Why would Parcel, a platform created for individuals who code HTML emails, ship plain-looking emails to its prospects and subscribers? May there be a motive to ship your record a quite simple e mail design?
When the workforce examined their flashier HTML designs in opposition to easy, text-based emails … the easy e mail design gained. (Yeah, our minds had been blown too.)
We wished to know extra, so we requested Naomi West, Product Advertising and marketing Supervisor at Parcel, and Emily Ryan, Electronic mail Strategist and Co-Founder at Westfield Inventive, to speak us by what they’ve realized about experimenting with minimalism at Electronic mail Camp, our two-day digital e mail advertising technique, improvement, and design digital occasion.
Watch the on-demand presentation under to seek out out extra about what Naomi and Emily why much less will be extra in e mail design.
Couldn’t make this yr’s epic space-themed model of Electronic mail Camp? Don’t fear. We’ve put collectively a recap of what we realized from Naomi and Emily about how easy e mail design and text-based emails can work on your model.
HTML e mail campaigns vs. plain textual content emails
Earlier than we soar in, let’s outline what plain textual content emails appear like versus extra conventional HTML-based e mail campaigns. As an e mail marketer, you already know and love well-designed HTML e mail campaigns – you recognize, those which have shiny colours, lovely imagery, and possibly just a little one thing additional, like animation or interactive components.
Plain textual content e-newsletter
HTML e mail e-newsletter
True plain textual content emails are messages that solely embody textual content. Meaning no HTML code is used in anyway within the creation of the e-mail. There are not any photos, graphics, columns, tables, CTA buttons, or hyperlinks with anchor textual content. In actual fact, if we get technical about it, formatting textual content as daring or italics would additionally exclude it from being a literal plain textual content e mail.
What Naomi and Emaily are actually speaking about are easy, text-based emails with minimal code or graphics. This nonetheless technically makes use of HTML to construct the e-mail – for instance, coding in hyperlinks or including a easy CTA button on the backside – however has the look of an e mail that you can ship out of your private account.
That is generally known as “easy,” “low-design,” or “minimalist” e mail design.
“Plain textual content emails, they don’t get a variety of TLC, however they’re so vital. We’ve began to see them convert higher, and they could be a nice strategy for anybody with restricted sources or who desires to simplify their e mail.”
Naomi West, Product Advertising and marketing, Parcel.io
The advantages of straightforward e mail design
All of us love lovely, design-heavy emails. (That’s why you’re studying our weblog, proper?) And whereas these emails will at all times have a spot in any advertising technique, easy e mail design could be a surprisingly high-performing tactic price testing in your subsequent e mail marketing campaign.
Why? Electronic mail has at all times been probably the most private channels a marketer can entry.
“Electronic mail is perceived as a one to 1 interplay. You’re going into one individual’s inbox. You might be emailing 100,000 contacts, however it’s a private interplay with one subscriber that they expertise.”
Emily Ryan, Co-founder, Westfield Inventive
Naomi and the workforce at Parcel ran a five-month variant check for his or her welcome automation with designed emails subsequent to a text-based strategy. What occurred took them a bit without warning.
“My speculation going into the A/B check was that extra people could be impressed by the design variant, however what we ended up seeing was the next conversion for the text-based emails. So I stated to [our developer] Mark Robbins, thanks for designing this lovely e mail, however I can’t be continuing with it. I’m going to return to the e-mail that takes zero sources to get out the door. A text-based strategy in the end caught folks’s eyes and allowed them to answer rather a lot simpler.”
Naomi West, Product Advertising and marketing, Parcel.io
As e mail entrepreneurs, it’s vital to not let our personal biases dictate our design decisions. Each viewers has completely different preferences — and since e mail is designed to be private and conversational, it is sensible that subscribers would like a less complicated strategy.
Taking an strategy like this one additionally gave the Parcel workforce an enormous benefit: Standing out within the inbox. We regularly discuss designing essentially the most eye-catching e mail or working with particular psychological colours for conversion (bear in mind when everybody had orange CTAs?) however with so a lot on the web today, it’s truly the less complicated e mail that may stand out.
