Keeping a wandering person’s attention on a computer screen in 2024 may be a lot like herding cats. You spend a lot of time and energy creating perfectly formatted newsletters, but sometimes all that effort gets lost in the weeds. This week’s newsletter is meant to keep your audience engaged, ask for feedback when they leave, and make sure you stand out in a sea of ββendless emails. Alright, let’s go!
In this week’s issueπ¨
- How to increase email engagement
- Ask for newsletter feedback
- Best practices for sender names
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get engaged
Building healthy relationships with your online followers can be just as stressful as maintaining connections in real life. Do they still find your content engaging? Why haven’t they read your last few emails? Are you exclusive or do you have an open inbox relationship? Chances are, you’re not the only newsletter your readers receive. So how can you keep your readers interested and avoid being ghosted?
Erin Ford, Content Writer mentionHere’s how to increase email engagement so that every newsletter feels like the first one.
your voice
- Use subject lines to grab attention It is descriptive and relevant to the target audience. A clever or clickbait subject line may temporarily increase open rates, but if your audience feels tricked into opening your email, your newsletter metrics will quickly drop.
- Use email preheaders Expand and highlight your overall message. A preheader is the first line of text that appears below the subject line in a reader’s inbox. Pairing the preheader with the right subject matter can help generate interest and engagement.
your schedule
- Establish a consistent email cadence That way, your subscribers will expect you to arrive in their inbox at the same time every day, week, or month. If you’re just starting out, consider creating a content calendar to help organize your ideas and determine the amount of content.
- Choose the best sending time This is to help you and your readers open as many emails as possible. For most publishers, the best days of the week to get the highest open rates are weekdays, not weekends, and the best times are between 10am and 12pm and 5pm and 6pm, regardless of the day of the week.
your content
- Quality content is key Achieve high customer engagement. You can have the best subject line and most consistent sending schedule in the world, but it won’t mean much if your content isn’t up to par. You should always provide value and solutions within your area of ββexpertise.
- Add spice to your email content Test your followers’ reactions using different types of multimedia. If you just convey the words on the screen every time, you will quickly get bored. Embed YouTube videos, upload eye-catching charts, and add podcasts to keep your users engaged.
your audience
- Re-engage with inactive subscribers Just to remind you why they followed you in the first place. There will always be inactive members, but if you notice a pattern, it might be time to reach out. You can highlight all the new content you create, share customer success stories, and offer discounts.
- Clean up your email list To clarify the big picture. Cleaning your list maintains your sender reputation, improves bounce rates, and improves deliverability. If your open rates are dropping and you’re starting to see more bounces than usual, it might be time for a scrub.
Interesting stories and ideas π
voicemail
You’ve created lots of new and unique content, improved your emails to stand out in your subscribers’ inboxes, and offered attractive incentives, but your open and click rates still aren’t improving. What gives? You may not fully understand your audience’s needs, but that’s okay. It’s time to put on your feedback hat and determine what makes your feedback tick.
Wendy Madill, Content Writer pavedHere are 10 valuable tips for using surveys and polls to collect newsletter feedback and increase engagement.
#1 Start small Use easy member reaction features already built into your newsletter platform, such as Ghost’s audience feedback feature.
#2 Create a quick poll Use integrations like Feedletter to ask your readers what they like, what they want to see more of, and what they don’t like.
#3 Send year-end survey If you already have an established audience. This will help you plan your changes for the upcoming new year.
#4 Be transparent Why conduct a feedback survey? Explain the benefits and what we’re doing with data to build trust.
#5 Keep it short and sweet With simple questions and clear goals. If you make things too complicated, no one will want to spend time on it.
#6 Make comments private That way, your readers will be able to provide real answers without being embarrassed. If you plan to share, please notify your subscribers in advance.
#7 Choose the right toolslike Google Forms and Typeform, can be used for long-term surveys with more than a few simple questions.
#8 Use survey templates If you don’t know where to start, most feedback tools provide this. You can also find inspiration from other publishers.
#9 Use response data wisely Also, consider creating a customer profile for your newsletter to better apply and understand feedback.
#10 Share your results with your audience Then, build content tailored to your needs. Invite them to the planning process so they feel included.
What’s your name?
In the physical world, your name is an important part of your identity, and it’s the same in the digital world as it is when you distribute newsletters to your subscribers. The sender’s name, or “from” name, is one of the first things readers see when they browse their inbox, and it determines whether they open your email to read all your great work. will help you decide.
Let’s take a look at some best practices for sender names that are just as important as creating engaging subject lines and producing high-quality content.
β£ Create a recognizable sender name to build trust with your followers. This is especially important for new subscribers who are willing to take over their email address. When your first newsletter arrives in your inbox, you should be able to immediately associate the sender’s name with your subscription.
β£ Make sender names consistent That way, your subscribers can get used to seeing the same name in their inbox every week. If you have a good subject line and email content, when people see your name in a message they’ll want to know what it’s about right away.
β£ Please include your first name Use your publication name to add a personal touch if you’re an individual creator, or if you’re looking to increase brand awareness for your company or team. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s simple, easy to read, and memorable to build a positive pattern of behavior.
β£ Focus on formatting Make sure the sender’s name reflects the expert or invitee who is sending it. Your name/publication name must be in uppercase letters and cannot exceed 25 characters. Don’t use your email address as the sender name or use special characters that make it look like spam.
Curator’s Recommendations βοΈ
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