Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Increase your CTR

You’ve mastered the art of the perfect subject line, figured out how to prevent the junk filter from snatching up your email, and gathered an email list that loves to open your emails. Now how do you get them to click through to drive traffic to your website?

Increasing your click-through rate is as easy as C. T. R.

Create Curiosity
We all have a curious side. Capitalize on that with copy that will entice the reader to click a link in order to satisfy their curiosity. This sample from the popular blog “How Does She?” is a perfect example:

What could #15 be? The only way to find out is to…you guessed it…CLICK THROUGH!

Lists are a great way to give your reader a lot of information in short period of time, while providing the perfect avenue for a truly click-worthy teaser.

Tell them to click
Remember that this isn’t a webpage. Links hidden in pictures or subtext will most likely be ignored. You have very limited time and space in which to grab the reader’s attention, so be bold!
Notice that this ad used the words “Go HERE” instead of “Click HERE”. This was a very deliberate attempt to avoid the spam filter. Too many links and over usage of the word “click” are common triggers and will be sorted into a junk folder.

Another fantastic example is this one, from The Recipe Critic. The link to the recipe could easily have been hidden in the picture or linked to the title. Instead, it was clearly stated – Recipe Here.
Request a Response
Engaging the reader and making him feel a part of the conversation can go a long way toward getting him to click through your email. Ask a question. Post a survey. Hold a contest for the most creative response. Make him feel needed. Since the reader will have to click a link to your webpage in order to respond, this is an effective way of directing him to any other information you would like him to notice. Make good use of that landing page!

Just a few simple steps should make a dramatic difference in your CTR. Give them a try!