Design Considerations For Mobile Emails In The Hospitality Sector

E-mail marketing is one of the key hotel marketing strategies for any hotel brand serious about its conversions. While it’s thought to be one of the older, less dynamic marketing channels, email is consistently one of the best performing meaning its value and potential contribution to revenue growth should not be overlooked.

While email may not generate as much buzz as new technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, it has evolved with the times. One development that has had a substantial impact is the arrival of the mobile revolution. Hubspot estimates that 48% of customers now view e-mail on a mobile device. As more and more people browse on their smartphones and tablets, it’s important that an e-mail campaign holds up to mobile scrutiny. Here are some top tips and design considerations to keep in mind to make sure your e-mail templates are equally effective on the smaller screens of mobile devices.

Increase the size of CTA buttons

All outbound links should be larger, ensuring they can be clicked on a touchscreen mobile device with ease. It’s vital to remember that the size of screen is apt to be smaller than a desktop or laptop device, and if your customers can’t clearly see – and click – the call to action prompting them to ‘Book Now’ or the enticing link to your website, then the effectiveness of your e-mail is immediately diminished.

Invest in a Responsive Design

If your e-mail marketing template doesn’t automatically adjust in size and dimensions to suit a mobile device, that’s bad news. A responsive design will change to suit the device it’s being viewed on with a CSS code, while an unresponsive design will look clunky, out of place, and fail to display vital information. This is a big turn-off for potential customers, and will make it both unappealing (and perhaps even impossible) for them to make a booking.

Keep It Brief

Clarity is everything when designing for mobile. Scrolling through lines and lines of copy isn’t viable on a mobile device. A key to crafting great design – and content – in a mobile-optimised email is to keep the content short and snappy and to the point. If you’re e-mailing to confirm a booking, confirm it in as little text as possible. If you’re soliciting business, be sure to hold the reader’s attention.

Use Images Cleverly (and Cautiously)

A great image can increase engagement – too many images is off-putting to customers, and on a mobile device can be downright confusing! Try and streamline your images and keep them to the top of the e-mail if possible (for instance in a header picture). This will draw in customers without drowning them in data before they’ve even got to the purpose of the communication.

Digital Hotelier are experts in digital marketing for the hotel industry. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you build mobile ready e-mails which create consistent results for your business.