Why Your Email Subscribers Are Losing Interest

By AdStation | January 2nd, 2014 | Categories: Email Marketing
boring email

Is your email list shrinking? Do you lose as many subscribers as you gain? More? Have your open rates fallen? Getting fewer click-throughs than before? Any one of these is bad news for your email marketing. If all of these are happening, your list may be in trouble. Let’s face it, someone that has stopped opening your emails has unsubscribed by proxy. Let’s review the top 6+ reasons subscribers lose interest, stop opening your emails, stop clicking links or unsubscribe.

# 6 The content isn’t good (enough)

You are likely not the only game in town. When subscribers aren’t getting the information or answers they need – and – when they can find better information elsewhere, they do.

#5 Information Overload

After a while, some people decide they’d rather seek out the info they want – when they want it, instead of having it pushed to them. Try using less talk (information) and more images. See #2 & #1 below for further related tips.

#4 The content isn’t relevant (or not what they expected)

If your list is about cars, don’t change the topic and start pushing pet products or unrelated 3rd party offers in there too. Another problem is setting up expectations, then not meeting them. If you promise it, do it. Is your content really helpful, or just fluff lip-services to fill up space until you can add a “buy my stuff” pitch at the end?

#3 I signed up to get one email (or one thing)

Make it clear to subscribers that when they sign up they will be sent regular emails, not just the one email with the free gift or info (or whatever).

#2 Booo-ooring!

The emails become the same old stuff. Nothing fresh. There’s nothing interesting. Maybe you talk too much? Maybe you are talking about things you care about and not enough about what they care about. Always make it about “what’s in it for them.”

The envelope please …

… and the winner for driving away subscribers is …

#1 Too Many Emails!

Depending on what survey you grab stats from, it ranges from 90% to 54% of subscribers are jumping ship because they feel they are receiving emails too frequently. They also comment that too many companies are doing this and they need to get off of some of these lists. Many companies are over-bombarding people with emails. You need to consider the recipient’s perspective of a constantly filling inbox. Don’t abuse it.

To avoid burning out your readers, keep it limited to no more than twice per month, though once per month is even better. If you are a seller who runs weekly specials, you have to know you risk losing people with weekly emails. You’ll end up with only the “die-hards,” and for your circumstance, perhaps that is ok. For example, here’s really overdoing it … an online pet products store sent me 5 emails in 7 days. When this started again for the 2nd week in a row, I unsubscribed. I like the coupons, but it’s too much email. Many people will bail out if they get 2 emails per month, let alone 5 per week.

Bonus Tip – Mobile Optimize
78% of mobile users check their email on mobile. And seriously, do you even know someone who doesn’t use a mobile phone? Your great-grandmother … maybe. As more email is being read on mobile (60%), it’s time to make sure your emails are mobile optimized. If your emails can’t be read easily (or at all) on mobile devices, readers will stop opening them and/or unsubscribe.

Summary:

Wouldn’t you rather have your email be one that’s looked forward to, rather than be the “not another one to delete” in someone’s inbox? Be very aware of the guidelines above and ensure that you keep these best practices.