Did you know that average click-through rate for B2B marketing emails in Q2 2013 was 1.7 percent (Epsilon)? Email marketing is the ideal tool to boost traffic to your site or grow conversion rates, but recipients must first click the hyperlinks you include in emails. In Michael Linthorst’s MarketingProfs article, “Five Tips to Increase Your Email Click-Through Rate,” he lays out several helpful tips to increase your email click-through rate:

    1)      Ensure your emails are opened.  Just because an email is delivered does not ensure it will be opened. There are several ways to increase open rates. Make it obvious from the beginning what they’re signing up for in order to get more relevant opt-ins—it’s better to have one person who read your newsletter than ten who simply discard it. Clearly identify yourself using your name or your company’s, and write an appealing subject line—a well-written line invites the person to open the mail and is a max of 50 characters. Try a strong snippet or pre-header, the first text that’s displayed next to or beneath the subject line—you can certainly do better than “Unable to read this mail? Open the web version.”
    2)      Stick to one clear call to action. Don’t make it confusing for your recipients—find the main goal of your email and make sure your call to action (CTA) serves that goal and no other. A CTA should clarify what is expected of the reader, where it will take them, and why they should go there. Use as few words as possible (Contact us. Apply now. Sign up now. Etc.). Avoid CTAs that state the obvious, and DO NOT use “click here.”
    3)      Create mobile-proof emails. With the skyrocket of mobile internet traffic, many companies prepare their sites for mobile visitors, but few do the same with their emails. As 38% of all emails are opened on a mobile device, not preparing yours for mobile is a mistake you can’t make. Create templates using responsive design that will reformat emails based on screen size or orientation. Make sure your CTAs are large enough to be clicked by fingers.
    4)      Be relevant. Your database is the most powerful tool available to increase your email clicks. Use its information to send recipients relevant emails to fit their needs. Event-driven email marketing is the most efficient form of email relevancy based on database information. An example would be sending emails based on someone’s interests or products someone did or did not purchase.
    5)      Test and measure. Use the first four tips just to get started, because not every target group is the same. The best way to improve open rates after step four is to keep testing various strategies and measuring results. Keep testing emails with split-run tests including different send times and subject lines. Tweak and mold until you find the best format and the rates you want.

How do you ensure that your audience clicks on hyperlinks in your emails? What are other tips for increasing your email click-throughs that you find to be helpful?

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.

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