As you’re probably aware, we’re beta testing a new message editor for broadcast messages. It makes building your emails a lot easier by giving you an intuitive, drag and drop interface. This week, we wanted to draw some attention to the template manager included with the message editor beta – it vastly expands your options [...]

“We’ve heard your feedback and want to clarify any concerns about the submission guidelines (updated here). We’ve updated them to reflect that there’s no coding required and image files are acceptable submissions. With that change in mind, we’re extending the deadline to Monday, April 30 to allow more designers time to compete.” Graphic designers, a [...]

Good news, AWeber community. You’ve got a fancy new broadcast editor waiting for you. (Customers, it’s in your account now; go check it out!) This editor’s literally designed for all skill levels: you now have three different editors you can work in. Choose from: Block Editor Got a vision but no HTML skills? You want [...]

It’s something you, the AWeber community, have been asking for. It’s something that will make your email marketing really easy. And it’s almost here. We’ve been working on this secret project for a while, and recently unveiled it in a few AWeber accounts to test it out. We took feedback, we made improvements and in [...]

If you want to include images, videos, branding or a color scheme in your emails, you have to create them with HTML. Some people don’t want to do that (and that’s okay). They don’t want to learn HTML or hire a designer; plus, they believe sending HTML emails will bring down their delivery rates. If [...]

As a small business owner, you probably understand that getting customers to engage with your email campaign is a big factor in its effectiveness. How do you design a campaign that your customers will want to read regularly? There’s one key word in that sentence: Design. If you’ve been sending plain text emails to your [...]

This spring, one of the biggest smartphones (the iPhone) joined with the biggest mobile carrier (Verizon). People are snatching up the iPhone in droves, which means your mobile email audience is the biggest it’s ever been.

If you send only plain-text emails, this isn’t a very big deal.

But many people send HTML. And HTML emails tend to look a little different on mobile devices.

But we know four easy ways you can make sure they still look good.

The iPhone 4G displays at a width of 640 pixels, so you’ll want your email to be just around that size.

Previous versions display at 320 pixels, which still works with a 640-pixel message – your design scales down nicely by half.

AWeber’s email templates are all around 600 pixels. Use them, and you’re all set.

Make sure you’ve got grabby, interesting content in the top, left section of your message. Try a headline, a picture or a paragraph that lets readers know something exciting is happening. They’ll need to scroll over and down to see more.

This actually has double impact. It gives an enticing glimpse to your subscribers who first encounter your emails in a preview pane. They’ll see either the top or the left, depending on their email client.

If the top left is where you ask your readers on a date, the bottom or right is where you move in for the kiss. That’s how Dr. Flint McLaughlin, who studies millions of emails at MECLABS, describes the email experience.

Keeping your call to action off the initial screen gives readers a second to acclimate. Once readers decide they’re committed enough to scroll down, you can ask them to take further action.

Get more subscriptions.

While you’re waiting for clicks on that call to action, generate a QR code for your brand. iPhones (and other smartphones) can scan these cousins to bar codes and be taken straight to your sign up form (just follow these easy steps).

You can get your QR code printed onto business cards, t-shirts – pretty much anything. So when all the Verizon-ites who just picked up iPhones are looking for fun ways to use them, they can sign up for your emails.

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As the multitaskers of the business world, marketers have a lot on their plates. Ideally, each day would provide ample time for creating and sending stellar newsletters to your eager subscribers.

But the truth of the matter is that very often, email marketing is pushed to the bottom of your never ending “to do” lists. There are so many pressing tasks at hand and sending email is so quick that you usually put it off until later, right?

Fortunately, these last minute tips for messages that should’ve gone out yesterday will get you out of the office by 5:00 and cozied up in front of the TV in no time.

Your 20-Minute Manual

Choose a Template

Not sure how you want your email to look? Picking a template can save a lot of time and aggravation. Depending on which one you choose, the columns will dictate the content and give your email focus.

Once you pick a template that suits your needs, simply pop your logo and important company information in and you’ll have a unique, customized template that you can use again and again – just by clicking copy.

To Insert Your Logo:

1. Copy the image URL from your website.
2. While editing your HTML message, place your cursor wherever you want the logo to appear.
3. Click the yellow “Insert/Edit an Image” icon that appears in the HTML editor.
4. Paste the image URL in the “URL” field, then click the “Insert” button:

   

Get Link Happy

According to Dr. Flint McGlaughlin of Marketing Experiments, your email has one job: it invites your subscribers to a mental conversation.

That conversation should take place back on your website, whether it be making a sale, sharing a blog post, offering a discount or taking reservations.

When you’re in a rush and hurrying to send your newsletter it’s easy to skip the extra steps. Be sure to make the invitation to conversation very clear with a few well-placed links to your contact page, store hours, menu, FAQ or other frequently sought pages.

Remember though, these secondary links shouldn’t distract from the main point or the call-to-action of the email.

Review Discarded Content

If you don’t already, get in the habit of saving the work that doesn’t make it into your messages. When you’re short on time and in a pinch, it’s the kindling for an incendiary newsletter.

If you find that you ramble on and always cut portions of text out of your pieces after writing them, keep the content that ends up on the cutting room floor and devote your newsletter focus to your brilliant insight that was previously too lengthy to publish.

You could even keep a folder with snippets of abandoned blog posts or newsletter articles handy when you’re working on your emails – so long as the content is valuable, your newsletter will build itself.

