Why Writing Compelling Email Subject Lines Still Matter
Jun 11, 2018
Jun 11, 2018
10 min read
10 min read
It’s been more than 40 years since emails saw the light of day being used as a proper marketing channel. Still, it has managed to stay at the top of all other marketing channels for a long, long time when it comes to driving the most engagement and conversions.
Though social media may have the spotlight right now when it comes to engaging your audience and building connections, email has always been the king of the game called marketing and is still very popular amongst professionals for retaining and interacting with consumers, 80% of them agree.
Unlike popular belief, email is still very much alive. According to a Radicati report, nearly half of the world’s population will be using emails by 2020. The report also suggested that people will spend close to 250 billion emails every day in 2019 for carrying out both business and personal communications. That’s a LOT of emails sent in a day!
Standing out from the crowd is something email open rates thrive on and writing compelling subject lines that get clicked as crazy will always be at the heart of it. Most people quickly scan the subject lines in their inboxes before deciding which messages are worth their time and attention.
So, with so much pressure on the subject line to entice the potential reader, it makes sense to put your best foot forward and leave an impact on your subscriber list by writing compelling subject lines that urge them to click through.
If you haven’t been able to make your CTR tick when it comes to deploying emails that convert, here are some tips that might help you do so -
1. Be as direct as you can
Source: Sumo
Offering a discount? Have something special to offer? Have an important announcement to make? Be upfront and clear about it. Don’t think you’ll trigger spam filters just because you have the word ‘discount’ or ‘off’ in your email subject line. In fact, people love discounts, and having the word ‘discount’ in your email subject line is proven to improve your click rates drastically.
2. Personalization rocks
Source: GetVero
Personalization adds a special touch to your emails and portrays to the receiver that the email is written specifically for them. Add a first name, last name, full name or email ID in your email subject lines to add that personal touch. This would require you to choose an email marketing client that provides the functionality of putting dynamic content in them or you can take help from an experienced email marketing agency, like us, that can easily do this for you.
3. Don’t get too creative
Source: Sumo
It’s easy for subject lines to lose their meaning and context in the pursuit of making it more creative and ‘catchy’. Studies suggest that getting overly creative with your email subject lines, pop-ups and opt-in forms can have more of a negative effect on your users than a positive one. Emphasizing on the first tip, just keep your email subject lines simple and focus on highlighting the exact value it provides.
4. End it with a question mark?
Source: Sumo
Ending your email subject lines with a question mark tends to increase its click rates by 23%. Question marks add the element of curiosity which urges the reader to click, pair it with a relevant topic that your audience might be interested in and your CTR will go through the roof!
5. A/B test
No email marketing campaign is complete without A/B testing. For email marketers, A/B testing has always been an essential component in figuring out what works and what doesn’t. With the help of a little A/B testing, you can easily focus on what’s working for your target audience and quickly scrap what’s not. This not only leads to cost reduction, but you’ll also save yourself a lot of time that would have had spent on figuring out why your email marketing campaigns aren’t delivering like you expected them to be.
In my opinion, email is still king when it comes to having personal interactions and building meaningful relationships with your users and it’s not going anywhere soon.
Do you indulge in sending emails to interact with your audience? How do you make them click? Share your unique subject line writing ideas and tips in the comments.
Google Search Algorithm Leak: What does it mean for Search Rankings?
