How can I increase the open rate (CTR) of my e-mails?

Imagine your e-mails are like a flirtation that you send out (instead of across a bar to the opposite sex) far into the digital universe. You want someone at the other end to smile and open your message with enthusiasm. How do you achieve that? One magic trick is emojis in the e-mail subject line. Yes, you heard correctly. Using emojis can give your e-mail a distinctive touch and set it apart from the others in a very crowded inbox.

But beware – with the power of emojis comes great responsibility. It is important to choose the right emojis, ones that genuinely resonate with your message and your brand. There is no point adding random emojis just because they are cute. They must be relevant to the content of your e-mail and the added value must be obvious.

Besides emojis, there are a number of other strategies for increasing the open rate of your e-mails:

Write an attractive subject line
Your subject lines should be like good book covers – interesting enough to arouse curiosity, but also true to the content. Be creative, but honest. Monitor their impact and recycle the successful ones. Do not be afraid to send the same e-mail a second time to those who did not open it, but this time with a different subject line.

Personalisation is the key
Addressing the recipient by name can do wonders for the open rate. People like the feeling that an e-mail is intended just for them.

Optimise for mobile devices
These days people read e-mails on their phone in bed in the evening or on the bus on the way to work or school, so make sure your e-mails look good on small screens too.

The best sending time
Test different days and sending times to find out when your audience opens e-mails most often. Sometimes sending an e-mail at the right time can be decisive. Research favours Tuesday; weekend messages, by contrast, usually get lost. Also choose the time of day according to your target group.

Avoid spam words
Certain words can send your e-mails straight to the spam folder. Avoid excessively sales-oriented language and words that a spam filter can easily pick up.

Offer real value
People will open your e-mails if they expect something useful or interesting from you. Make sure that every e-mail contains something that is valuable to your subscribers.

A/B testing
Do not be afraid to experiment. A/B testing different subject lines can give you valuable information about what most appeals to your audience.