Newsletters are a great vehicle to share information with your target audience. From encouraging event attendance and promoting ticket sales, sharing a recent blog post or simply keeping constituents up to date on recent happenings, a well-executed newsletter provides a direct line of communication with the people most important to your brand or business. However, even the best-designed and executed newsletter can fall short from time to time. Here are a few reminders to keep top of mind if you’re noticing a dip in opens, clicks or overall engagement with your newsletter.

Review your audience.

The first step is to take a look at analytics from your previously sent messages. Most newsletter platforms have some sort of reporting you should be able to review. Look at the bounce rate to see which addresses soft or hard bounced. For reference, a soft bounce is when there’s a temporary delivery issue. Hard bounces occur when an email no longer exists or delivery is permanently blocked. Since there’s no chance of delivering to a hard bounce, it’s a safe bet to go ahead and remove those contacts. While you’re reviewing, check for any misspellings that can be corrected.

Remember, most newsletter platforms have a rule that once you delete an address, the account manager cannot add it back (customers can re-opt themselves in). There are often additional options, such as archiving an address, to keep you from making an irreversible decision.

Check your subject line.

Countless studies report audiences may be trashing emails before they even open them. According to Finances Online, 64% of recipients open or delete an email solely based on the subject line. This demonstrates the importance of subject lines, something that’s often overlooked or viewed as less important when compared to body copy. Here are a few tips to create a dynamic subject line:

1. Keep it short – Because many recipients will likely view your email on their phone, it’s important to keep your subject line short so it’s not cut off on mobile view.
2. Know your message and your audience – A restaurant promoting a new dish will have a different subject line than a dentist sharing oral hygiene tips. Determining the main focus of your newsletter and knowing the habits of your customers or clients will help you develop a relevant, applicable message to your audience.
3. Choose your emojis wisely – There are times when emojis are engaging, but there are also times when it takes away from your purpose. Understanding the context of your message and your audience’s preferences can help you determine if an emoji is appropriate.

Review your content.

Once someone opens your email, you must figure out a way to keep them there or redirect them to a third-party site with more information. The easiest way to do this? Links! When you link to an article or cite a source, there’s a chance the reader will navigate to the page you shared. This will boost both newsletter and website referral traffic. Another way to engage readers is to include a short blurb in the newsletter and send to them another link for more information or further details.

In conclusion, newsletters are essential to PR practitioners and business owners. How you engage your customers today will impact their future interactions with you. Emails can inspire purchases, visits, website clicks and more. Ensuring your newsletter is impactful and meets audience expectations can ensure your success.