How to Increase Click Through Rates In Your Newsletters

Increase click through rates by following the cardinal rule of email marketing for blogging: serve, don’t sell. Learn how to avoid falling into the ‘crappy emails’ trap.

In my previous article, How to Increase Open Rates and Stop Pissing Everyone Off, I shared the cardinal rules of email marketing. Now that you have worked hard (over the course of a few newsletters) to increase your open rates by providing a level of service, let’s increase click through rates.

Quick Tips to Increase Click Through Rates

• If you send HTML emails, try plain text (and vice versa). It might help to increase open rates and therefore click through rates.
• Change providers (after a test) if you get a consistent boost in open rates. My recommendations for most bloggers are MailChimp and ConvertKit. If you are trying to choose, just email me and I’ll help you decide (for free). 🙂
• Spend at least 10 minutes writing 5 subject lines. Pick the best one and write 3 more. Pick the best one and use your runners-up on social media for tweets and tag lines. I use them in CoSchedule.
• Avoid using trigger words (a big one is still ‘Free’).

These tips are pretty handy, right? Just think of what my valued and respected subscribers get! Psst: sign up and let me prove I know what I’m doing.

There are most likely affiliate links in this article, which could mean I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. To read more about my affiliate partners, see my full disclosure here.

Know Your Audience or Stop Faking It!

Big tip: use first names LIGHTLY. Have you ever received an email peppered with your name? Hi, Sarah… What do you think about that, Sarah? Do you want to do XYZ for me, Sarah?

If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t try and force it into an email.

That said, sparingly using a person’s name in your emails makes for strong relationship- and trust-building. Unless…

When a subscriber doesn’t enter their first name and you personalize it, however, it’s just corny. “Hi there, “FIRST NAME” just doesn’t work. To take care of those who entered their name AND those who didn’t:

MailChimp

If you’re using MailChimp, use this: *|IF:FNAME|*Hi there,*|TITLE:FNAME|*,*|ELSE:|*Hello,*|END:IF|* as your introduction.

ConvertKit

If you’re using ConvertKit, go under “Personalize” and choose “Subscriber’s Name (with fallback).”

Advertise Intelligently

This is different from selling products, sponsored post clicks, and affiliates. Here, I’m just talking about your ‘creatives’ or the visual advertising (the pictures).

Advertising (sponsors or affiliates):

Always change it up. Include these in some emails, don’t in others. Your sponsored post requirements might require a certain placement or creative series, so be sure to note that in your content plan in order to space them out.

The Change Up:

Vary where you place the ads and affiliate banners in your newsletters, as well. If you don’t, you’ll actually condition your subscribers to ignore them. #thatwouldsuck

Sell Sparingly:

I love making money from dedicated email blasts as much as the next gal, but if every other email you’re sending becomes an advertisement, people will tune you out. Even if they don’t unsubscribe, they will be conditioned to ignore those emails.

Summary

Increase click through rates with these tips. Combined with smart open rate management, you will increase income and traffic to your site.