12+ Email Copywriting tips for beginners in 2023

You've been thinking about improving your email marketing game recently, haven't you? Those open rates and click-throughs haven't quite been hitting the mark, and you know your audience deserves better. The good news is, with a few simple copywriting tweaks, you can transform your emails from mediocre to masterful.

This year, make email copywriting one of your top priorities. Apply these 16+ tips, and watch your open-and-click rates soar. Your list members will thank you, and you'll achieve inbox ninja status in no time. Whether you're just getting started with email marketing or looking to level up your skills, these tips are for you. By the end of this article, you'll be writing emails with confidence and charisma.

Understanding Your Audience

So you want to become a copywriter, huh? That’s great! The first thing you need to know is your audience. After all, how can you sell to someone if you don’t know who they are?

Start by defining your target audience. Are you writing for business owners? Marketing managers? Bloggers? The more specific you can get, the better.

Next, do some research. Check out their social media profiles, blogs, websites. See what they talk about, what their pain points are, what they’re interested in. Create “buyer personas” to represent different segments of your audience. Give them names, details, motivations. The deeper you get into their heads the easier it will be to write copy that resonates.

Once you know your audience inside and out, you can craft emails that speak directly to them. Your copy will sound natural and authentic. And that, my friend, is the key to selling through email. Know thy customer, and the rest will follow!

Crafting Compelling Subject Lines

Crafting compelling subject lines is an art form. As a copywriter, your subject line is the first impression—and you only get one chance to make it.

• Keep it short, around 6 to 10 words. Any longer and it won’t grab attention.
• Use power words like “free,” “you,” “now,” or “new.” They create urgency and excitement.
• Ask a question. Pull the reader in by sparking their curiosity.
• Be personal and speak directly to the reader. Using “you” and “your” makes an emotional connection.
• Highlight the benefit or key takeaway. What’s the value for the reader? Make that clear upfront.

With practice, you'll be writing subject lines that are impossible to ignore. Keep at it and don't get discouraged. Even the pros were beginners once!

With compelling subject lines combined with a strong email copy, you'll have your readers eager to hear what you have to say.

Writing Clear and Concise Body Copy

When writing the body of your email, be concise and get straight to the point. Your readers have short attention spans, so keep sentences brief and paragraphs focused.

Say what you need to say in as few words as possible. Use active voice and avoid unnecessary words and phrases.

Keep your copy scannable by using short paragraphs, bulleted lists, and section headers.

It is important, when crafting the main content portion of your email campaign message, that the copy be presented in a clear, succinct manner that respects the limited time and patience of your recipients.

Keep your email body copy clear and concise. Your readers are busy and have little patience for wordiness.

Sticking to 100-150 words for your email body is a good rule of thumb. Be concise but compelling, and your readers will appreciate your respect for their time. Keeping things brief and scannable will also make your email easier to read on mobile devices - which is how most people read email these days.

So in summary, when writing your email body copy:

•Keep sentences and paragraphs short

•Use active voice and avoid unnecessary words

•Aim for 100-150 words total

•Make it easy to scan by using:

› Short paragraphs

› Bulleted lists

› Section headers

Your readers will thank you for being concise! Keeping your copy focused and to the point is key for effective email messaging.

Establishing a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

A strong call-to-action (CTA) is key to driving clicks and conversion rates in your email copy. As a copywriter, you need to clearly tell readers what to do next and give them an easy way to do it.

Keep your primary CTA front and center, placing it prominently at the top or in the first half of your email. Use compelling action verbs like “Click here”, “Sign up now” or “Learn more”.

Having a sense of urgency can increase response rates, but be authentic. For example, say “Sale ends tomorrow” only if there truly is a short-term promotion.

Offer readers a simple next step, like clicking a link, filling out a short form or visiting your site. Remove any friction or confusion in the process. The easier you make it for readers to take action, the more likely they are to follow through.

A strong CTA should match the overall tone and messaging of your email while capturing readers’ attention.

With clear, concise copy and strategic placement, you’ll motivate more readers to click and drive the actions and conversions that matter for your business.