In a recent incident that has created a stir across the digital marketing world, detailed documentation from Google’s Content Warehouse API has leaked, revealing the underlying workings of the Google Search algorithm. This leak, considered by many to be the largest in the history of search engine optimization (SEO), offers profound insights into the factors influencing search engine results pages (SERPs), ranking, and SEO practices. With insights shared by industry veterans such as Rand Fishkin and Mike King, CEO of iPullRank, the implications of this leak are vast and multifaceted. Understanding the Leak What is all the fuss about? An automated bot called yoshi-code-bot released thousands of documents reportedly originating from Google’s confidential Content API Warehouse surfaced on Github on March 13. Before the public release, these documents had been discreetly furnished to SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin earlier in the month. Why is it important for Marketers? In 2023, the SEO community was informed of an extraordinary revelation when Yandex’s search ranking factors were exposed. This incident provided invaluable insight into the potential workings of Google’s ranking algorithm, offering those knowledgeable in SEO an unparalleled opportunity to understand their implications. This event quickly became one of the major headlines of the year. Google API Leak Notes What exactly happened? An automated bot called yoshi-code-bot released thousands of documents reportedly originating from Google’s confidential Content API Warehouse surfaced on Github on March 13. When? Rand received the information on May 5th, 2024, and released it publicly on May 27th, 2024. However, the API information seems to have already been leaked. What’s Inside? 2,596 Github modules with 14,014 attributes (considered ranking factors). Who shared this information? Erfan Azimi, CEO and director of SEO for digital marketing agency EA Eagle Digital posted a video claiming responsibility for sharing the documents with Fishkin. Google does not employ Azimi. How does it affect your SEO practices? The recent Google Search Algorithm Leak marks a transformative moment in the SEO community, unveiling intricate details of its operational framework. The documentation specifies 2,596 modules along with 14,014 ranking features across various Google services, presenting novel insights and confirming various speculations: 1. Site-Wide Authority: The recent leak sheds light on “siteAuthority,” confirming Google’s use of domain authority in rankings, contrary to earlier statements. While Google previously downplayed its significance, the recent leak suggests otherwise. At Saffron Edge, we’ve consistently advocated prioritizing Domain Authority and enhancing site health (Learn more about SEO ). This strategy has yielded improved rankings and now finds validation in the newly surfaced information. 2. Influence of User Clicks on Rankings: In an unexpected turn, it appears that systems like NavBoost employ user click-through data to adjust rankings, challenging Google’s prior assertions to the contrary. This has been observed in our test projects at Saffron Edge over time. We implemented various click-through strategies, resulting in 37% of websites experiencing enhanced ranking outcomes solely from these methods, without changing the keywords in meta titles or descriptions. 3. New Site Evaluation: The documentation emphasizes a “hostAge” function, hinting at a system that could restrict the exposure of recent websites—a concept akin to the disputed “Sandbox” effect that Google has historically denied. Since the Panda and Penguin Updates rollout in 2012, we have successfully assisted numerous websites in overcoming the repercussions of those stringent algorithm changes. It is now confirmed that the “Sandbox” phenomenon continues to impact new websites. Learn more about the Sandbox effect. 4. Use of Chrome Data: The leak reveals Google uses Chrome user data to influence search rankings, contradicting prior denials. It highlights the significant role of user interactions in shaping search outcomes, prompting a reevaluation of SEO strategies that may have overlooked the impact of Chrome Data. 5. Modular Architecture of Ranking Systems: Rather than functioning as a monolithic entity, Google’s ranking mechanism operates through a composition of microservices, including Trawler for web crawling, Alexandria for indexing, Mustang for the initial ranking process, and SuperRoot for handling queries. 6. SERP Adjustment Functions: Before the final presentation to the user, search engine results pages (SERPs) undergo adjustments via functions like NavBoost, QualityBoost, and RealTimeBoost for optimization. 7. Panda Algorithm’s Comprehensive Scoring: Panda employs a sophisticated scoring system influenced by user interaction and backlinks, which is applicable across various levels, such as domain, subdomain, and subdirectory. 