Online Marketing

Mobile vs. desktop email marketing

Are your marketing emails optimized for viewing on desktop AND mobile devices?

According to Consumer Affairs, Americans spend an average of four hours and 30 minutes a day on their smartphones, and the average user checks his or her device 144 times a day. This is often the first thing they do when they wake up and the last thing they do at night before shutting out the lights.

This growing attachment to devices highlights how integral smartphones have become in daily life. As a result, mobile marketing is no longer just an option—it’s essential for companies aiming to connect with buyers and influencers, even in B2B.

With more time spent on mobile devices than ever, businesses must develop desktop and mobile strategies to effectively engage their audiences where they are most active.

Our healthcare technology marketing agency loves to nerd out on these types of stats so you don’t have to!

Email engagement on mobile devices is growing

Research shows that mobile click-to-open rates are 30% higher than desktop rates. The number of emails viewed on mobile devices continues to grow yearly as consumers rely on their devices to stay up-to-date and organized, not only in their personal lives but also professionally.

Mobile devices now account for more than half of global web traffic, underscoring businesses’ need to prioritize mobile optimization—not only for emails but also for website functionality.

Ensuring your marketing emails and website are mobile responsive will enhance your viewer’s experience and translate into your analytic data.

Desktop remains important for large purchases

Although overall mobile use is on the rise, many consumers still prefer to use desktop computers for large purchases. This is evident as the average order size on desktop computers is $32.90 greater than the average order size on mobile devices.

Strategies for increasing email click-through rates

To start, focus on implementing trending practices in subject lines that have been proven to increase email open rates and get your target audience engaged.

For example, [brackets], metric-based data points, or other elements like emojis and personalization that catch a reader’s attention when scanning through the multitude of emails they receive throughout the day.

By creating more personalized emails, marketers can increase click-through rates on both mobile devices and desktop computers. To personalize emails, use the customer’s name or reference their general location or organization name. Personalized emails should also feature images that will match or appeal to the target audience.

In addition, marketers should use responsive design in their emails to create a better user experience. Responsive emails adapt to fit the viewer’s screen, which causes images and text to appear larger and more clearly on devices of all sizes.

Check out our full list of marketing automation services to suit all your email needs.

Note: this blog was originally posted June 9, 2016, and has been updated to reflect current information.

Melissa Foote