Personalization and Segmentation

The key to effective email copywriting is personalization and segmentation. Group your readers into categories based on their behaviors and attributes. Then tailor your content for each segment.

For example, split your list into:

• New subscribers
• Loyal customers
• Big spenders
• Lapsed customers

Personalize emails for each group. Welcome new subscribers, reward loyal customers, upsell big spenders, and win back lapsed customers.

Use data like:

• Products viewed
• Past purchases
• Engagement stats

To determine each segment’s interests and needs. Include relevant content and offers in your emails. Mention them by name and reference their history with your brand.

Keep your copy focused and avoid sounding robotic. Write like you're speaking to one good friend who happens to represent that entire segment. Your readers will appreciate the personal touch.

Creating Mobile-Friendly Emails

To create mobile-friendly emails in 2023, keep these tips in mind:

Keep it short and scannable.

With more people reading emails on small screens, keep your content concise and easy to scan. Use bulleted lists, short paragraphs and eye-catching headers.

Optimize for small screens.

Design your emails to display well on both mobile and desktop. Use a simple, responsive template with a clear call-to-action at the top. Size images and buttons appropriately for small screens.

Personalize the subject line.

The subject line is the first thing people see and determines if they open your email. Personalize subject lines to grab attention, like “Just for you: Copywriting tips to boost conversions.”

Focus on value.

Readers want useful information. Provide actionable tips, resources and advice to demonstrate your value. Share the most important points upfront in case readers only have time to skim.

Include a strong CTA.

End with a clear call-to-action, like “Download your free copywriting checklist now.” Make CTAs prominent and easy to tap on mobile.

Test and optimize.

Review email open and click-through rates to see what’s working. Try different subject lines, content sections and CTAs to improve mobile-friendliness and boost engagement. Continuous testing and optimizing is key.

With more people consuming content on their mobiles, creating an excellent mobile experience is crucial for email marketing success in the coming years. Follow these tips to craft copy and design emails that display and convert well on any device.

Using Visuals and Multimedia

When crafting an email, including visuals like images, graphics and videos is a must. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Visuals capture interest and help break up blocks of text, making your email easier to read and more engaging.

Choose visuals that strengthen your message. For example, if you’re promoting a new product, include photos of the product in use or an explainer video demonstrating how it works.

For a blog post, add images of the topic you’re writing about. Email templates with built-in image placeholders make adding visuals a breeze.

With multimedia, follow best practices. Keep videos under 30 seconds, use high-quality images that load fast, and include alt text for accessibility. Place visuals strategically within your email for maximum impact.

A single, eye-catching image at the top works well for drawing readers in, while dispersing multiple smaller visuals throughout reinforces key points.

Using multimedia and visuals in your emails is key to crafting engaging copy that resonates with your audience. When chosen and implemented thoughtfully, visuals transform emails into an experience for the reader.

Building Trust and Credibility

When building trust and credibility with your email list, transparency is key. Be upfront about

Privacy Policies

Let your readers know how their data will be used and protected. Share your privacy policy and commitment to GDPR compliance to put them at ease.

• Explain what data you collect and why
• How it’s stored and secured
• How they can access or delete it

Authenticity

• Share a bit about yourself and your story. Help them get to know the real person behind the business.
• Admit when you make a mistake. Owning up to errors builds trust in the long run.

Social Proof

• Share testimonials from happy clients and customers. Let their positive experiences build credibility for you.
• Publish case studies showing how you’ve helped others. Back up your claims with real examples.

Consistency

• Send emails on a regular schedule so readers know what to expect. Whether it’s weekly, biweekly or monthly, stick to it.
• Have a clear brand voice and style so emails feel familiar. Build on your relationship with each send.

Following these principles and being transparent, authentic, and consistent in your communications will establish you as a trustworthy and credible source in the eyes of your subscribers. And a credible and trustworthy source is one readers will continue opening emails from and buying from.

