Mobile has made a tremendous impact on email marketing. About 53% of all emails are now opened on mobile, 500% growth over just four years. Mobile best practices are essential for today’s email marketers – 80% of respondents would delete an email that doesn’t look good on their mobile device. That means a campaign that fails to take mobile into account could have a click-through rate of zero.
To optimize emails for mobile, keep these tips in mind:
Raise the Font Size
Traditional 10- or even 12-point font sizes aren’t always sufficient on mobile devices, which can have a wide range of display sizes and form factors. Use a minimum of 14px for your main copy and 22px for headlines. The same standards can also be applied to your mobile-ready website!
Cut Cluttered Content
Remember, unlimited data plans are out of reach for many mobile users. Cutting out graphics, animations, and embedded video can lead to faster loading and easier reading. The same spirit should shine through in your copy: Short sentences, paragraphs, and messages are best.
Use Just One Column
Multi-column email layouts became popular when desktop computers had overwhelming market share. They can look slick, but there’s no way of knowing how they’ll be rendered on a mobile device. Single-column layouts adapt readily to being resized or re-oriented.
Focus on Touch-Friendly Navigation
Making your site touch-sensitive will allow mobile users to navigate quickly and easily. In the context of a product landing page, this is especially essential: Your call to action button should be front and center. Go for a size of 44px by 44px – about the size of a thumb.
Use Alt Text for Images
Many mobile users disable images so they can conserve bandwidth. It’s important to design email messages so they are easy to read and understand even without images. Optimize emails by using “alt text” that will show up in place of each image if it doesn’t load.
Design in Order of Importance
Marketing messages on desktops have more time to build momentum than on mobile. Instead of saving “the kicker” for the end, prioritize your layout so the most important elements are seen first. The prime real estate is the top left of the first screen the user sees without scrolling.
Remember, your email marketing doesn’t have to “do it all,” just motivate action. You can have brilliant, image-focused pages and lots of text – but keep it to your website and let your email lead users there. The best way to optimize emails for mobile is to keep it simple!