Seeing subscriber activity on your email marketing efforts is truly rewarding. If I’m being honest, I like to watch campaign reports from Mailchimp as soon as I fire off an email. I like seeing who opened my email, how many times they opened it, and what they clicked on. It makes me feel like I accomplished something good. I also like to compare current stats to previously written emails and identify if there are any differences. Over the years, I’ve seen an improvement in both open rates as well as click through rates on my newsletters. In this article, I’m sharing some tips I’ve learned when it comes to getting more subscribers to click on links inside your newsletter.
Before we get into this article, I want to share one note of caution. You can’t completely rely on what your email provider says about email performance. They can only report stats on subscribers who allow images. Meaning, there could be people reading your emails offline that you are not aware of. When someone clicks on a link or when an image is loaded, they are asking a server to serve those images. The email provider you use can only report stats on what is served. I recommend using the campaign reports as a general guide, but not as an absolute. However, the campaign reports can help steer you in an informed direction.
Now if you’re still with me, here are some factors to consider if you’d like to see an increase on clicks inside email newsletters.
Send emails with one goal in mind
When you give your audience too many options they might choose none. This may seem counterintuitive, but if you want your subscribers to click on something in your email, it’s best to use the entire email to focus on that one thing. That way you’re not providing any other distractions and the action you want them to take is crystal clear. For example, it is very important to have a high click rate on an email in which you are promoting something or selling something. Therefore, it may not be wise to include your newest YouTube video in an email along with other content. Try making that YouTube video the only thing you talk about in this email. The great thing about this strategy is that it gives you more opportunity to convince your subscribers why they should click. I’ve tried this tactic many times for my own music, and I’m always amazed at just how much higher the click-through rates are compared to my other more general emails.
Use Click-Worthy Screenshots of YouTube Videos
Speaking of YouTube videos…
At this point, you can not embed a youtube player into an email. But you can embed a screenshot of a youtube video into an email and encode it with a hot link. That way when they click on the screenshot it will take them directly to the video. If I have the time, I’ll often superimpose a play button graphic into the screenshot so that it looks like a player. Be selective with what screenshots you choose. Pick shots that portray action, or you having fun. Something that would get them to click.
Combine Links with Teaser Content
Whatever you’re linking to, make sure to sell it. Give a little teaser content that explains why your newsletter subscribers would be interested in clicking. For example, if you’re linking to your latest blog post, you can give a little background information and whet their appetites just enough to pique their interest without spoiling the story. Also be clear about what you want them to do by hot linking the words ‘click here’ instead of just linking to your blog. See for yourself how this works. Which of the scenarios below make you want to click more…??
Scenario A:
Did you know we were pulled over by the police? Oh yes! And in this current climate of police brutality and us being interracial I had no choice but to write about our experience. You wouldn’t believe what I told this police officer. Click here to read the full story.
or
Scenario B:
I have a new post up on my blog. Check out my latest blog post.
You’re an artist so creativity comes naturally to you. Use it to make your links attractive! By the way, if you’re at a loss for what to say in emails and are having a hard time being consistent because you’re not sure what you have to say, check out these 20 Newsletter Content Ideas for Musicians. It will give you lots of good ideas on what you can talk about in your newsletters besides the usual stuff like new music videos, new songs, interviews, and yada yada.
Use a Clear Call-to-Action
I mentioned this tactic earlier, but it deserves its own category. If you’re hoping your subscribers will do something, don’t beat around the bush. Be upfront with exactly what you want them to do and provide instructions on how to do it if necessary. If you’re promoting a sale on your merchandise or music use active verbs such as ‘Click Here to Buy the Full Bundle Today,’ or ‘Use this Code to Take 50% Off Your Purchase.’
You can also utilize active elements and design strategy to direct people to your links. Use programs like Mailchimp and MailerLite that let you create HTML coded emails so that you can use buttons and colors to highlight and bring attention to where you want people to click.
Be upfront about asking your fans to share your music or complete any other supportive tasks you need them to do. A huge part of being an independent artist is the support of your fans. They need to know how they can best support you. Sharing a video might seem like common sense, but it might not be a natural response after seeing your video. It’s not because they disliked it, or maybe it is and that’s another story. But it could simply be that they didn’t think to share it. So don’t be afraid to ask your fans to share your music if they enjoyed it. You can also go a step further by telling them how and where to share it if you have specific needs in that area.
Create Better Subject Lines
This is a no brainer, but it’s a huge part of overall email marketing strategy! A good way to increase click through rates in your music email newsletter is to generate better subject lines and get more people to open your emails. Subject lines act as the first impression of what’s contained in the email. Take a look at some of these alarming statistics from Hubspot about subject lines:
- 33% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line alone. That means a third of your subscribers judge the contents of your email by the 10 words you write in your subject line.
- 69% report that an email is SPAM based on the subject line.
- 40% of emails are opened first on mobile devices where only 4-7 words can fit in the subject line space
- These words will decrease your open rates: Quick, You, Meeting, FW:
- These words will increase your open rates: Free, Tomorrow
- How’s this for a kicker? Emails with no subject all together were opened 8% more than those with a subject line.
Here’s another resource from Hubspot with great information about how to write catchy email subject lines. Also check out this article I wrote for Indie on The Move Blog, 8 Email Subject Lines that Will Guarantee Opens specifically for musicians.
These are some great tips to follow but that only scratches the surface of what you really need in order to see improvements. In all honesty, there’s really no magic formula to influencing people’s behaviors other than creating a real connection. At the end of the day, the best way to encourage activity on emails and with your music all together is by forming genuine connections. Ultimately subscribers will open your emails and click on your links because they like you and believe in you – the person. It goes way beyond your music. Realize that your business is not really in making music, but it’s in making connections. For all the people in the world and for all the things we do, we only have one thing we truly seek. That’s connection with each other. Figure out how to promote that in your emails. Then you won’t have to rely on subject lines, pictures, colors and buttons.
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If you’re ready to do that but don’t know where to even begin, schedule a strategy session and let’s figure it out together.
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Related Articles:
-20 Newsletter Content Ideas for Musicians
-5 Ways to Increase Newsletter Click Through Rates
-Musicians, Here’s the Best Free Trick to Get More Newsletter Subscribers
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