Why are my emails going to the promotions tab in Gmail? - Knowledge Base

Summary

Improving email click rates involves a multifaceted approach encompassing content relevance, personalization, strategic design, and technical optimization. Key strategies include sending content subscribers want, tailoring emails based on user data and interests through segmentation, and ensuring clear subject lines and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs). Mobile optimization, accessible design, and visually appealing layouts enhance user experience. Managing email frequency and adhering to authentication standards are vital for deliverability. Building trust by setting clear expectations and offering relevant incentives further encourages click-throughs.

Key findings

Relevance & Value: Sending relevant and valuable content tailored to subscriber interests is fundamental for driving clicks.
Personalization & Segmentation: Personalizing email content and segmenting lists based on demographics and behavior enhances engagement.
Clear CTAs & Subject Lines: Crafting clear, concise CTAs and transparent subject lines encourages recipients to take action.
Mobile & Accessibility: Optimizing emails for mobile devices and ensuring accessibility improve user experience.
Deliverability & Frequency: Adhering to authentication standards and managing email frequency prevent subscriber fatigue and enhance deliverability.
Strategic Design: Strategic link placement, email layout and use of images are also important elements of design.

Key considerations

Authenticity & Trust: Avoid deceptive practices and set clear expectations to build trust with subscribers.
Testing & Analysis: A/B test different email elements to identify what resonates best with the audience and measure marketing ROI
Technical Standards: Adhering to all the best technical email standards ensures the email is both delivered and correctly interpreted.
User Gathering: Whitehat gathering techniques can help improve click rates, along with sunsetting disinterested users.

What email marketers say

14 marketer opinions

Improving email click rates involves several key strategies. Personalizing content, segmenting email lists for targeted messaging, and A/B testing email elements are crucial. Crafting clear subject lines and compelling calls-to-action, strategically placing links, providing valuable content, and using visuals are also effective. Avoiding misleading subject lines and setting clear expectations builds trust. Managing email frequency and offering incentives can further motivate clicks.

Key opinions

Personalization: Personalizing email content based on subscriber data significantly improves click rates.
Segmentation: Segmenting email lists allows for more targeted and relevant emails, increasing click-through rates.
A/B Testing: A/B testing various email elements helps identify what resonates best with the audience.
Clear CTAs: Using clear, concise, and action-oriented CTAs encourages recipients to click.
Strategic Links: Placing links strategically within the email, naturally integrated into the content, improves click rates.
Valuable Content: Providing valuable content that addresses subscriber needs encourages click-throughs.
Visuals: Including high-quality images or videos can make emails more engaging and visually appealing.
Clear Subject Lines: Using subject lines that clearly indicate the email's content improves click rates.
Managing Frequency: Effective email frequency management avoids subscriber fatigue and keeps them engaged.

Key considerations

Avoid Misleading Content: Avoid misleading subject lines and content, as this can negatively impact long-term engagement.
Mobile Optimization: Ensure emails are optimized for mobile devices, as a significant portion of emails are opened on mobile.
Setting Expectations: Set clear expectations in the email content and subject lines about what subscribers will find when they click.
Link Placement: Careful link placement is important. Buried links get missed, and too many links can overwhelm.
Incentives: Ensure that incentives are relevant to your audience.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests placing links strategically within the email, ensuring they are naturally integrated into the content and easy to find. Avoid burying links at the bottom of the email.

21 Oct 2023 - Reddit

Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp Resource responds that segmenting your email list based on demographics, behavior, or interests, allows you to send more targeted and relevant emails. This increases the likelihood of subscribers clicking through to your website.

1 Jun 2022 - Mailchimp Resource

What the experts say

2 expert opinions

Improving email click rates involves focusing on relevance and genuine engagement. Sending mail that people want to receive, tailored to their interests through effective segmentation, and avoiding deceptive practices are crucial.

Key opinions

Relevant Content: Sending mail that people want, with content they'll want to click through to, is fundamental.
Targeted Segmentation: Better segmentation leads to better engagement, resulting in higher click rates by sending relevant emails to the right people.

Key considerations

Avoid Hype: Strip out the hype and dark patterns from suggestions, focusing on genuine value.
Tailored Interests: Ensure subscribers are receiving content that is tailored to their interests and needs through effective segmentation.

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that better segmentation leads to better engagement which results in higher click rates by sending relevant emails to the right people. Segmenting your list ensures that your subscribers are receiving content that is tailored to their interests and needs.

25 Dec 2023 - Word to the Wise

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that improving click rates involves sending mail people want, to recipients who want it, with content they'll want to click through to. He suggests stripping out the hype and dark patterns.

1 Feb 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

5 technical articles

Improving email click rates involves optimizing emails for various technical aspects. Mobile optimization with responsive design ensures emails display correctly on all devices. Accessible design improves usability for all subscribers. Managing email frequency prevents subscriber fatigue. A clear and visually appealing layout guides the reader's eye, and adhering to email authentication standards helps emails reach the inbox and avoid spam filters.

Key findings

Mobile Optimization: Optimizing emails for mobile devices is crucial due to the significant portion of emails opened on mobile.
Accessible Design: Accessible email design ensures all subscribers can easily read and interact with emails.
Email Frequency: Managing email frequency is important to prevent subscriber fatigue and maintain engagement.
Clear Layout: Using a clear and visually appealing email layout helps guide the reader's eye.
Authentication Standards: Adhering to email authentication standards helps emails reach the inbox.

Key considerations

Responsive Design: Use responsive design to ensure your emails display correctly on all devices.
Usability: Ensure appropriate font sizes, color contrast, and alt text for images to provide a better user experience.
Balance: Find the right balance for email frequency to keep subscribers interested without overwhelming them.
Spam Filters: Be aware of spam filter rules and guidelines to make sure emails get delivered.
Visual Hierarchy: Ensure calls-to-action are highly visible to ensure they are not missed.

Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that adhering to email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical to ensure your emails reach the inbox. Avoiding spam filters increases the likelihood of subscribers seeing and clicking on your emails.

1 Feb 2023 - RFC Editor

Technical article

Documentation from Google's Email Marketing Guide explains that managing email frequency is important. Sending too many emails can lead to subscriber fatigue and lower engagement. Finding the right balance ensures subscribers remain interested and more likely to click.

28 Jan 2022 - Google's Email Marketing Guide