How to Improve Email Marketing Campaigns: Anatomy of Email
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:57 am
Email marketing campaigns have become a great way to foster and maintain relationships with your customers, but only if done right. The anatomy of an email is similar to that of the human body , as there are many parts that need to work together to achieve a successful result. Whether the goal of your email campaign is to achieve clicks, social shares, or conversions, each component of the email should guide readers through the message toward the desired action. If you want to know how to improve email marketing campaigns and capture the attention of your customers, don't miss the following descriptions and explanations of the components of the email. Let's get started!
Typical Components of an Email
The structure of an email includes several elements that must be carefully considered to improve email marketing campaigns:
Email marketing campaigns are key to building strong ecuador mobile phone number relationships with your customers. Each part of the email must work together to achieve clicks and conversions. Do you want to improve your emails? Read on to learn more…Share on X
Subject Line
The subject line is crucial, as 47% of recipients decide to open an email based on it alone, according to HubSpot. A recent study also indicates that subject lines containing between 6 and 10 words have a higher open rate.
If we take the 42-word, 241-character subject line of a Groupon email as an example, it's one of the longest we've seen. There's no mistaking what the email is about. The downside? On most email clients and smartphones, this subject line will be truncated.
Short Subject Line
Using a short line can help you stand out in the inbox , but it must be informative enough to attract the reader's attention.
EXAMPLE : “One word. Two characters.” This subject line from an email from Barack Obama is one of the shortest we’ve seen. The advantage of using a short subject line is that it can stand out in the inbox and leave the subscriber wondering what the content of the email is, which may lead them to open it. However, the risk is that it will get lost in the inbox. Also, you want to make sure that this type of subject line isn’t too misleading.
Creative and Obtuse Subject Lines
Using a creative or intriguing approach can help you increase open rates, but you should always stay within clear boundaries.
EXAMPLE : “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” Urban Framing (DU) is known for its unique email subject lines, images, and copy, and this one is no exception. Do you have any idea about the content of this email? It was sent on December 31st by DU using this subject line as a “countdown” to the New Year. The cryptic nature of this subject line may make it stand out in the inbox and make you curious to open the email to find out its meaning.
Direct and Simple Subject Lines
Consistency in the use of subject lines can also help improve email marketing campaigns and make them more recognizable.
EXAMPLE : “Almost timely news.” You, like Jose Hernandez, can send out a weekly email newsletter with that same subject line, changing only the date at the end. This consistency makes your email more recognizable in a crowded inbox. Plus, Jose enjoys above-average open rates thanks to this strategy.
Common Mistakes When Writing Email Subject Lines
Some subject lines even break the rules of email marketing by using:
ALL CAPS.
Words and phrases like “free,” “a lot,” or “limited time offer.”
Special characters.
Contrary to what some purists or search results will tell you, breaking any of these email marketing rules in the subject line will not automatically land your messages in the spam folder.
Gmail Mail Program Dashboard.
Header Before
The header, sometimes called the “stub text,” is the section of the email that sits just above the header image or text. It’s often the first text you see when you open an email, and in several providers, including Gmail, this text is visible before you even open the email.
Basic: Check your email in the browser
Providing a “Check your email in the browser” link helps ensure better display of the content.
EXAMPLE : When a user clicks this link, the email opens in a browser tab or window to ensure a better chance of rendering images correctly. Since most email clients and applications display images differently, opening the email in a browser allows you to offer readers a more consistent experience.
Basic and Social: Check your email in the browser and social network
Including social sharing options can increase engagement and reach for your content.
EXAMPLE : This header offers subscribers the option to view the email in a browser. Additionally, you can include options like “share with a friend” and/or social icons to connect, such as “follow us” on Facebook and Pinterest.
Advanced: Check your email in the browser, on mobile, call the action text and links
Taking advantage of this space to include a call to action can be very effective in improving email marketing campaigns. For example, “Buy now and get a 20% discount.”
EXAMPLE : A more advanced option for the header space is to not only include “view in browser,” but also offer an option to view the email on the reader’s mobile device. With an increasing number of emails opened on smartphones, this is actually a smart choice.
In this case, the header could include a call-to-action text like “Don’t miss out: up to 60% off during the Summer Clearance event,” followed by a clear call-to-action like “Shop now.” If your goal is to get users to click through to a landing page to make a purchase, this approach is recommended.
Breaking the Rules: Unsubscribing at the Top
Including an unsubscribe option in your email header can help reduce complaints and spam by making the process easier for users. This strategy has been shown to decrease unsubscribe rates, suggesting that transparency can foster customer loyalty.
EXAMPLE : Some marketers break “the rules” of email marketing by including an unsubscribe option in the header. Many who have tried this tactic have reported less spam, fewer complaints, and surprisingly, fewer unsubscribes. Perhaps if people know it’s easy to unsubscribe, they’ll be less likely to do so. Definitely worth a try!
Header
Assuming there isn't a header, the header is the first part of an email you'll see when you open it . In many ways, it's your first impression, and you only get one chance to make a good one. The header can be as simple as your company logo, but you should keep in mind that most email clients block images by default. One way to entice your subscribers is to add something alternative that's light but still relevant.
If you want to take things up a notch and improve your email marketing campaigns, take advantage of the header space by including links to an effective landing page . Remember that many email clients don't display images by default, so consider including alt text to inform readers about what happens when images are allowed. Don't hesitate to get creative!
Woman's hands typing on a laptop watching How to Improve Email Marketing Campaigns.
Table of Contents
Not all emails require a table of contents (TC) because not all emails need one. Typically, we see TCs in emails that are longer or those that are more structured. The TC allows for a quick “preview” of the content and often redirects readers to specific sections when they click on the link.
