The Apple Watches, which gradually come our way in large numbers, are slowly but surely being placed on the agenda of the e-marketer. Because everything is again becoming a tad different. And it’s better to be prepared for that.
We all know the evolution of the email reader. The desktop email clients were slowly becoming more and more webbased, until the rise of smartphones and tablets changed that landscape yet again. Today, over 40% of emails are being read on a mobile device. And the e-marketers have adapted to that change. Responsive design became the answer. Reading emails on a smartwatch won’t immediately become a big trend, but it is something that we need to keep an eye on.
Images become even less important
In recent years we’ve all become masters in creating stunning HTML messages. But the Apple Watch only displays the text version of your email by default. Images that are linked cannot be displayed, as links don’t work on a smartwatch. This translates into a serious limitation in your visual options.
Text is put on the forefront
That’s why it’s smart to review your text version that can be generated by default before you click on that send button. Make sure you start with an enticing opening sentence that immediately makes your message clear. If it’s interesting enough, your reader will probably grab his phone to read the mobile optimized version of your email. Because that will be the reality in future years. People are waiting in line somewhere and kill time by scrolling through their emails. And you need to make sure they understand without any effort what you want to get across.
Because there is another issue. As no images are being downloaded, the pixel that email marketing platforms use to detect opens is not being downloaded. No matter how good your call to action looks, you won’t get anywhere with your smartwatch readers.
A new form of CTA
That means that you need to change the way you get your message across – especially when you’re dealing with an audience that embraces those portable devices. You could use your text version as an offline sales generator: “Stop by our store for your discount coupon”. It’s just an example that you could test. Another great possibility is taking advantage of one of the available features of the Apple Watch.
Phone numbers are immediately recognized as such, and the reader can call you with a press of a button, as their mobile device is linked to their smartwatch. So why not replace your classic “Click here” CTA in your text version with a “Call us now”, with a telephone number to your inbound call center. A new and fresh way to get that conversion. Who is up for the challenge?
