We all agree that getting more clicks is a good thing, right?

Did that vague, hopefully intriguing headline get you to click on this link? If you are reading this, then it must have. This is exactly what a headline for a blog is supposed to do. It is the sole reason bloggers set out to write their web monologues. They also write to have their opinions read, but they write to get a bigger audience.

The journalist is trying to get the most people to read and react to their articles, which in turn would make the reporter that much more popular and respected. The retailer is aiming for clients to view more emails and then to buy more goods and services.

What they all have in common is a sense of marketing behind them. The blogger is trying to get the most people they can to read their blog everyday, so they may start making a living out of their personal writings.

However, this isn’t my point. There are people of countless other professions who follow very similar patterns in their work. Journalists, always searching for the next big break in the world’s news, will push basically any boundary with their headlines to get people to read, what they believe, to be Pulitzer Prize winning news stories. Business people send out emails with subject lines they hope clients will feel obligated to open.

Recent Research

Recently, research done at the BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway has been exploring some new, crucial information on which subject lines will work the best.

The subject line focused on by the study was headlines with questions in them. More specific than just a question, was questions with self-referencing cues (like the headline of this blog) or a question without a self-referencing cue. Much of the studies completed show that questions with self-referencing cues worked well for selling products such as iPhones, couches and televisions. These same questions also made readership of articles go up exponentially, when used in the headline.

Perhaps this is why I used such a question to start my blog… hmmm. Some examples of these questions could be:

• "Aren't you curious about our new offers?"
• "Don't you think this is a great deal?"

These questions could lead to more clicks for your email campaign. With all of this being said, the institute claims that much more research has to be completed before any concrete statistics.

Self-Referencing Cues

The self-reference cue, summed up simply, means that the headline or subject line brings the second-person into play. With the use of the words "you" or "we," or something else along those lines, aim to make the person reading feel more integral in the whole operation at hand. This leads to them feeling that they may have to at least read some of the article or email. This tactic, also, makes people feel that they may really need a product. 

It seems to be some marketing with an integrally classic touch to it. It makes people feel a need for a product, but it also makes them feel that they are part of the company selling it to them. This may seem like extremely outdated business, but the research seems to be proving that this marketing is indeed the best move, despite what modern marketers seem to believe.

Conclusion

The question subject line is leading the way in the world of email marketing. You can try it now with the help of JangoMail. Go to jangomail.com now for a free trial into the world of email marketing. 

Sources

• All the data, charts and background for the study can be found a t: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15534510.2013.847859

A/B Testing: Fractional Changes Could Lead to Monumental Growth

High-tech companies across the nation, from Silicon Valley to Dayton, Ohio, utilize A/B testing to evaluate, analyze and contemplate the optimal marketing strategy for their company and their products.

Search engines, clothing stores and merchandise retailers can all discover the best way to reach their customers via email through this evaluation process.

The team members at Google are recognized as being the originators of this testing system 15 years ago. Since that time, companies throughout the world have worked to better the methods used in this process.

A/B Testing Originated from Google.
Courtesy of: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Google#/media/File:Logo_Google_2013_Official.svg

What is A/B Testing and how can it better your marketing strategies?

A/B, or split, testing has become the standard inspection tool for email marketing. Multiple, not specifically just two, variations of an email are sent out to different groups of recipients. This allows you to see which emails are being looked over or clicked on, and what is leading to transactions.

In simplest terms, you send Email A to Group A and Email B to Group B. Then you extrapolate from the acquired data what seems to be the superior choice for your customized plan.

What to Test?

There is no limit to the variations of ideas your company can test. The point of this evaluation process is to see the strongest components to a business plan so you can test anything from the copy on your website to sales emails and more.

Some commonly tested email units are subject lines, timing of emails and the offers in the email. An offer in an emails headline may be interchanged for a slightly edited discount in another. You may send one group an email offer in the evening, and another group one in the morning.

Even website design has been tested by companies such as Google and Amazon. A/B testing can provide an efficient way to test multiple home pages, and see which one keeps consumers coming and limits your bounce rate.

How is A/B Testing Most Helpful? Can it be detrimental? 

There is no risk to implementing split testing into your business strategy. At the same time, there is no doubt that a majority of customers will find some test emails unappealing, but that is why you run the test – to determine which less than enthralling practices your company should discontinue.

The only slight drawback is that the testing period may last a while, and the data can be hard to decipher. However, once the proper amount of testing has been run, the small inconvenience will pay off in the form of your company’s highest rated email offers being sent out.

How can JangoMail help?

JangoMail offers the best email services available today. JangoMail makes orchestrating A/B testing incredibly easy and profitable with the world’s best email deliverability, 24-hour email monitoring and spam protection technology.

A/B testing could be the tool necessary for your company’s sales to skyrocket and JangoMail wants to help you get there.

To learn more about how JangoMail can help you with A/B email testing, and to learn more about all of JangoMail's features, go to https://jangomail.com/features/. 

Eight (Condensed) Steps to Better Email Deliverability

The primary focus of JangoMail is to provide customizable and personalized email deliverability that will separate our customers from their competitors.
These eight steps will help you to better understand the services JangoMail can provide for your company’s email delivery system and how you can get started on the path to better email deliverability with your company.

1. Branding Your From Address – Anyone can create a free Gmail or Yahoo account and send an email under your company’s name. Having a branded email domain will allow recipients to clearly see who is sending a message and will more likely lead them to click and open, which means more transactions for your company.
2. Customizing Your Tracking Domain – Every new JangoMail customer acquires an assigned tracking domain that is the same as multiple other clients’. Personalizing your tracking domain name to fit your company will set you apart from the rest of our customers, maximizing your customization.
3. Setting Up Domain Keys/DKIM – The email authentication standards Domain Keys and DKIM allow senders to securely deliver messages and eliminate fraudulent emails.
4. Confirming Yahoo Feedback Loop – After completing step 3, Yahoo will send a verification email that will set up a feedback loop between your company’s postmaster, Yahoo and JangoMail. This will allow any recipient complaints to be properly heard by all three parties and conveniently dealt with.
5. Creating an SPF Record – Setting up a SenderID on your domain will allow proper diagnosis of forgery, spam, worms and viruses in your system. 

   

   
   

6. Plain Text Message – To lower scrutiny from spam filters, the best idea is to send a corresponding plain text message with every HTML email you deliver.
7. Return Path Program – Two levels of high-reputation sending are available through JangoMail. The first level is being a member of the Safe List, which allows a sender to preferential treatment from spam filters. The second level of whitelisting is being included on the Certified List, which grants the user access to send emails with the highest standard and through optimal preferential treatment.
8. Anchor hyperlinks with Text Phrases and not URLS – This practice keeps phishing filters from believing your message is fraudulent.
   
   

For the expanded version of this list, including graphics and detailed information, go to https://jangomail.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200660134-Eight-Steps-to-Set-Up-Email-Deliverability.