A more advanced and effective approach to improving email marketing campaigns is to include links that direct to a specific article, blog post, or landing page related to a call to action. Many marketers use this strategy with great success.
Typical Components of an Email
The structure of an email includes several elements that must be carefully considered to improve email marketing campaigns:
Email marketing campaigns are key to building strong ecuador mobile phone number relationships with your customers. Each part of the email must work together to achieve clicks and conversions. Do you want to improve your emails? Read on to learn more…Share on X
Subject Line
The subject line is crucial, as 47% of recipients decide to open an email based on it alone, according to HubSpot. A recent study also indicates that subject lines containing between 6 and 10 words have a higher open rate.
If we take the 42-word, 241-character subject line of a Groupon email as an example, it's one of the longest we've seen. There's no mistaking what the email is about. The downside? On most email clients and smartphones, this subject line will be truncated.
Short Subject Line
Using a short line can help you stand out in the inbox , but it must be informative enough to attract the reader's attention.
EXAMPLE : “One word. Two characters.” This subject line from an email from Barack Obama is one of the shortest we’ve seen. The advantage of using a short subject line is that it can stand out in the inbox and leave the subscriber wondering what the content of the email is, which may lead them to open it. However, the risk is that it will get lost in the inbox. Also, you want to make sure that this type of subject line isn’t too misleading.
Creative and Obtuse Subject Lines
Using a creative or intriguing approach can help you increase open rates, but you should always stay within clear boundaries.
EXAMPLE : “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” Urban Framing (DU) is known for its unique email subject lines, images, and copy, and this one is no exception. Do you have any idea about the content of this email? It was sent on December 31st by DU using this subject line as a “countdown” to the New Year. The cryptic nature of this subject line may make it stand out in the inbox and make you curious to open the email to find out its meaning.
Direct and Simple Subject Lines
Consistency in the use of subject lines can also help improve email marketing campaigns and make them more recognizable.
EXAMPLE : “Almost timely news.” You, like Jose Hernandez, can send out a weekly email newsletter with that same subject line, changing only the date at the end. This consistency makes your email more recognizable in a crowded inbox. Plus, Jose enjoys above-average open rates thanks to this strategy.
Common Mistakes When Writing Email Subject Lines
Some subject lines even break the rules of email marketing by using:
ALL CAPS.
Words and phrases like “free,” “a lot,” or “limited time offer.”
Special characters.
Contrary to what some purists or search results will tell you, breaking any of these email marketing rules in the subject line will not automatically land your messages in the spam folder.
Gmail Mail Program Dashboard.
Header Before
The header, sometimes called the “stub text,” is the section of the email that sits just above the header image or text. It’s often the first text you see when you open an email, and in several providers, including Gmail, this text is visible before you even open the email.
Basic: Check your email in the browser
Providing a “Check your email in the browser” link helps ensure better display of the content.
EXAMPLE : When a user clicks this link, the email opens in a browser tab or window to ensure a better chance of rendering images correctly. Since most email clients and applications display images differently, opening the email in a browser allows you to offer readers a more consistent experience.
Basic and Social: Check your email in the browser and social network
Including social sharing options can increase engagement and reach for your content.
EXAMPLE : This header offers subscribers the option to view the email in a browser. Additionally, you can include options like “share with a friend” and/or social icons to connect, such as “follow us” on Facebook and Pinterest.
Advanced: Check your email in the browser, on mobile, call the action text and links
Taking advantage of this space to include a call to action can be very effective in improving email marketing campaigns. For example, “Buy now and get a 20% discount.”
EXAMPLE : A more advanced option for the header space is to not only include “view in browser,” but also offer an option to view the email on the reader’s mobile device. With an increasing number of emails opened on smartphones, this is actually a smart choice.
In this case, the header could include a call-to-action text like “Don’t miss out: up to 60% off during the Summer Clearance event,” followed by a clear call-to-action like “Shop now.” If your goal is to get users to click through to a landing page to make a purchase, this approach is recommended.
Breaking the Rules: Unsubscribing at the Top
Including an unsubscribe option in your email header can help reduce complaints and spam by making the process easier for users. This strategy has been shown to decrease unsubscribe rates, suggesting that transparency can foster customer loyalty.
EXAMPLE : Some marketers break “the rules” of email marketing by including an unsubscribe option in the header. Many who have tried this tactic have reported less spam, fewer complaints, and surprisingly, fewer unsubscribes. Perhaps if people know it’s easy to unsubscribe, they’ll be less likely to do so. Definitely worth a try!
Header
Assuming there isn't a header, the header is the first part of an email you'll see when you open it . In many ways, it's your first impression, and you only get one chance to make a good one. The header can be as simple as your company logo, but you should keep in mind that most email clients block images by default. One way to entice your subscribers is to add something alternative that's light but still relevant.
If you want to take things up a notch and improve your email marketing campaigns, take advantage of the header space by including links to an effective landing page . Remember that many email clients don't display images by default, so consider including alt text to inform readers about what happens when images are allowed. Don't hesitate to get creative!
Woman's hands typing on a laptop watching How to Improve Email Marketing Campaigns.
Table of Contents
Not all emails require a table of contents (TC) because not all emails need one. Typically, we see TCs in emails that are longer or those that are more structured. The TC allows for a quick “preview” of the content and often redirects readers to specific sections when they click on the link.
A more advanced and effective approach to improving email marketing campaigns is to include links that direct to a specific article, blog post, or landing page related to a call to action. Many marketers use this strategy with great success.