audience, with a list of ways to effectively capture their attention and drive conversions.
- Keep subject lines short and sweet. Compared to the inboxes on desktops, there’s even less space allotted to subject lines on mobile devices. So a good rule of thumb is to limit your subject lines for mobile users to 30 characters or less. Also, keep the most relevant words first and opt for using the subject line to describe what’s in the email versus being cute and clever.
- Having clear, concise content is key to success in email marketing. It’s even more challenging to get your mobile subscribers to read your emails. Not only are they viewing your message on a small screen, but they’re also most likely on the go. That means both space and time should be important considerations when crafting your mobile email content.
- Think scannable. Use headlines and subheads to succinctly tell your story. Also consider using boldface, italics, different font sizes, and colored typeface to highlight your primary message and provide a quick read for subscribers.
- Create a single and straightforward call to action that leads to a web page also optimized for your mobile audience. Let your subscribers know what you want them to do in your call to action — and make it really easy for them to do it — with a large button that they can’t miss. Clear and simple action words, such as “Join,” “Sign Up,” and “Buy Now” are the best way to go. Don’t forget to test the best terms using A/B split tests.
- Limiting the number of images in your email marketing for mobile users is a good idea, but be sure to use descriptive alternative text when you do include images. That way, readers who have not downloaded images won’t just see boxes of blank white space in the preview pane without images. To note, though, most mobile users have images download by default.
- If the purpose of your email is to get prospects to join your email list, be sure the form is super short. Filling out forms can be a time-consuming and frustrating process on most smartphones. Since all you really need is an email address, consider just asking for that information, and then request more information later through your welcome email. Otherwise, you’ll likely find that the more questions you ask, the more your conversion rate will suffer.
- To help ensure that your mobile prospects and customers get a positive impression from your emails, proofread your copy before hitting the send button. It’s surprising how many emails have typos and glaring grammatical errors, which look careless and unprofessional and reflect poorly on an entire organization.
- Align your mobile email message with a website landing page. You want to ensure the language, message, and tone are similar in the email and dedicated website landing page, working together to take your mobile users efficiently down the sales funnel. We frequently see organizations make the mistake of optimizing their email for mobile but then neglecting to optimize the landing-page experience for mobile users.
- To be sure your copy is connecting with your mobile audience, keep track of your performance metrics and set up A/B split tests to help optimize such variables as subject lines, calls to action, and headlines.
- Keep in mind that copy with personality cuts through the clutter — and converts. So inject some enthusiasm into your copy, and humor when appropriate, to capture and keep your mobile subscribers’ interest. And take care to speak to your subscribers like people, not like the receiving end of robotic marketing efforts.
For a good example of clear, concise copy for a mobile audience and the effective use of responsive design, check out our Get the Click review of a recent promotional email sent by TOMS Shoes.
Do you need to kick it up notch in your email and mobile marketing campaigns? FulcrumTech can help. Our copywriting team will work with you to create compelling and clever content that drives conversions. Email us or give us a call at 215-489-9336 today.
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