[This post was originally published on 3rd June 2022. It has been updated on 16th Aug 2024.]
“The only thing worse than being blind is having a sight but no vision” – Helen Keller
Implementing an email marketing strategy without an audit is akin to flying blind. To turn insights into actions, an “Email Marketing Audit Checklist” is indispensable for executing high-performing campaigns. This checklist can ensure your email marketing efforts are yielding the results you desire.
It’s fascinating that around 74% of client-side marketers view email as an ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ marketing channel. Conducting an email marketing audit helps you measure the performance of your email marketing strategy and make necessary adjustments to enhance your campaigns.
Many marketers underestimate the value of performing an email audit. However, an audit reveals gaps in your strategy and provides opportunities for improvement, ensuring you achieve the ultimate email marketing success.
The Value of an Email Marketing Audit – Enhancing Your Vision
If challenges are hindering your email campaigns or you are looking for new opportunities, an email marketing audit is your solution. Businesses usually prefer a quarterly approach to audits, but less frequent campaigns might only need a half-yearly review. It paves the way for exploring fresh opportunities and innovations.
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One debate is whether an internal or external audit is more beneficial. Although both have advantages, an external audit often provides more impartial insights:
- Expert professionals offer unbiased feedback.
- External audits incorporate the latest trends and help set a visionary direction for your strategy.
- Trivial yet crucial elements, such as using live text over slicing fonts, are often overlooked internally.
For instance, ensuring live text usage enhances the subscriber experience. Moreover, audits can also assist you in compliance with new legal policies like GDPR, helping you modify your strategy accordingly.
An email campaign audit can guide significant decisions like upgrading to a new email service provider or enhancing deliverability. An audit helps you understand what’s working and what isn’t, thereby optimizing crucial elements of your email marketing strategy for better business outcomes.
Let’s dive into key parameters for an email marketing audit checklist.
Key Elements of An Email Marketing Audit Checklist
Many clients unsure about the crucial elements of an email audit approach agencies for help. Email Uplers, a full-service email marketing agency, provides comprehensive audits, focusing on these key parameters:
- Current Email Industry Trends
We review your emails to ensure they align with current industry trends, as these are more likely to drive results. For example, utilizing specific typography over traditional fonts can significantly enhance email effectiveness.
- Effective Call-To-Actions (CTAs)
The audit scrutinizes CTAs to identify what drives subscribers to act. Whether it’s button shapes, color choices, or language, the right CTA can significantly impact subscriber engagement.
- Email Design Trustworthiness
Your email design should immediately inspire trust and credibility. An audit confirms that brand guidelines are followed, ensuring a consistent and trustworthy look.
With these focus areas, you can start building a comprehensive email audit checklist.
Core Components of a Successful Email Audit
One of the most frequently asked questions is: How do we measure email marketing performance?
Subscriber List
Your subscriber list is the backbone of your email marketing effort. An audit determines if the list was organically built or purchased. Purchased lists usually perform poorly, underlining the importance of explicit consent. Using prominent sign-up forms and gated content can help grow your list organically.
Tip: Regular email list cleaning is crucial for list hygiene and deliverability.
Segmentation Criteria
Email marketing thrives on reaching the right audience. An audit ensures your list is segmented effectively. For example, retail businesses should segment by age, sex, and location to better target and personalize promotional emails.
Formaggio Kitchen exemplifies effective segmentation by using a detailed signup form for more personalized email targeting, proving that comprehensive data collection from subscribers enhances email relevance.
Sender Name and Email Address
A recognizable sender name and address build trust. Avoid using unrecognizable names or ‘no-reply’ email addresses. Trustworthy sender details make your communication appear more credible.
Subject Lines and Preheader Text
If your open rates are lower than expected, the issue often lies in your subject lines and preheader text. A well-executed audit will pinpoint these shortcomings and recommend best practices for improvement.
For instance, Uncommon Goods utilizes concise subject lines paired with relevant preheader text, such as “Did you get your Father’s Day gift yet?”
Tip: Personalization and emojis in subject lines, along with descriptive preheader texts, are trending strategies for increased engagement.
Email Copy
Your click-through rates depend heavily on your content. While visual marketing is essential, relevant content combined with appealing visuals offers the best results. An audit identifies the most effective email copy for your audience.
Airbnb sets the standard with engaging copy and related visuals, proving that a perfect balance between text and imagery can significantly enhance subscriber engagement.
Email Design
Email design must be attractive yet functional. Key areas of focus during an audit include:
- Avoiding flashy designs that distract
- Ensuring alignment with branding guidelines
- Maintaining an optimal text-to-image ratio
- Including alt text for images
- Optimizing email size and accessibility
- Addressing potential rendering issues
Tip: Placement and design of CTAs play a critical role in driving click-through rates and conversions.
Send Time
While no universal ‘best’ time exists, analyzing past performance and industry averages helps determine an optimal time for your emails. A/B testing can further refine your timing strategy.
Tip: Employ A/B testing to discover the most effective send time for your specific audience.
Sending Frequency
A balanced sending frequency is crucial. Inform subscribers about the expected email frequency up front and stick to a consistent schedule.
Email Deliverability
An audit answers critical questions about your email deliverability:
- How many emails reach the inbox?
- What IP is used to send emails?
- How good is the delivery rate?
These questions reinforce your audit checklist, ensuring a robust email marketing strategy.
Conclusion
An email marketing audit illuminates the path to creating effective emails. From building an email list to optimizing email performance, Email Uplers are here to assist with every step. Whether you conduct the audit yourself or seek external expertise, an audit is essential for maximizing your email marketing efforts.
A detailed email audit can cost you $499.
…BUT you can test it for free >>
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