Using Animated GIFS

eShoutz have noticed that there has been a subtle growth in the use of animated GIFs in email marketing during 2008. This has been especially true in this month, where subscribers are bombarded with numerous email campaigns and so companies are using animated GIFs in order to stand out from the crowd.

This subtle growth in the use of animated GIFS could be because, despite popular belief, they are supported by all of the major email clients and also because they do still hold a novel quality when used in email.

So what are the benefits from using animated GIFs in your email marketing?
- They can grab your reader's attention - Since animated GIFs are not greatly used in email marketing there is still quite a lot of novelty surrounding them and this is great attribute for grabbing your reader's attention.

- They can allow for a more creative message - Animated GIFs are great for drawing attention to particular elements of your email marketing message and for encouraging your reader to complete a certain action. The eShoutz team have seen in previous emails that animated GIFs have been used to encourage the reader to scroll down the email and also to highlight the call-to-action.

Here are a few points to bear in mind when using animated GIFs in your email marketing:
1. consider the file weight - animated GIFs can be considerably larger files than static images, especially since they use more and more colour.

2. consider how file compression affects your email design - Your email marketing message may lose its effectiveness if the design doesn't look good. Therefore, keep an eye on how the file compression affects the design, if it looks pixelated and garish, then may be animation isn't the right method for you.

3. keep it simple - You should assume that you only have your readers' attention for 10 seconds and so you should keep the copy to a minimum and make sure that your message is clarly defined.

4. consider compatibility issues - the major compatibility issue is that Outlook 2007 uses Word to render HTML emails and so animated GIFs do not display correctly. Instead, in Outlook only the first frame is displayed and so, for that reason, you may want to design your animated GIF so that the first frame contains all the information.

For more tips and advice on email marketing visit eShoutz.com.

Feeling the strain of the credit crunch? Don't panic!

With many high street retailers disappearing before our eyes, it is little surprise that retailers both online and offline are doing their best to increase their post-Christmas sales after a disappointing run up to the festive season.

You will have seen early sales and promotions on the high street, and email marketing has also been used to increase awareness of these sales. However, it appears that retailers are bombarding customers with poorly targeted offers, in the hope that they will generate those much needed sales.

Instead of taking a shot-gun approach, eShoutz recommends that you stick to carefully planned email marketing to inform people of your deals and promotions. Resist the urge to mass mail, and use targeted emails to stand out from all other messages about New Year sales in the inbox. Also, ensure that your landing pages are still relevant to the email campaign, highlighting the important information.

So our advice to you is...the credit crunch scary, but stick to your email marketing best practices and maintain your brand, image and trust.

New version of eShoutz coming soon!

We are pleased to announce that a new version of eShoutz is on its way! eShoutz will shortly have a whole host of new features to make your email marketing even more effective. With advanced reporting tools, free survey creators and microsite builders, you can now get even more from email marketing.

Some of the new features include:

Triggered email campaigns
Set up triggered email campaigns to help generate leads and conversions automatically. You will be able to create unlimited triggered emails based on any variables you choose from your address books.

Subject split testing
Simultaneously test subject lines for individual campaigns. eShoutz will test which subject line is performing the best on a percentage of your send, and switch the rest of your email sends to the more effective subject line.

Unlimited custom data fields
Store as many data fields within your address books as you like. This means that you can store lots of information about your recipients and tailor your email campaigns according to the information that you have. Send dynamic content emails reflecting the stored data.

Segmentation tools
Query and segment your address books using key demographic variables. Queries will also update themselves in real-time so you will never need to re-run the queries as more recipients are added to your address books.

Advanced reporting
The new version of eShoutz will have even more advanced reporting tools, including reporting on top domains, geomaps of results and the ability to create address books from your reports.

Survey builder
There will be an easy to use online survey builder available on the new eShoutz. Learn more about your recipients by sending surveys to your address books and gather more information about their preferences. Include the survey in an email or on your website.

Micro-site builder
The new eShoutz allows you to create dedicated landing pages for use with your email campaigns. It is simple to design and build micro-sites that reflect your own website and email campaign branding.

For more information visit the eShoutz website at www.eshoutz.com