Even in the age of Web2.0, email campaigns are still being used to get the word out there. However, as the trend moves towards mobile and social media, your email efforts should blend smoothly in the marketing mix. Here are some tips that will help you stay on top of the competition.

Offer relevant content

Content was and always will be very important. Send your readers PDF white papers, MP3 and video courses and, in general, anything that will cater to their interests and bring an added value. In other words, you are to give them reasons why they should stay subscribed. Not all media can be embedded in an email, but one of the purposes of email campaigns is to generate click-throughs. Send them to a download link on your site where the content can be accessed.

If your blog or service isn’t laser-targeted on a certain niche, you may want to segment your list and deliver a personalized message that focuses on your readers’ specific interests. For instance, if you run a general news site you may have readers who are solely interested in Business and Technology and don't care about your Politics section.

Review your design periodically

Your HTML newsletter shouldn't just reflect your company brand and values, but also present content in an intuitive and easy to follow manner. The design of your email should be in line with common usability principles: important content and eye-catching phrases go at the top, legal disclaimers and unsubscribe information at the bottom and so on. Don’t mix and match, there is not much room for innovation here. However, you should audit your design every once in a while and see if it follows industry trends.

Co-ordinate your email campaigns with your marketing strategy

While the main website should be the centerpiece of your marketing efforts, it’s alright to promote your other Internet presences. Your newsletter should encourage your readers to join your Facebook page and to follow you on Twitter. As long as you promote engagement and encourage readers to join in conversations, things should be alright.

Use reliable delivery services

If your emails don’t reach the mailbox then all your marketing efforts are useless. It doesn’t matter how well designed your newsletter is or how specially crafted a message you designed – it’s all useless if the email is flagged as spam. Use a reliable email service provider or stay away from email marketing altogether.

The art of emailing is evolving and you should keep up with the new trends. Do it properly and you will reap the benefits.