I mentioned in a previous blog that according to a MarketingSherpa study, approximately 64% of "key decision makers" are reading messages with a BlackBerry or other mobile device, and it's no secret that mobile devices are adding a new twist to email design.  However, do not despair!  It's not as bad as it seems.

A vast majority of users with mobile devices are using them to triage emails, picking up the important transactional ones and leaving the longer more complicated ones for viewing on regular email clients.  So, with a few key design changes your email can make it through this triage practice and shine in all of its Technicolor HTML glory on a full-sized computer screen.

Every mobile device is different so there's no one gold standard for developing content.  But, follow a few already known email best practices and you'll be one step ahead of the game:

1. Implement a "view this message as a Web page" link at the top of your message (you should be doing this for regular messages anyway).

2. Offer your subscribers the option of receiving messages in text only format when they sign up.   Yes, it's not as pretty as HTML but still effective for getting your message across, especially on uncertain mobile devices.

3. Ensure that your subject line is descriptive and entices the reader to open or click for more information.

You may not be able to make it pretty for all devices, but giving your readers options ensures that you get the best open rates possible.

Check out these articles for more useful email design tips:

• Mobile Email Marketing Tips
• Design Right for Your Eight Email Audiences
• Creating Messages for PDA Readers
• 'Tis the Season for Standout Subject Lines
• How National Geographic Can Punch Up Your Subject Lines
• Designing Emails For the Preview Pane and Disabled Images

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About The Author

Lindsay Kloepping is a product manager at Lyris. She is responsible for defining and delivering customer requirements to improve their email marketing ROI.

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