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Email Copy Guidelines

Email Copy Guidelines

Section titled “Email Copy Guidelines”

Contents

Section titled “Contents”
  • Structure
  • Formatting
  • Tone
  • Length
  • CTA Buttons vs. Links
  • Personalization (merge fields, dynamic content, triggered emails)
  • Segmentation Strategies (by behavior, by stage, by profile)
  • Testing and Optimization (what to test, how to test, metrics to track)

Structure

Section titled “Structure”
  1. Hook: First line grabs attention
  2. Context: Why this matters to them
  3. Value: The useful content
  4. CTA: What to do next
  5. Sign-off: Human, warm close

Formatting

Section titled “Formatting”
  • Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences)
  • White space between sections
  • Bullet points for scanability
  • Bold for emphasis (sparingly)
  • Mobile-first (most read on phone)

Tone

Section titled “Tone”
  • Conversational, not formal
  • First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
  • Active voice
  • Match your brand but lean friendly
  • Read it out loud—does it sound human?

Length

Section titled “Length”
  • Shorter is usually better
  • 50-125 words for transactional
  • 150-300 words for educational
  • 300-500 words for story-driven
  • If it’s long, it better be good
Section titled “CTA Buttons vs. Links”
  • Buttons: Primary actions, high-visibility
  • Links: Secondary actions, in-text
  • One clear primary CTA per email
  • Button text: Action + outcome

Personalization

Section titled “Personalization”

Merge Fields

Section titled “Merge Fields”
  • First name (fallback to “there” or “friend”)
  • Company name (B2B)
  • Relevant data (usage, plan, etc.)

Dynamic Content

Section titled “Dynamic Content”
  • Based on segment
  • Based on behavior
  • Based on stage

Triggered Emails

Section titled “Triggered Emails”
  • Action-based sends
  • More relevant than time-based
  • Examples: Feature used, milestone hit, inactivity

Segmentation Strategies

Section titled “Segmentation Strategies”

By Behavior

Section titled “By Behavior”
  • Openers vs. non-openers
  • Clickers vs. non-clickers
  • Active vs. inactive

By Stage

Section titled “By Stage”
  • Trial vs. paid
  • New vs. long-term
  • Engaged vs. at-risk

By Profile

Section titled “By Profile”
  • Industry/role (B2B)
  • Use case / goal
  • Company size

Testing and Optimization

Section titled “Testing and Optimization”

What to Test

Section titled “What to Test”
  • Subject lines (highest impact)
  • Send times
  • Email length
  • CTA placement and copy
  • Personalization level
  • Sequence timing

How to Test

Section titled “How to Test”
  • A/B test one variable at a time
  • Sufficient sample size
  • Statistical significance
  • Document learnings

Metrics to Track

Section titled “Metrics to Track”
  • Open rate (benchmark: 20-40%)
  • Click rate (benchmark: 2-5%)
  • Unsubscribe rate (keep under 0.5%)
  • Conversion rate (specific to sequence goal)
  • Revenue per email (if applicable)