Starred emails - Email Marketing

What Are Starred Emails?

Starred emails are messages that a recipient has marked for easy access or special attention. In many email clients, such as Gmail and Outlook, users can click a star icon next to the email to highlight it. This action helps them quickly find important messages later on.

Why Should Marketers Care About Starred Emails?

Understanding the significance of starred emails can provide valuable insights into your audience’s behavior. If a recipient stars your email, it indicates that they find your content valuable or worth revisiting. This can help you identify what types of content resonate most with your audience.

How Can You Encourage Recipients to Star Your Emails?

Encouraging recipients to star your emails involves creating high-quality content and offering value. Here are a few strategies:

Personalization: Customize your emails to address the specific needs and interests of your recipients.
Exclusive Offers: Provide special deals or content that recipients can't find elsewhere.
Clear Call-to-Action: Make it easy for recipients to understand what action you want them to take, including starring your email for future reference.
Engaging Subject Lines: Craft compelling subject lines that grab attention and make recipients want to open the email.

What Are the Benefits of Getting Starred?

When your email is starred, it often indicates a higher level of engagement. Some benefits include:

Increased Open Rates: Starred emails are more likely to be opened again, increasing your open rates.
Higher Click-Through Rates (CTR): Recipients who star your emails are more likely to click on the links within them.
Enhanced Brand Loyalty: Regularly starring your emails can build a stronger connection with your brand.

How to Track Starred Emails?

While most email service providers (ESPs) do not provide direct metrics for starred emails, you can use indirect methods to gauge their impact:

Surveys: Ask your recipients if they find your emails valuable enough to star.
Engagement Metrics: Analyze open rates, CTR, and other engagement metrics to infer the effectiveness of your email content.
User Feedback: Encourage recipients to provide feedback on what they like about your emails.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While aiming to get your emails starred, avoid these common mistakes:

Overloading with Content: Too much information can overwhelm recipients, making it less likely they will star your email.
Irrelevant Offers: Ensure that the offers or content you provide are relevant to the recipient’s interests.
Inconsistent Quality: Maintain a consistent level of quality to keep your audience engaged and willing to star future emails.

Conclusion

Starred emails are a valuable indicator of recipient engagement and interest in your content. By focusing on high-quality, relevant content and clear calls to action, you can increase the likelihood of your emails being starred. This, in turn, can lead to higher open rates, click-through rates, and enhanced brand loyalty. Monitoring engagement metrics and seeking user feedback can help you refine your strategy and continue to deliver content that your audience finds valuable.