Small screen, big problems

Smartphones and tablets have become a force in email marketing.

But do your subscribers receive the same experience on their phone as they do on a desktop computer? Or are they pinching and scrolling and trying to tap a button the size of a fleck of dust?

The email marketing pros at Copyblogger compiled a list of 10 steps you can take to transform your message into a mobile-friendly email.

• Compose short subject lines
  Not all email clients will display your whole subject line. Keep your subject line short or position the most important phrase in the first 40 characters to maximize your chances of readers seeing it.
• Use a single-column template
  On a mobile screen, multiple columns appear condensed and difficult to navigate. A single column makes your email cross-device compatible and straightforward no matter how it’s viewed.
• Keep it under 600 pixels wide
  Mobile users have problems viewing emails that were formatted for large screens. Set a width attribute in your email template to 600 pixels or use the CSS width property for this adjustment.
• Use large fonts
  Small screens make small fonts even smaller. A font size of 13 or 14 pixels makes your email substantially more readable on a small screen.
• Use small images
  Smaller images reduce load times and bandwidth. Many mobile users still use 3G or slower connections, so the speed at which images load is vital.
• Provide a call to action
  
  This prompts your email recipient to do something. Generally, that “something” is tapping (or clicking) a button that leads readers down the path you want them to take. Display a compelling call to action that is at least a 40 pixels square to keep readers engaged with your email.
• Don’t make your call to action an image
  Some email clients only display images from verified sending addresses.
• Avoid menu bars
  Tiny menu and navigation bars are frustrating to use. It’s an email, not a website, so you don’t need a traditional menu bar.
• Don’t stack links
  Stacking two or more links on top of each other makes it easy for mobile users to tap the wrong link. Also, you may mistakenly link the two words to the same destination rather than assigning a distinct link to each word.
• Test on multiple devices
  You don’t need to buy a dozen mobile phones to test your emails. Litmus has a paid service that runs comprehensive tests, and a free seven-day trial.
  
  
  
  
  

For more: www.copyblogger.com.