Changes in email usage mean salons must be mobile-friendly

Mobile devices have finally fulfilled expectations by overtaking PCs as the preferred platform for opening emails, but salons must make sure both their emails and websites are fully mobile-friendly, warned salon digital specialist Valorie Reavis of Linkup Marketing. A report from online technology specialist Return Path analysed data from 1.3 billion emails sent between late November and the end of December and found that 51% were opened on mobiles. It said just 27% of emails were opened in desktop clients and 22 per cent through webmail. The report added that if current trends continue, mobiles could account for 60% of all email opens by the end of 2014. Valorie said the rapid evolution of online habits meant businesses have to look constantly at all their communication channels to stay ahead of the game. “With more and more people using their mobiles as their main route to get online, smart salons have already taken steps to ensure their websites are fit for purpose. They now need to do the same with their email marketing efforts. It’s not enough that emails simply open on a smartphone or tablet screen, they’ve got to work faultlessly, too. Users should be able to easily find important links and phone numbers and quickly click through with a simple touch of the screen.” Over the 33 days covered by the report, mobile was the preferred platform for reading emails every day, peaking at 62% of messages on Christmas Day. “Mobile trends show usage goes up at weekends and during the holidays, then dips as people get back behind their desks on a Monday morning. But the general trend towards smartphones and tablets shows no sign of slowing, and businesses will ignore this shift at their own peril,” said Valorie.