8. Significance of Authorship: The document verifies Google’s practice of monitoring and retaining data on authors, emphasizing the importance of the authorship of content in determining search rankings. With the introduction of the EEAT expertise feature, Saffron has implemented these modifications for numerous clients (authorship pages), resulting in improved rankings and performance of their articles under the umbrella of Semantic SEO . 9. Implementation of Demotions: Specific factors like anchor text mismatch, user dissatisfaction with search results, and the use of exact match domains can lead to ranking demotions. 10. Link Value Classification: Google distinguishes the worth of backlinks with a metric known as “sourceType,” reflecting the classification basis on the indexed location of a page. 11. Originality and Content Positioning: Emphasis is placed on the originality of concise content and the strategic placement of keywords, suggesting a priority for key content to be presented early in the text. 12. Speculations on Algorithm Updates: The documentation spurs speculation regarding the connection between the Helpful Content Update and a feature termed “Baby Panda,” as well as the potential implications of Neural Semantic Retrieval (NSR). 13. Content Strategy Recommendations: In light of these revelations, the author recommends dedicating effort to crafting high-quality content, promoting it effectively, and continuously employing experimental and analytical SEO strategies. This comprehensive leak confirms several long-standing theories within the SEO field and offers an unprecedented glimpse into the dynamic nature of Google’s search ranking mechanisms. Want to reduce your CAC to half? get in touch Reactions from the Industry Rand Fishkin’s Analysis: A long-time SEO expert, Rand Fishkin, suggests this leak could level the playing field for smaller websites and content creators. By understanding how Google evaluates and ranks content, these entities can better optimize their sites to compete with larger competitors. Check out his LinkedIn post for more information. Insights from Mike King: In one of his recent posts , Mike King, another prominent figure in the SEO community and CEO of iPullRank, emphasizes the potential for a shift towards more transparent SEO practices. If the leaked information is accurate, it could lead to a reevaluation of black hat techniques and a stronger emphasis on authenticity and value in web content. Conclusion In conclusion, recent leaks reveal mismatches between Google’s public statements and actions that have sparked significant concern within the SEO community. This evidence has led to increased skepticism and a more critical approach toward Google’s influence on SEO strategies, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in Google’s operations. Embracing these insights responsibly, focusing on creating high-quality, relevant content, and adhering to ethical SEO practices will be key to navigating the post-leak world of Google Search. ...
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Top 10 e-Commerce SEO Agencies
In the highly competitive world of ecommerce-marketing, more than creating a visually appealing website and offering quality products is needed to succeed. Prioritizing E-commerce SEO is crucial to guarantee your online store achieves high rankings on search engines, drawing in organic traffic and potential customers. To overcome the complexities of ecommerce marketing, businesses seek the help of ECommerce SEO Agency. We have compiled a list of the top 10 E-commerce SEO agencies transforming the online retail landscape. These top E-commerce SEO agencies will work like your ultimate guide to optimizing your website, avoiding common E-commerce SEO mistakes, and increasing organic traffic to your site. By partnering with one of these agencies and utilizing the Ultimate Guide for E-Commerce & DTC Metrics, you will have all the tools you need to transform your online retail business and achieve your goals. 1. Saffron Edge Saffron Edge is a certified digital marketing agency primarily focusing on helping Ecommerce stores, direct-to-consumer (DTC), and software as a service (SaaS) brands achieve substantial growth. In addition to our Digital Commerce Services, Saffron provides a diverse range of digital marketing and ecommerce web sevelopment services such as PPC Strategies, Content Marketing and many more to contribute to the overall success of client brands. Learn more about our offerings here! Key Features Ecommerce SEO Technical SEO Semantic SEO Local SEO Amazon SEO Amazon PPC Content Marketing Pros Personalized Approaches Thorough Research Adaptability Diverse Industry Insight Global Reach Ratings 2. SmartSites SmartSites is a digital marketing agency helping industry leaders boost online visibility and drive sales for e-commerce businesses. With a focus on e-commerce SEO, SmartSites has established itself as a reliable ally for companies seeking success in the competitive online marketplace. Key Features Ecommerce SEO Search Engine Optimization Local SEO Franchise SEO National SEO Technical SEO Blogging Pros Ecommerce SEO Expertise Conversion-Focused Strategies Data-Driven Approach Cons Competitive Pricing: Services may have a higher price tag. Ratings 2. Sociallyin Sociallyin is a leading social media agency that caters to diverse clients