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Tips for writing effective content

How to improve open rates and increase involvement from people subscribed to your list.

Subject lines

Write engaging subject lines to catch people's attention. This could be by that implying someone's participation is valuable and needed; pitching your event as new and exciting; or tailoring an email to be as local as it can be. e.g.

  • Help make our January action a success
  • Join us for a meal next Wednesday
  • New Heading for Extinction talk - book now
  • XR Nottingham on the local news

Preview text

This is added in the header of your email and is shown to some of your readers. It provides space for about 10-15 more words that could help tempt someone to open the email. e.g.

  • Join us next Tuesday for free cake and conversation in the Cafe on the Green
  • Hear all the latest science in this engaging new talk

Email body

Sometimes you want to cover a lot of information in an email because there is a lot happening and giving choice to your readers will help them find the thing that interests them.
BUT... if you have something important that you really want as many people as possible to do, whether this is signing up to a zoom, or attending a meeting or action, then a single focused email is far more effective. These are suggestions to help create a focused email:

  • Using 150-200 words max
  • Only have one link in your email - if you have more, make sure the most important one is first and preferably comes early enough in your email that the person can see it on their phone before scrolling.

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