Broadcast email marketing blog

With the increase in smartphone adoption, there’s been a lot of talk lately about mobile email. Some of it is brilliant. Some of it’s baloney.

Myth #1: Only teenagers read emails on mobile devices
Yeah, teenagers and around 449 million other people around the world (RBC Capital Markets). According to a recent study, 20% of all email opens happen on a mobile device (Knotice). So whoever and wherever your audience is, chances are there are a whole lot of them are checking email via a smartphone. Email is the top activity on mobile devices. Smartphone adoption is rising 37% each year, while mobile email soared 51% during the first half of 2011.

Myth #2: I don’t need to format emails for mobile users
Unfortunately, emails designed for a thirteen inch screen just don’t look so good on a palm-sized device. Our businesses are going mobile and going social, our emails must follow — or, better yet, lead that charge. (See “Web Design Predictions for 2012“).

Myth #3: If I don’t have a mobile website, I don’t need mobile email
In a perfect world, your email, website and social media are linked, mobile, and measurable. In a perfect world, french fries are good for you. In the meantime, do the best you can. Just because users can’t order your product or read about your service on your website doesn’t mean they don’t want to get your emails. Not having a mobile website may hurt the bottom line; not having mobile email diminishes the brand, decreases communications and hurts the bottom line.

Myth #4: Mobile is only for big company’s emails
Big companies may get there first because they have the resources, but mobile email is no longer a choice. Mom and pops, corner stores, everyone should (and, we think, will) have properly formatted mobile emails.

Myth #5: Mobile email design and programming is easy
Not so easy. But not so hard. There are a few simple rules. Fortunately, we know them. See our blog post on mobile email design tips.

Myth #6: I only need to worry about iPhone users
You should worry first about iPhone users, since iPhone and iPad add up to 85% of mobile opens (Knotice). However, Android made up nearly 47% of the U.S. smartphone market share by the end of 2011, followed by Apple iOS at nearly 29%, so the other operating systems are important as well (MSNBC).

Myth #7: I can’t track results for mobile users
Yes, you can. Well, for the most part. Most smartphones use a mobile email client, like MailDroid, Apple Mail or GMail, and open rates, clickthroughs and the like are trackable. The older Blackberry devices (BIS2.5) are difficult to measure. You can measure clicks but not opens. Still, the marketers’ bottom line: most mobile email opens are trackable.

Myth #8: Mobile email preparedness is too costly
Updating your email templates so they’re mobile-friendly is a one-time, low cost investment in the future. Losing customers, being unable to communicate with users and tarnishing your brand — those are long-term costly mistakes.

 

Which one are you? Myth-maker, myth-buster, or mobile marketer?

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