across various industries. Their core mission is to establish lasting connections by engaging individuals on a personal level online. Key Features Advertising Digital Strategy Social Media Marketing Video Production Pros Personalized Approach Data-Driven Strategies Collaborative Client-Agency Relationship Cons Potentially Higher Costs:The level of customization and personalized service offered by Sociallyin may come with higher associated costs. Resource Intensive:The detailed weekly meetings and personalized approach may require a significant time investment from the client, which may be challenging for businesses with limited resources. Ratings 3. Disruptive Advertising Disruptive Advertising is a top-rated PPC and digital marketing agency catering to marketing leaders seeking a proactive, strategic partner with the expertise to drive long-term online results. The company prides itself on challenging industry norms and differentiating itself from typical digital marketing practices. Key Features Technical SEO Local SEO PPC Social Media Marketing Pros Positive Reputation Proven Track Record Employee Satisfaction Premier Agency Partnerships Cons Limited Client Capacity: While limiting the client count is a pro for personalized service, it could be a con for businesses looking for immediate availability or working with a more prominent agency. Higher Cost: Managing large advertising budgets may come with higher associated costs, potentially making it less suitable for smaller businesses with limited budgets. Ratings 4. Nuanced Media Nuanced Media, founded in 2010, stands out as a leading Amazon Advertising and Growth Partner. The company holds the prestigious status of being an Amazon Verified SPN Partner, having facilitated the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Amazon platform. The agency's expertise has garnered recognition from authoritative platforms like BuzzFeed, CNBC, and ModernRetail, reinforcing its position as a trusted and accomplished player in the eCommerce and Amazon marketing space. Key Features Amazon SEO Amazon Marketing Amazon PPC E-Commerce Development Ecommerce Marketing Pros Expertise and Recognition Comprehensive Approach Transparency Passionate Growth Consulting Cons Higher Cost: Services may come with higher associated costs, potentially making them less suitable for smaller businesses with limited budgets. Ratings 5. Thrive Internet Marketing Agency Thrive is a dynamic online marketing agency dedicated to leveraging the potential of the Internet to fuel business growth. Founded on the belief that a robust website and an effective online marketing strategy can propel businesses beyond their competition, Thrive specializes in providing expert online marketing services that deliver tangible results. Key Features Technical SEO Franchise SEO Ecommerce SEO Content marketing Pros Integrity and Transparency Award-Winning Expertise Proven Process Client Focus Cons Potential Cost Consideration: Specialized services may come at a higher cost, especially for businesses with limited budgets. Ratings 6. Moburst Moburst is a digital, full-service, mobile-first marketing agency dedicated to helping companies scale and become leaders in their respective categories. With a focus on solving clients' challenging digital problems, Moburst relies on creative thinking, advanced technology, and data-driven strategies to achieve success at scale. Key Features App Localisation ASO SEO CRO Pros Innovative Approach Recognition and Awards Diverse Service Portfolio Cons Cost Consideration:Given the comprehensive nature of their services and the global reach, Moburst's services might be relatively expensive for smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets. High Competition: Moburst has a proven track record, but clients may need help standing out in saturated markets. Ratings 7. Lyfe Marketing LYFE Marketing is an exceptional option for small to mid-sized businesses seeking comprehensive digital marketing solutions. The company specializes in social media marketing and provides various services, including social media management, advertising, PPC management, and search engine optimization. Key Features Technical SEO Local SEO Email Marketing Pay Per Click Ecommerce Marketing Video Marketing Pros Specialization in Social Media Proven ROI Comprehensive Approach Cons Cost Consideration: Services might be relatively expensive for smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets. Ratings 8. Cleverly Cleverly is a digital marketing agency headquartered in Los Angeles, specializing in leveraging the power of LinkedIn ads to deliver tangible results. The agency prides itself on offering a comprehensive suite of services, ranging from lead generation and copywriting to recruitment and campaign management. Key Features SEO services Blogging Ecommerce SEO Sales Outsourcing Social Media Marketing Email Marketing Pros Result-Oriented Approach LinkedIn Specialization Data-Driven Insights Monthly Content Refresh Cons Geographical Limitations:While headquartered in Los Angeles, Cleverly's physical location might be a limitation for clients seeking in-person consultations