4 examples of minimalist e mail design
Minimalism doesn’t should be boring. Streamlining your design components provides your copywriting workforce an opportunity to essentially shine. Listed here are 5 examples of straightforward, stripped-down e mail designs you may take inspiration from on your subsequent marketing campaign:
1. Customer support e mail – Outside Voices
Completely different emails require a distinct stage of design, and with regards to customer support emails like this one from Outside Voices, taking a super-personal strategy pays off. This e mail is a fast check-in for patrons after they make a purchase order and units up a stronger relationship sooner or later.
2. Welcome e mail – Zeplin
Welcome emails are your alternative to ship a terrific first impression on your subscribers, however they don’t should be tremendous flashy. This e mail from Zeplin has a number of small design components, like a whimsical footer and distinctive CTA button (a golden ticket!) however is in any other case largely textual content.
3. Product launch – Robin
If you happen to’ve acquired some model new options to share, why not check out whether or not you want a flowery new e mail design or if you wish to maintain it easy? This can be a nice tactic you probably have a product that isn’t simply visualized, like software program or a subscription. This product launch e mail from B2B model Robin makes use of a easy template and focuses primarily on the why behind their new product.
4. Provides and reductions – Everlane
Everlane’s clothes model is all about easy neutrals, however they normally ship out closely designed emails or ones that function sturdy visuals of their retail merchandise. This e mail, particularly for Black Friday, is a superb instance of standing out within the inbox by paring down. It’s a fast, customized observe that includes a number of key gadgets and a reminder that the sale ends quickly.
Check each marketing campaign to ship your model’s finest
Whether or not you’re seeking to dip your toe into extra minimalist e mail designs or wish to experiment with a text-based strategy, each model and each e mail record is completely different. That’s why A/B testing this type of factor is so vital. You by no means understand how your subscribers will reply.
“Clearly, we love HTML, design-heavy emails which are attractive and wonderful and interactive, however we discovered that working with our shoppers and prospects that plain textual content truly works very well as a part of your advertising technique. It’s actually attention-grabbing once you begin testing to see what individuals are going to answer.”
Emily Ryan, Co-founder, Westfield Inventive
You may get began by placing considered one of your extremely designed emails up in opposition to a plain textual content model, identical to Naomi did.
Don’t neglect – there are two sorts of e mail testing. Whereas A/B testing provides you insights into how your subscribers reply to adjustments, pre-send e mail testing is completely different. It’s high quality assurance for e mail entrepreneurs, and it’s wanted for each minimalist emails in addition to advanced designs. Each sorts of testing assist with e mail advertising optimization, however one takes place earlier than you hit the ship button, and the opposite takes place after you launch.
Sinch Electronic mail on Acid provides senders limitless pre-send e mail testing with each paid subscription. Meaning you may check as many variations of your HTML e mail designs as you want. You’ll really feel assured that once you hit ship, you’ll be delivering the most effective model of your e mail advertising marketing campaign.
Be part of us for Electronic mail Camp in 2024
If you happen to loved the presentation from Emily and Naomi, you’ll love Electronic mail Camp – our free, digital occasion.
We’re already getting issues collectively for one more fun-filled, mind-expanding gathering of e mail geeks in 2024. Wish to be a part of it? We would like you there. Signal as much as get updates about Electronic mail Camp 2024. We’ll fill you in on dates, audio system, and extra.
Within the meantime, take a look at extra on-demand Electronic mail Camp 2023 shows on YouTube.
Writer: The Electronic mail on Acid Group
The Electronic mail on Acid content material workforce is made up of digital entrepreneurs, content material creators, and straight-up e mail geeks.
Join with us on LinkedIn, comply with us on Fb, and tweet at @EmailonAcid on Twitter for extra candy stuff and nice convos on e mail advertising.
Writer: The Electronic mail on Acid Group
The Electronic mail on Acid content material workforce is made up of digital entrepreneurs, content material creators, and straight-up e mail geeks.
Join with us on LinkedIn, comply with us on Fb, and tweet at @EmailonAcid on Twitter for extra candy stuff and nice convos on e mail advertising.
