10 Common Email Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

An email marketing campaign can be one of the most effective and lucrative marketing campaigns today. But, if it is not well implemented, it can be a big disaster. Therefore, we present an article where we point out 10 email marketing mistakes that can be easily avoided.

1. Not segmenting a campaign

Segments refer to a grouping of users related by some kind of interest. When we create email marketing campaigns, we usually do not send emails to our entire database. It is better to create thematic campaigns targeting only a certain number of users to ensure higher engagement.

2. Emails without personalization

It means the user does not receive an email with their name on it. This can be considered bad practice. As a consequence, they might open an email we send but ignore its content.

3. Not optimizing our templates for mobile

One of the most common email marketing mistakes is not optimizing the templates according to the format. This can damage the visual aspects of the email and, ultimately, be considered spam.

4. Create a generic subject line

Another of the most common email marketing mistakes. Before opening an email, the user reads the description or subject line in their inbox. If it is unattractive or generic, they probably won’t even open the email and will send it to the spam folder.

5. Non-compliance with GDPR

This point is among the email marketing mistakes that can lead to bad practices. GDPR means that we send emails to people who do not wish to receive them. Let’s remember that an email marketing campaign is implemented for users who have given their consent. This type of practice not only does not guarantee results but can also lead to penalties. 

6. Overloading a user with emails

It is normal for an email marketing strategy to have a weekly or bi-weekly email. But, overloading a user with emails can be exhausting. Normally, saturating a user with emails can, at some, point lead to unsubscribing from your database.

7. Unclear call-to-action (CTA)

This point is connected to the generic subject line. It is among the most common email marketing mistakes. We have to include content that is of interest to users. But, not only that. Somehow, we have to invite them to perform actions. For example, buttons, images, or discount banners can be excuses for an attractive CTA.

8. Campaigns without metrics and analysis

All email marketing software such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Adobe Campaign, etc., offer metrics. So, for future campaigns, let’s use that data. It can help us to improve performance.

9. No A/B testing

Another common email marketing mistake. Not testing different versions of emails (subject line, design, CTA) can cause you to miss out on which strategies work best. A/B testing is essential to optimize campaign performance.

10. Poor quality content

This point is among the common email marketing mistakes. It is difficult to measure quantitatively the quality of a post. However, when content is poor is poor. For a campaign to be successful it must have engaging content.

Bonus tip

Always align your email marketing strategies with SEO Marketing and Content Creation on websites and social media. Although you are sending emails, and it is a different platform, your brand could have a positive impact if you connect these strategies.