outside the region. Industry Focus:Cleverly's specialization in LinkedIn ads might limit its appeal to businesses not heavily reliant on B2B marketing or professional networking. Ratings 9.Sculpt Sculpt is a B2B social media marketing agency specializing in helping clients expand their audience, enhance their content strategy, engage decision-makers, and ultimately boost their sales through social media channels. The agency is known for its commitment to flexible scopes, predictable pricing, and achieving clients' goals. Key Features Social Media Marketing Advertising SEO services Pros Specialized Focus Areas B2B Lens Remote-First Team Client Fit Criteria Cons Not Ideal for Startups:Sculpt is best suited for post-launch and already established businesses. Startups may find the agency's criteria less accommodating. Resource Requirements:Clients must have sufficient internal resources to collaborate effectively with the agency. This might be a challenge for smaller companies with limited staffing. Ratings 10. SocialSEO SocialSEO, headquartered in Colorado Springs, gained significant recognition in 2020 as America's leading digital marketing firm, according to UpCity. The company has experienced exceptional growth, boasting a remarkable 1000% expansion over the past five years. SocialSEO attributes this success to a focused approach to customer and employee retention. Key Features SEO Paid Media Brand & Content Services Creative Services Pros Industry Recognition Impressive Growth Holistic Approach Cons Service Range:While their diverse service offerings are a strength, some clients may prefer specialized agencies focused solely on specific niches. Ratings Not available ...
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Top 3 Processes to follow to Monetize Your SAAS Blog
The subscription-based businesses, or what is more popularly known as SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses, might look like a very lucrative industry because of their increasing exposure and growth rate, but this profitable industry comes with various challenges. Some of the most common problems that you will face in this modern era industry are measuring business performance, filtering the different ways of monetization, and implementing them to get expected results, not being able to find too much information about marketing related to the SaaS industry and much more. But this blog post is here to help you out with one of the SaaS industry's most significant needs, and that is the monetization of the SaaS blog. Even in the SaaS industry, churning is a normal thing, and by churn, we mean losing old customers to add new ones. But one crucial thing that you should know here is in the SaaS industry, the cost of winning a completely new customer can be a bit higher than all other sectors. This is why it is said that all the SaaS-based companies out there that will have too much churn rate will never be able to get tangible results from their efforts and become successful. So, without any further ado, let's begin our journey of monetizing SaaS blogs without any hassle and make your firm stand out from the crowd while being profitable. The importance of revenue recognition in the SaaS industry Before learning how to monetize your SaaS blog, there is one more important thing that you need to know, and that is ‘why revenue recognition is so much important for the SaaS industry.’ A SaaS model-based firm will always charge its customers an upfront price for all the services that will be delivered over a particular period of time. But both International Financial Reporting Status (IFRS)and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) say that a firm can never have any type of revenue, until and unless they start rendering a particular service for that number of customers. This is one of the primary reasons all the SaaS model-based businesses out there have to keep an eye on the money coming to their account and analyze how much money in the account is recognized. In addition to this, two boards cover all the bases of revenue recognition for all the SaaS businesses out there, and these boards are the Financial Accounting Standards Board and International Accounting Standards Board. The top three ways to of monetization All the things that you do in your business follow a planned and actionable process, and you should move forward with monetization with the same approach. We have included the top three monetization methods, which are key drivers to success. Quantifying the buyer persona If your firm is lacking a buyer persona, then you are surely missing many things in your firm that might slow down your growth rate. The first key to monetization is understanding who your customer is in a very detailed manner. If you are not sure about whom you are pushing your pricing pages, you will never come to know what to include in your pricing page to make it more engaging. And more importantly, you will never be able to retain these people if you will not know who they are. If you want to begin on the right foot to build a buyer persona, you can start your journey by asking different questions to your customers. But