Less is More? Optimizing Email for CTR

Data released from a Constant Contact report reveals an interesting correlation between the effectiveness of email campaigns and the number of images and text lines that are featured.

Compiled from the analysis of over 2.1 million Constant Contact customer emails sent to more than 100 recipients over the course of 13 weeks, the research finds that-with some industry-specific exceptions-emails with three or fewer images and approximately 20 lines of text result in the highest click-through rates from email subscribers.

Some highlights of the report, include:

  • Business product and services companies see the highest click-through rates in emails with between 13 and 16 images, presumably because email subscribers expect to see visuals of the products being offered by the company.
  • Restaurants and salons/spas can afford to test more images of menu items/services in their email campaigns: both industries have peak click-through rates in emails with 15 images.
  • Office supply companies are best served in keeping the text of emails concise, as click-through rates peak at 15 lines of text.

"Click-through rates are perhaps the truest measurement of the quality of an email's content and its effectiveness as a marketing tool," said Christopher M. Litster, senior vice president, sales and marketing at Constant Contact. "Regardless of industry or customer base, click-through rates convey how often you are able to get your email subscribers to go where you want them to go and complete your call-to-action. This new research is a big step forward in helping small businesses craft email content that will result in even more successful campaigns going forward."