How can it improve email open rates and click-through rates?
Here at iProv, we’re obsessed with tracking the latest marketing trends – both big and small. While it’s important to remain open to ambitious changes (like last week’s video deep dive), we also believe in the power of tiny tweaks.
For this week’s edition of The Filter, we’re taking another close look at emails and one minor thing you can add to boost their value, open rates, and click-throughs: animation.
If you want to refresh your email strategy but don’t have time for a complete overhaul, this one’s for you.
Here are a few animated email tips we’ve been loving lately:
Animation in Moderation
Animation has an unmatched ability to grab attention. And in our digital world, attention is the grand prize. By adding movement and visual interest to an otherwise static email, animated emails can increase open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement. However, it's important to use animation in moderation to ensure that it doesn’t negatively impact the user experience or accessibility.
Check out this article for actionable ways to balance your animation. Pull-out points include remembering your target audience and making sure the movement serves a specific purpose.
Keep it Simple with GIFs
Animated GIFs are a great alternative to videos in marketing emails thanks to their lightweight footprint and automatic movement (no one has to click them to see them). This makes them accessible and convenient, even for readers who only skim their newsletters.
Though they’re simple, GIFs can also highlight your product or message quite effectively in a fraction of a second. With no time commitment from the viewer, you can demonstrate your product in action and mimic how a customer might feel when using your service.
By incorporating animated GIFs into your marketing strategy, you can effectively grab the attention of your target audience and stand out in their cluttered inboxes.
GIF How-To
Now that you know animated gifs are simple and effective, you may be wondering how to find good ones or make your own from scratch. Luckily, both are quite easy.
To download one as a file: Go to a GIF website like GIPHY.com or Tenor.com.
To make an original one: check out this simple tutorial.
Don’t forget to have fun with it!
More Creative Animations
This is a great list of animation methods you might never have thought of before. We especially like #1 and #5: Highlighting Text and Video as a Hero Image. Highlighting text catching eyes without being too aggressive, and videos as heroes can subtly showcase product/merchandise/branding.
Step It Up With Canva
Despite being highly engaging and easy to implement, not many brands utilize animation in their emails. By doing so yourself, you’ll easily stand out in your audience's inbox – especially because most readers scroll through messages absent-mindedly. To go beyond pre-packaged GIFs without breaking a sweat, check out this tutorial on Canva email animations.
If you have even an extra hour on your calendar, try sprucing up those emails!
If you don’t have time for this one or don’t know where to start, we’re here to help. Let us know what you hope to achieve with your emails, and we’ll put our heads together to come up with something stunning.
Click here to schedule a free consultation! Talk soon.
