Email best practices

Misleading subjects tank open rates and trigger spam complaints.

• ·Aim for 30–50 characters so mobile clients don't truncate.
• ·Avoid ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation (!!!), and emoji spam.
• ·No false urgency or clickbait — match the body content.

The first 2–3 lines determine whether a reader scrolls or deletes.

• ·Lead with the benefit, not the greeting or company news.
• ·Put the primary CTA in the preview pane (top 300px).
• ·Assume readers will never scroll past the first screen.

Multiple CTAs dilute attention and reduce click-through rates.

• ·Pick a single next step you want the reader to take.
• ·Repeat the same CTA text if you show it twice — consistency wins.
• ·Make the button text action-oriented ('Get the guide' beats 'Click here').

Most readers scan; walls of text get deleted.

• ·Keep paragraphs to 2–3 sentences max.
• ·Use bullet points and subheadings to break up dense content.
• ·Bold the key takeaway so skimmers still get the message.

Image-only emails look like ads to filters and break when images are blocked.

• ·Target at least 60% text by area.
• ·Always include descriptive alt text on every image.
• ·Include a plain-text version alongside HTML (multipart/alternative).

Constant selling trains subscribers to ignore you.

• ·Aim for ~80% value (education, insights, entertainment) and ~20% promotion.
• ·Lead with what's in it for them, not what's in it for you.
• ·Promotional emails should feel like a recommendation, not a pitch.

Filters score language patterns and obvious manipulation tricks.

• ·Skip phrases like 'free money', 'risk-free', 'act now', 'guaranteed'.
• ·Don't hide text with white-on-white, tiny fonts, or invisible characters.
• ·Limit links — 1 to 3 well-placed CTAs outperform a wall of links.

Corporate speak feels templated and disengages readers.

• ·Write like you're emailing one person, not broadcasting to a list.
• ·Use contractions, questions, and second person ('you', 'your').
• ·Read it aloud — if it sounds unnatural, rewrite it.

Small wording changes can swing open rates 10–20%.

• ·Test one variable at a time: length, personalization, curiosity vs. clarity.
• ·Run tests on a subset (e.g. 20%) before rolling out to the full list.
• ·Document winners and build a swipe file of proven formulas.

Broken links and typos destroy trust instantly.

• ·Click every link in a test send before the real campaign goes out.
• ·Check UTM parameters are present and correct.
• ·Have a second person review — fresh eyes catch what you miss.

Excessive bold, colors, and fonts trigger spam filters and look unprofessional.

• ·Stick to 2 font styles max and a restrained color palette.
• ·Use bold and color for emphasis sparingly — not every other sentence.
• ·Flashy HTML and JavaScript are blocked by most clients anyway.

Relevance drives engagement, and engagement drives deliverability.

• ·Segment by behavior (purchases, clicks, signup source), not just name.
• ·Personalized subject lines lift open rates ~20% on average.