Addressing Bad or Disappointing Click Through Rates

Recently, a client asked me how to increase the click-through rates on a newsletter his company manages. There typically isn’t a quick, simple answer to this question, but it’s certainly possible to identify a few priorities for improving click-through rates in email newsletters.

First, I always like to know where we really stand in terms of the email metrics. Most importantly, you need to look at the right numbers. You should remove the inactive users from the equation to truly understand your situation. See our previous post on inactive users to learn more about inactive users, but these are the people who have stopped reading your emails. Depending upon how you define inactive users, it could be those subscribers who haven’t read an email for a month, for a quarter, or for six months. Remember, subject lines drive your open rates, while your content drives the click-through rates. So, you need to be sure you’re not mixing up a declining click-through rate with a declining open rate.

Next, take a hard look at the content you’ve been providing. Look for patterns in the types of content your subscribers have been clicking on. Are you still providing the type of content they want? If you’re not sure, it may be a great time to send out one of those editorial surveys. We do those all the time; so if you need help, give us a call.

Finally, be sure to look at your newsletter’s table of contents. Is it presenting the content clearly enough at the top of your newsletter so it’s easily viewable even in the preview pane? Are you using words that grab your readers’ attention? Research your keywords!

For more ideas on how to improve click-through rates, check out our previous article on tips to increase click-through rates.