Spend Time on Your Subject Line

If your subject line doesn’t compel readers to open the email, the rest of your content goes unseen. Make sure it clearly presents the email’s value while staying consistent with your past subject lines.

In fact, you can use existing messages to guide you. Keep track of patterns in open rates to see which subject lines earned the most opens, then mimic the format with your new one.

Treat it like a game of Mad Libs and fill in the blanks:

If “Free Shipping – All Handbags, One Week Only!” was your message with the most opens, take out the specifics and replace them with this week’s deal.

“Free Shipping – Spring Essentials, Wednesday Only!” is new and different from the last, but the format worked for you before and should work again, according to the stats.

Procrastination in Moderation

It’s nerve wracking, but waiting until the last minute to send messages can actually work out in your favor…when you don’t make a habit of it!

Great campaigns do take time to plan and implement.

How do YOU save time when writing your messages?

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HTML and plain text each have their place as email formats.

Plain text has a no-nonsense, businesslike air, and is simple to create. HTML grabs attention with colors and images. It lets companies incorporate logos and display data with graphics.

Sometimes, though, plain text is used by marketers who would prefer the gloss of HTML, but aren’t sure how to create it. The good news is, many email marketing services provide pre-designed HTML email templates that make the switch practically painless.

Of course, there are still a few things to learn. If you’re new to HTML email, follow these tips for polished, professional messages.

Getting Started With HTML Email

If you are using a template, make sure to take out any dummy text. This text is usually meaningless, included only to suggest how you may want to lay out your content.

Dummy text in your emails is likely to confuse subscribers, so make sure to replace or delete it!

HTML email lets your readers simply click on links to open new pages instead of copying URLs into new windows. Take advantage of this benefit by making sure to create the links properly.

If you use AWeber, just highlight the text you want to become clickable, click the link button and paste in the URL of your destination page.

Tip: If you’re tracking clicks, don’t use the actual URL as the text of the link, or your message could be mistaken for email phishing.

Good: AWeber’s blog Bad: http://www.aweber.com/blog/

A link to the web version of your email can help readers who have trouble viewing your messages. If an email appears incorrectly or subscribers are too wary to let images display in their inboxes, all is not lost.

Put a link at the top of your email, where distressed openers will see it right away. In AWeber accounts, use the “Direct Link” from the broadcast archive.

Otherwise, just save the image as a page on your web site and use the resulting URL.

Make sure your message is comprehensible without images.

Many email clients don’t display images by default. Subscribers who don’t change these settings won’t see your pictures and graphics, so make sure you:

• don’t display important information as an image
• don’t rely on a background picture to make text readable.
• do include ALT text. This is alternative text that describes images when they aren’t displayed.

When you’re finished editing, send yourself test copies of the message in different email accounts.

Each ISP renders email a little differently. Make sure they are at least consistently readable.

To do this, create test accounts in the most popular webmail providers and desktop email clients.

Although creating your messages in HTML opens up all sorts of creative, organizational and branding possibilities, it’s not a good idea to abandon plain text altogether.

Always include a plain text version. Your email service provider should provide the option or, if you are coding your own emails, follow these instructions.

Then if an ISP can’t display your HTML email, it will revert to the plain text version and your message will still be delivered.

Your Plain Text-to-HTML Concerns

Have you made the switch from plain text to HTML?

If so, what were the trickiest bits for you to learn?

If you want to switch but haven’t yet, what concerns are holding you back?

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Finding quality HTML email templates can be tough, and finding templates related to your specific needs can be even tougher. Fortunately, we’ve been releasing new templates regularly. We’d like to think that each template we release could be the key to taking your email marketing to the next level.

Generic email templates are a dime a dozen and it’s no surprise, they fit the mold for most people. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. But what makes a template extraordinary? How can we provide you with templates that go that extra step toward fostering success?

We’re proud to present you with three sets of templates (email and web form combinations) available exclusively to AWeber customers.

We knew our new Web Form Generator marked the dawn of a new era for your email signup forms.

Now that we can easily create templates for forms, why not create Email / Web Form templates that complement each other? Through consistency of branding these templates can provide a professional feel for those of us who aren’t professional designers.

The “Video Arcade” Email / Web Form Template Combo

Believe it or not, us video gamers do sometimes get off the couch. Some of us even send email campaigns for our blogs. But even if you aren’t blogging about video games, you can’t deny this template can be used by those who favor a more playful style.

The “eBook” Email / Web Form Template Combo

The “eBook” templates pack a powerful punch for enticing new subscribers. Use the web form template to promise your eBook upon sign up. Use the HTML email template to deliver that promise in style.

The “eBook” HTML Email Template
is available in 3 color variations.

The “eBook” Web Form Template
is available in 10 color variations.

The “Wine” Email / Web Form Template Combo

This template is perfect for fine dining establishments. Announce weekly specials, upcoming events, additional menu items and exclusive discounts in sophisticated, yet understated style.

The “Wine” HTML Email Template
is available in 4 varieties.

The “Wine” Web Form Template
is available in 4 color varieties.

How Can You Use These Templates?

These templates are available exclusively to AWeber customers. If you have an AWeber account, simply log in and you will find them the same place you usually find templates when you are either creating a web form or creating a new broadcast/follow up.

Let Us Know What You Think.

We always appreciate your feedback and always take our customers into consideration.

Do you have any ideas of a template theme that might be especially useful?

Let us know… you might just get what you ask for.

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