More email is now read on mobile (36%) than on a desktop (33%) or via webmail (31%), according to a study by Litmus.

In the present age, mobile phones are owned by almost everybody. Some interesting facts:

• 5.1 billion people own a cell phone while 4.2 billion own a toothbrush [Mobile Marketing Association Area].
• In some countries there are more mobile subscriptions than there are people. It’s because some people have more than one subscription. [Mobile Marketing Association].

With more and more people reading their email via mobile, marketers are targeting mobiles for email marketing and overall digital marketing initiatives. Hence it is also becoming critically important for the marketers to create and optimize emails for mobile.

Tips to create and run a successful mobile email campaign:

1.Keep your content simple: Because of the “read and delete” mentality that most people have, you have to make your email content short, sweet and to- the- point. Keep a shorter subject line. Several studies have shown that shorter subject lines dramatically outperform longer lines.

2.Test your email before sending: Before sending any email, check whether:

• The images are loading correctly
• The layout is mobile friendly
• The links open easily
• Send and check the mail on a variety of different formats and devices. The email should be easy to read, regardless of which screen it is viewed on. Subscribers will lose interest if they have to keep scrolling down to understand your message or wait for a photo or data to download.

3.Give prominent links: Set links apart and in a position where they will be noticeable. The links should not get cluttered.

4.Allocate proper location of CTAs: The CTA or the call to action is an essential part of mobile email marketing. CTA triggers the readers to do what you want them to do.

• Locate your CTAs in such a position that even the clumsiest of mobile users can’t help clicking on them. Place it in a prominent position above the fold so that users don’t have to scroll down to find them.
• If you want to bring attention to an extra special offer, make the CTA more visible by using larger font.
• Keep the CTA as simple as possible. “Click here” is the most common and simple CTA, but even the simplest CTA can exponentially increase your lead conversion.
• Pay attention to the colour you use. The colour hold importance:

5. Include incentives: A mobile user is usually multitasking, distracted and on the go. So you need to present an email that is direct and unobtrusive. Include compelling offers and relevant information. No bidding round the bush. Use segmentation and targeting so that you can reach the right audience with the right information. According to e- Dialog, discounts and special offers via mobile messaging are the key drivers for mobile opt in among US consumers.

6.Pay attention to the size:

Here are some pointers on how you can do this:

• To make sure your emails are viewable on all mobile devices and tablets, stay between 500- 600px wide.
• Some phones like blackberrys have an even more limited display of 320px wide. Keep this in mind when designing the emails.
• Also pay attention to the graphics you are adding. Mobile device graphics can come as a blank space or as links to the image source. This may drive the reader to delete the mail before even starting to read it.

 7.Track your response: A study from Return Path showed that mobile email use shows a fairly steady pattern through the week. It began rising on Thursday and continued to rise on Friday and Saturday before the rise tapers on Sunday. Similarly track your mobile email responses, the days and time that are optimal for your customers, customer location and purchasing patterns. With the right analysis you can adjust your marketing strategies to get better response.