you can’t just ask any question as you will need to be specific about what you are trying to get from them. It will be essential for your firm to collect information about pricing, features, and demographics. The main idea behind asking these questions will be to know your customer values, as this will help you align your pricing with it. In the demographic section, you can ask your age, income, and packaging information, you can ask your customer about patterns and mechanical items. Implementing a pricing process You will have to make sure that monetization in your firm is just a part of the process, but most SaaS-based companies are not able to focus on this, and that’s why they are not able to stay productive with their method of monetization. You will be surprised to know that an average company spends only 8 hours throughout its business lifecycle in pricing. Do you think that any business out there can become successful by spending just 8 hours on sales, product, and marketing? The answer is obvious, and this is the main reason you shouldn’t just spend 8 hours on pricing as well. There has been various research conducted on businesses, and it has been found that most of the companies lack expertise, pricing, and process when it comes to pricing. The first thing you will need to do is commit to your pricing and then assign a particular and dedicated team to keep tabs on the overall pricing model and the changes made in pricing for various reasons. If you succeed in building pricing as a process in your firm, you will be able to become more serious about it, and with the improvement of your product or service, your pricing will also increase accordingly. Taking advantage of the multi-price mindset There are only two ways out there through which you can fuel your SaaS business growth, either through your existing customer or through your new customers. There can never be a third way of making your business profitable. And this is the most important reason you will have to start using a multi-price mindset in your industry. To acquire a multi-price mindset in your business, all you will need to do is start using feature differentiation. This approach is best conveyed through a pricing structure based on the tiring system, and in this case, every tier will appeal to a completely different persona. You should know that value metrics are the basis of this pricing structure, and you will surely be able to become efficient with your monetization approach in the SaaS industry. Another important thing that you need to know about a multi-price mindset is that it is an adaptable approach, and it is entirely focused on generating more profit for your SaaS business by merely appealing to the vast array of perceptions of value. So, you will have to leave your selling approach at a fixed price behind and try to match the price with the different types of customers' needs. Monetization is undoubtedly one of the most critical factors that a business will need to focus on, especially if you are in the SaaS industry. There are two main reasons why monetization is going to matter a lot for your business; first, it is a low-cost approach, and second, it is one of the most effective ways out there that you can use to maximize your overall value. You should never make the mistake of not taking the pricing seriously, as this can hurt your SaaS-based business in many ways. You should know that you can easily overcome the vast array of challenges of the SaaS industry if you can stay right with your monetization approach because this is the area where most SaaS industries suffer. Use this blog post as a guide and make the required changes in your monetization approach. There’s much information on SaaS metrics, and we recommend keeping things simple. Even though COVID-19 has changed the dynamics a lot, efficient and predictable businesses will always stay. When it comes to measuring your business competence, we recommend tracking your Gross Margin CAC Payback. When it comes to predictability, you can’t ignore critical indicators such as Net Dollar Retention, Up for Renewal Analysis, and LTV/CAC. These measures work together to provide remarkably good insight into the health of a software business. Straight talk? Figuring out how to blog and make money from it is difficult. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, as success in blogging often comes down to the commitment to your site, including tangible and intangible. However, if you focus on building a unique, relevant site that engages your users, you can start to capitalize on your blog traffic with display ads, premium content, membership tiers, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content. Monetizing your blog takes time, patience, and perseverance, as it can take years of hard work before your monetization strategies start paying off. That said, everybody has to start somewhere, and we’ve got the tools to help. Reach out to Saffron Edge to plan your next inbound and content marketing strategy and how we can help you increase your revenue with the right tactics and measurements. ...
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