TREND WATCH: Mobile Email Opens Surpass Both Webmail and Desktop

Based on answers to media habits questions on attendee surveys at our clients’ shows, it is clear that more and more people are reading emails on their mobile devices.

More importantly, this trend is being reinforced through data we are capturing from our clients’ actual attendee email campaigns.

This is no surprise when you consider the latest numbers released by Return Path that show 300% growth in mobile opens between Oct. 2010 and Oct. 2012, and 4 of 10 emails are being opened on mobile devices.  Check out the Return Path infographic.

How do you respond to the growth in mobile email readership? There are various options depending on your target set’s media habits and your objectives, time and budget.

(1) You can use text only.

(2) You can employ a standard HTML desktop version with a link at the top to a mobile version i.e. HTML light or text only.

(3) You can adjust your primary email creative so it is more mobile friendly: one column, vertical layout, larger point sizes, bigger buttons, and “less is more” when it comes to copy.

(4) You can segment your audience into two buckets (mobile and non-mobile email readers) based on past history, and deliver optimized emails to each group.

(5) You can employ “responsive design“, which renders emails differently based on device/platform.

Whatever you do should be guided by up-to-date analytics from your email marketing campaigns as failure to keep up with your audience’s changing media habits will ultimately cost you readership, attendance and registration dollars.

Posted on February 13, 2013