3 Simple Formatting Tweaks That’ll Make Your Emails More Readable

Are your emails getting lost in the digital noise? Three simple formatting tweaks can fix that.

Whether you’re sending a quick update or a comprehensive newsletter, these tips will ensure your message not only reaches your readers’ inboxes, but captivates them from start to finish.

1. The Perfect Paragraph Length

Think about paragraph length the way you think about having a conversation.

We’ve all spoken to someone who can yap for five minutes straight without taking a breath. Likely, you walked away from that conversation feeling overwhelmed and retaining very little of what the person said.

Online audiences feel the same way after reading a long paragraph. Without white space (the breaths of the digital world) to break up the text, they struggle to process all that information at once.

Paragraphs in any online content should never be more than two to three sentences. That’s true for emails, blog posts, website copy — you name it.

(Notice the length of the paragraphs in this newsletter. It’s pretty easy to read, right?)

2. Email Width Matters

On the internet, we don’t read — we scan.

Think about how you read emails. Do you read them word for word? Unless it’s a contract or an urgent piece of news, you probably don’t read every single syllable of every email.

Because we scan more than we read, our eyes flit from the top to the bottom of each piece of digital content, rather than left to right, the way we read books.

Once you understand this concept, you can write to accommodate your readers’ consumption style.

(You don’t need to worry about email width in everyday, quick emails. I’m mainly referring to writing email newsletters and campaigns.)

When using an email client like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, change your line width to no longer than 570px. Shortening the width of your emails also makes them easier to read on mobile devices.

3. P.S.

The P.S. is the most read part of any email.

I’ve tested this with several clients, and it works every time. The call to action in the P.S. is the most clicked link in every email we send.

Use a P.S. in your email to summarize what you said above and reaffirm the action you want your reader to take.

P.S. The best way to use a P.S. is to include an extra piece of valuable content at the end of your email — something your readers would miss out on if they didn’t pay attention. That way, they’ll always be sure to look for it.

P.P.S. Both PS and P.S. are considered acceptable, so just pick the one you prefer and stick with it!

Now that you know a few of our tricks, reach out and let us know yours!