Due to the incredible amounts of spam and phishing attacks on the internet, and the resultant spam filters being used by most of the major email servers, email marketing is now more difficult than it has been at any time in the history of the web. Combined with the fact that most users are on high alert in terms of email in general, is the fact that in today’s world people will typically look at an email for just a few seconds before deciding if the message or offer it contains is worth their time. Due to all of the obstacles that must be surpassed before a marketing email can even reach the viewer – and the incredibly limited amount of time these emails have to make a positive impression- it is vitally important that marketing emails be as effective as possible. In this article we will take a look at how the use of personalized URLs (PURLS) can help marketers increase the likelihood of click-throughs and conversions with marketing emails.
As we know, nearly all marketing emails have the goal of generating a click through that will open a secondary web page where the conversions lie in wait. While getting people to click on these links depends heavily upon how the service or product relates to the needs of that consumer, there are other ways in which the user can be persuaded to click. A personalized URL would display the click through URL as example.com/JohnSmith rather than example.com/randomstring. Using a personalized URL has been proven to increase the likelihood that users will click on an email link as there is more of a feeling of involvement, individuality, and direct (rather than mass) communication.
Further, the landing page these links lead to can and should also be personalized with a welcome message, cementing to the user that this is a specifically targeted message. There are typically added costs involved with using PURLs, but the benefits that this tactic can offer an email marketing campaign will typically exceed the initial monetary outlay. Put simply, the use of PURLs increases the email click-through rate, and the personalized landing pages increase conversion rates. Combined, they make a powerful tool that all email marketers should seriously consider adding to their arsenal.
Michael Spooner writes on behalf of inSegment, Boston’s leader in search engine marketing, internet marketing, and the home of Boston SEO.
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