Writing Engaging Email Introductions

Your email introduction is your chance to grab the reader's attention right away. Open with an interesting question or statement that relates to their challenges or goals. For example, you could say something like:

Are you struggling to get your emails opened and read? As copywriters, our introductions are the key to connecting with readers and keeping them engaged. Here are a few tips to make your email introductions irresistible:

• Start with a compelling question or statement: "What if I told you there was a simple way to get 50% more opens and clicks with your emails?"
• Share an interesting insight or reveal a common mistake: "Most copywriters make the fatal error of boring readers in the first sentence."
• Promise value and tease content: "In this email, I'm going to share 3 proven ways to captivate readers in your email introduction and keep them reading."

An engaging introduction is essential to getting your message across. With the right approach, you'll turn more readers into eager customers.

Creating Scannable Emails

When crafting your email copy, make it as easy as possible for readers to scan and comprehend. Use headings, bullet points, and bolding to highlight key information.

Keep your paragraphs short, around 2 to 3 sentences. This makes them quicker to read and easier to skim through. Use numbered or bulleted lists when possible. Readers can scan through lists rapidly to find important points.

Bold important phrases or keywords to draw attention. Readers will notice the bold text and focus in on that content.

Leave plenty of white space. Don't crowd your email with too much text. White space makes an email appear more scannable and less overwhelming.

Using these techniques, you'll craft an email that readers can scan, spot important information, and determine if they want to read further. Keep your readers’ needs in mind with every email you compose.

Nurturing Customer Relationships

When it comes to copywriting, nurturing your customer relationships is key.

Send personalized follow-ups to show you care. Ask how they're doing or if they have any questions. Little things like this go a long way in building loyalty.

Provide value-added content to stay top of mind. Share tips, insights or resources related to your service or product. This content should aim to solve a problem or make their life easier. People will appreciate your helpfulness and think of you next time they need help.

Use automation to scale your nurturing efforts. Set up sequences to send targeted content based on your customers' interests and needs. For example, send a series of "getting started" emails for new customers. Or, send occasional "how's it going" messages to check in on long-time customers. Automation allows you to nurture at scale while still feeling personal.

Building genuine connections and adding value will turn customers into raving fans. Nurturing relationships is the key to copywriting success and growth. Make the extra effort to show you care and your customers will keep coming back.

Leveraging Emotional Triggers

When crafting your email copy, think about how you can tap into your readers’ emotions. We all have emotional triggers that make us want to take action. As a copywriter, your job is to figure out what emotions will drive your readers to open that email, read your message, and take the action you want them to take.

For example, if you’re promoting a sale or new product launch, appeal to your readers’ desire to get a good deal or be among the first to try something new. Mention things like “for a limited time only” or “be the first to experience...” to create a sense of urgency and excitement.

On the other hand, if you’re reaching out to reconnect with lapsed customers or subscribers, tap into positive feelings of familiarity and nostalgia. Reference their past experience with your company in an empathetic, caring way. Help them remember why they signed up or bought from you in the first place.

The emotions you evoke will depend on your particular audience and goals. But in all cases, avoid being too pushy or coming across as manipulative. Connect with your readers in an authentic way by understanding their true needs and desires. Build that emotional connection and your emails will be much more effective.

Writing Effective Email Signatures

When crafting your email signature, add a personalized touch. Include a friendly closing like "Best," or "Cheers," along with your first name. This makes you seem more approachable and personable.

You can also include a favorite quote or a link to your social media profiles. Keep things brief though - aim for 1 to 2 short sentences. Long, wordy signatures tend to get ignored.

A simple yet personalized signature like the following works great:

Best,

[Your First Name]

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

Conclusion

You've now got over a dozen email copywriting tips to help you crush it in 2023. Start implementing these tips in your campaigns right away and watch your open and click-through rates soar. Remember, email marketing is a skill that takes practice, so don't get discouraged if you don't master it overnight. With regular use of these copywriting techniques, you'll be writing like a pro in no time.

Keep testing, keep learning, and keep improving your craft. You've got this! Now go out there, write some killer copy, and make it an amazing year.