A few years ago if someone asked you what people do the most with their phones, the obvious answer would be “making phone calls.” Today that certainly isn’t the case. Thanks to the popularity of smartphones, making calls accounts for a fraction of the total time people spend using their phone. Today people are using them to read emails, manage bank accounts, and even complete purchases. Of great importance to marketers is how mobile has changed the way we receive and respond to emails. Today approximately half of emails are read on a mobile device. Despite this important statistic, many marketers are still using the same practices for email marketing that were used a decade ago. That has to change. Marketers who fail to make emails mobile friendly are missing out on a tremendous opportunity.

Responsive design

Responsive design is pretty much a must for marketers today. It automatically renders emails according to the device being used to read them. Because there’s no way to know whether a customer will read an email on a desktop or a smartphone or a tablet, you can know how to design an email. Fortunately, responsive design can automatically do it for you.

Keep it simple

Because approximately half of customers will read your email on a tiny smartphone screen, it’s important to not use huge blocks of text. While a desktop user might be a little more patient, mobile users aren’t likely to read a lengthy email. Try to keep text to a minimum. Simple emails will be the most effective.

Larger print

No one likes to pinch and zoom on a tiny screen just to try and see all of the content on a page. It’s much better to use smaller print and a format that will allow customers to easily see all of the format or allow them the ability to easily scroll to see all of the content. Remember that it’s more intuitive for mobile users to scroll up and down then to scroll left and right. Also keep in mind that a finger doesn’t have the precision of a mouse. Make links large enough that people can easily click on them with a finger.

Content matters

While it’s always important to have good, relevant content with any kind of marketing strategy, it’s especially important in mobile marketing as its likely your consumers are on the go and distracted by other things. Don’t make your emails exactly as you would written correspondence. Be creative and make sure your emails are grabbing and holding the attention of your mobile customers.

Positioning is everything

Where you place information on the screen is important. No matter how much you do to make your emails relevant and interesting, many consumers will just skim through your email to locate the information that matters to them. Numerous studies have tracked eye movement and determined that people tend to search an email in an “F” pattern. They scan the top line and then along the left margin eventually scanning another line further down. Place the most important information such as the headline and call to action at the very top.

Source: mobilemarketingwatch.com/mmw-op-ed-be-mobile-friendly-43221/