The holiday email marketing season is coming up fast (don’t panic)! Halloween hasn’t even passed yet, but let’s be real. If you’re not thinking about holiday email marketing already, you’re behind 
. The smartest marketers started planning back in the summer. But here’s the good news: it’s not too late to start. You just need to actually START!
Mobile email optimization is critical
Real talk: if your holiday emails don’t look good on phones, you’re losing half your sales. People open 44% more emails on mobile devices during the holiday shopping season.
Quick mobile email wins:
- Single-column email design (multi-column templates break on phones)
- CTA buttons at least 44 pixels (make them finger-friendly)
- Email subject lines under 50 characters (or they get cut off)
The drag-and-drop builder handles mobile responsiveness automatically, so your emails adjust to any screen size. All AWeber templates are already mobile-responsive by design.
Best time to send holiday email campaigns
Email timing makes or breaks your results during the holidays:
- Tuesday-Thursday mornings (9 AM - noon) get the best engagement
- Start your holiday email campaigns in early November - 50% of shoppers start before mid-November
- Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons
Need help planning? Check out the 10-step holiday email marketing guide for a complete timeline.
Question for you: What send times are working best for your email campaigns? Share below!
Email automation = revenue on autopilot
Email automation workflows are game-changers for holiday campaigns:
- Abandoned cart email sequences: Add holiday urgency like “inventory running low”
- Browse abandonment emails: Target gift guide browsers with shipping deadline reminders
- Post-purchase automation: Suggest gift wrapping and complementary items
Set these up in the visual automation builder (called Workflows in AWeber) without code. Just drag, drop, and let the email marketing platform do the work. You can also use click-based and page hit automations to trigger emails based on what subscribers do.
Email list segmentation strategies
Stop sending the same email blast to everyone. Segmented email campaigns perform way better:
- Previous customers vs. new subscribers: Different trust levels need different messaging
- Gift buyers vs. self-shoppers: Different purchase motivations
- Early shoppers vs. last-minute buyers: Different urgency triggers
Use tags and behavioral tracking in AWeber to build these email segments automatically when people click specific links. You can also send to specific segments when scheduling broadcasts.
How are you segmenting your email list for the holidays? We’d love to hear how below.
Email subject line optimization
Your email subject line competes with 50+ other holiday emails. Be specific:
Don’t do this: “Holiday Sale Inside”
Do this instead: “50% Off Winter Coats - Ships by Dec 20th”
Use the Newsletter Assistant to generate multiple subject line options for A/B testing. Way faster than brainstorming manually. Need inspiration? Check out 200+ ready-made holiday subject lines to jumpstart your campaigns.
Email design best practices for conversions
Keep your holiday email design simple, especially for mobile email:
- Start with your strongest offer at the top of your email template
- Use bullet points and short paragraphs in your email copy (like I’m doing here lol)
- Make your email CTA buttons impossible to miss
- Don’t add random decorative images that slow down email load times
The email templates in your AWeber account have Canva integration built in, so you can create professional email graphics right in the email editor without switching between different tools. Browse free holiday email templates or add holiday GIFs to make your emails stand out.
Email marketing analytics to track
The holiday shopping season moves quick. You need to know what’s working in your email campaigns NOW, not two weeks from now!
Email marketing metrics I’m watching:
- Mobile vs. desktop email performance
- Which days/times get the best email engagement
- Which email segments are making the most revenue
- Revenue per email by campaign type
- Email deliverability and inbox placement rates
You can see your email analytics show up automatically in your AWeber dashboard, so you can make quick changes to your email strategy without waiting around for reports.
Need help with Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to do for the biggest shopping days of the year? AWeber’s Done-for-You Black Friday/Cyber Monday service takes the heavy lifting off your plate. We’ll create your email campaigns, design your templates, and set up your automation so you can focus on fulfilling orders instead of stressing about email marketing.
Your holiday email marketing action plan
Holiday email marketing generates up to 26% of annual revenue. Focus on:
- Mobile-responsive email design
- Strategic campaign timing (start early!)
- Automated email workflows
- Email list segmentation
- Subject line A/B testing
Want more ideas? Check out these resources:
- 11 holiday marketing ideas to drive sales
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategies
- Managing your messages for broadcasts and workflows
What’s your biggest holiday email marketing challenge? What tactics are working for you? Let’s share ideas!