How to Navigate Apple iOS15 Updates for Email Newsletter Success
Rethink your email marketing content strategy to boost click through rate and conversions after Apple’s iOS15 privacy updates.
Marketers understand the power of email marketing. It moves customers through the buyer journey, has the power to nurture relationships when done strategically and helps collect valuable contact information.
Apple recently rolled out new privacy features that limit how email marketers collect user data. Let’s take a look at the Apple iOS15 updates, their impact and what you can do about it.
What do the iOS15 updates mean for your
The most impactful update for marketers is Apple’s new Mail Privacy Protection. Apple Mail users can now choose to protect their email activity which limits marketers’ ability to accurately determine:
- If and when an email has been opened
- Where a contact is located when they open it
- The type of device and client a contact uses when they open an email
As marketers, we rely on metrics like open rate to learn more about our customers and tailor email content. Without this data, how do you make strategic email decisions? First, don’t panic! Apple Mail users don’t make up your entire contact base so the iOS15 limitations only apply to them. For context, the average number Apple Mail users in our clients’ audiences (and our own) is just over 8% of all contacts.
Second, we recommend that you rethink how you measure email newsletter success. Read on to see how we pivot this perceived setback into a positive outcome.
Update the email metrics you measure
You probably use open rate as a metric for success. Now, the metrics that should be most evaluate email performance are click rate and click through rate. Here’s a quick recap for the difference between click rate and click through rate from Hubspot:
- Click Rate: This is the percentage of people who clicked a link in your email out of the people who were delivered your email.
- Click Through Rate: This is the percentage of people who clicked a link in your email out of the people who opened your email.
For Example:
Total Delivered: 500
Total Opened: 300
Total Link Click: 200
Click Rate: (200/500)*100 = 40%
Click Through Rate: (200/300)*100 = 66%
Both provide valuable data like:
- Which links are being clicked on and how often
- What content or topics your audiences like most
- How engaged audiences are
This can shape how you create future content in the age of iOS15, which saves time and money! For example, if audiences click through to watch video content more than anything else, that should be where you focus your time.
Other data to look out for are changes in web traffic and unsubscribe rates. With shaky open rate reliability, these two can help you determine if your audiences are engaged readers, find your content valuable and continue to your website.
Next, let's take a look at how our clients see success with their email campaign click through rates and how you can too.
Create successful email newsletters
You already know the basic rules of effective newsletters: create a short and punchy subject line, link to your website or content, and include visuals to keep audiences interested. Now, it’s time to build on these to elevate your email stats in the wake of iOS15.
We’ll start with email newsletter structure then move into content recommendations
Elevated email newsletters: The structure
The layout of your email newsletter should be dictated by the role you have within your industry and your audience needs:
- If you’re a thought leader or visionary, long-form narratives that read as personal communication are acceptable. They should be rich in value and provide engaged readers with actionable advice.
- Transaction-based brands in industries that sell commodity products should stick to skimmable content broken down into modules. This keeps the reader engaged and provides opportunity for them to learn more about what interests them most. Modules also help keep you, the marketer, organized and on-topic!
Now, we can talk about the content you should consider for email newsletter creation.
Elevated email newsletters: The content
From our clients’ email newsletter successes – and our own – we’ve noticed several content trends:
- Videos receive the most clicks in-email over blogs or case studies
- Calls to action that show how you solve audience issues perform best (Ex. “Find Insomnia Relief” has a higher click rate than “Read the Blog”)
In addition to the type of content, here are our top tactics that elevate email newsletter performance:
- Personalization: If your email creation platform allows, consider personalized subject or greeting lines. Our clients experience much better results when they address their contacts by name!
- Relevant & valuable content: Ask yourself, does my content entertain, provide insight & learning, or make readers take immediate action? If the answer is no, your email results will stagnate. Think strategically about what your audiences need and when. Looking for content inspiration that you can build into your email newsletters? Check out our how-to guide to create a well-organized content strategy.
We’ve saved the best recommendation for last! Segmentation is how our clients drive real results within their contact base. Not all of your contacts want or need the same information at the same time. This takes some strategic thinking, but it’s worth it when the outcomes are highly-engaged audiences! Something you’ll need given Apple’s new iOS15 privacy changes.
Before you craft your newsletter content, consider who you'll send it to. What are their characteristics, needs, and how can you provide value? The more you segment your audiences and the content they receive, the better the results.
For example, if you’re a functional wellness practice, here are a few segments you could create that are based on patients’ actions and needs:
- Completed a cleanse: share tips on how to extend the cleanse impact
- Came to initial consultation but didn’t make another appointment: send video testimonials from past patients who experienced positive results
- Had specific symptoms or issues to overcome: include content about their unique issues and how your practice overcomes them
It’s also effective to create content for all stages of the buyer journey. Contacts who’ve never made a purchase need more nurturing than repeat customers, for instance.
Finally, we look to the future and how you can gather even more contact information to overcome iOS15 limitations.
Collect your own data to find impactful insights
The best way to figure out what your contacts want is deceptively simple: just ask! Send occasional surveys to contacts to discover their:
- Email length preference
- Topics of interest
- Modality preference (video, blog, webinar, etc)
The options for information collection are almost limitless. While you can’t expect responses from every contact, the information you do gather will guide your future email newsletter creation.
Winning email newsletters can seem hard to execute, but with the right strategy and systems in place, you can expect results even with iOS15 complications. Use this blog as your guide to increase your click through rate, web traffic, and conversions! Connect with the Muse team to see how we can elevate your content and boost audience engagement.
Sign up for the monthly Muse newsletter to see how we structure our email communications and our best practices for email content creation!
About the Author
Megan Factor is a Content Manager at Muse and a passionate creator, both professionally and personally. She developed her content marketing skills working in a wide range of industries and pulls inspiration from her diverse experiences. Her keen eye for design, penchant for writing, and love of good storytelling work together to create meaningful content that provides value to clients.
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