Top 10 most frequently asked questions about email copywriting

This article contains 10 tips from email copywriting most given at Badsender. Email is a short time channel. It's quickly read diagonally and needs to be understood at a glance. This article helps you to clarify your messages, reinforce your objects and structure your content to maximize diagonal reading.. You'll find concrete examples, checklists and best practices. The aim is to improve clarity, commitment and performance.

Why invest in email copywriting?

Email is read quickly, often between two tasks, and then disappears into the flow. Professionals and private individuals alike have little time. Nobody reads an email word for word. Scan, spot a few clues, then decide in seconds whether to continue, act, close or delete..

That's why good writing is not a luxury. It's what allows the reader to find information quickly, This means shortening, refocusing, announcing the essential at the outset, and making it easier to read diagonally. In concrete terms, this means shortening, refocusing, announcing the essential right from the start, and facilitating diagonal reading with clear reference points. And beyond the content, tone counts. Positive text is easier to process, understand and retain.

Finally, the reading context varies greatly. Mobile or desktop, messengers that display images by default or not, dark or light mode, wearing glasses or voice assistants... and many other situations, without being able to mention them all.

The clearer, more structured and accessible the message, the more likely it is to achieve its objective.

At Badsender, we consider copywriting to be the first investment to improve performance emails . Even before a redesign.

The recommendations in this guide are based on the principles of the clear, simple language defined by the ISO 24495-1:2023 standard concise messages, accessible vocabulary and logical structure. They also incorporate visit email best practices These include multi-media readability, taking interactions into account to optimize deliverability, and the impact of AI on messaging.

1/10. Knowing your recipients' key messages and concerns

Why is this important?

In many of the campaigns we analyzed, we sometimes had to reread the email several times to understand what it was about. Often, a useful or genuinely advantageous message exists, but it's not clearly formulated in the email.

In reality, the 2 problems I see are as follows:

1. Messages are conceived within an institutional logic or business logic rather than reader logic. They first talk about the sender («We are delighted to present...»), remain vague or general («Discover our offer») and hide the essentials in the body of the email, or even on the landing page.
   Result: the reader has to make a cognitive effort to understand the email.
   
   Example of before/after: institutional logic? reader logic
   Before : «We are delighted to announce the launch of our new financing offer.»
   After : «Need cash fast? Answer in 48 hours with the Boost Loan.»
   
2. The editorial angle does not take into account the concerns of these targets. As a result, we end up with mushy emails, with generic, vague, vague statements. The target doesn't feel concerned.

Our recommendations:

Before writing an email, start by clarify your thoughts.
Ask yourself these questions:

• If your target audience had to remember just one message from your email, what would it be?
• What action do you expect your target to take after reading the email?
• Does it have to be done before or on a specific date?
• Is there anything they need to know before acting? Is there a sticking point in the process that should be pointed out beforehand (e.g., knowing your customer number, going through a particular step in the process, going to a particular section of the customer area, etc.)?
• What concrete benefits does it bring her? How will it help, relieve, cheer up or make her life easier? How does she feel once the action has been carried out?
• Why send the email now? Why on this date?
• Do you have customers who have already taken the expected action in previous years and are satisfied with it? If so, how many? Do you have a testimonial to share?
• What makes you reassuring? Why should your target trust you to perform the requested action?
• If the target is not yet ready to carry out the requested action, what could he or she read or do to further mature his or her thinking?

Once this context has been established, you have your key messages and your copywriting angles.

2/10. Write a clear, readable subject line for cell phones

Why is this important?

The subject line is sometimes the only line read in an e-mail. It must therefore help to understand the message's intention and arouse enough curiosity to give a good reason to open it. In our audits, we frequently find overly generic or «soft» objects», which don't make it clear what they're all about.

We are also seeing objects too long, We've also noticed that email messages are often longer than 40 characters, and filled with vague words or internal jargon. Today, more than 50 % of email opens take place on mobile (source: Litmus), whether your audience is BtoC or BtoB. The subject line must therefore be understandable and enticing, in less than 40 characters (including spaces).

Our recommendations:

• Start by announcing the theme or subject of the email: webinar, white paper, or the subject of the first article if it's a newsletter.
• Choose words that fit the reader's real concerns. If you know that cash flow is a source of stress, talk about it.
• Place keywords at the beginning of the object, The first 30 to 40 characters are visible on cell phones.
• Add a preheader that really completes the object A date, a place, a list of subjects covered in the newsletter.
• Be precise, use numbers : you don't give advice, you give 6.
• The object + preheader duo should make it easy to understand the «what» and the «why» even before opening.

3/10. Structure information with headings, sub-headings and highlights.

Why is this important?

An email isn't read like a web article or like print. It's scanned, then abandoned if the structure doesn't help you understand. A good visual hierarchy allows the reader to grasp the essence in a matter of seconds and immediately identify the action required. This is where design comes in to support the editorial team.

In our audits, we often find emails that contain the right information, but present it as a «wall of text», with a confusing hierarchy articulated in an institutional logic rather than a reader logic, as mentioned above.

For example, in an invitation email, The reader must be able to easily find the date, place, schedule, program and speakers.
In a commercial e-mail, The reader must be able to understand: the offer, the promotion, what's in it for him, the competitive advantages, the benefits, how many customers have already subscribed, a verbatim report.

Unfortunately, in our analyzed emails, this reader logic is not included in the headlines, important elements are not highlighted and the CTA does not clearly express the value. Result: the eye can't find a hook, and the reader loses interest. (Best sentence in article 😉

Our recommendations:

Once you've defined your key messages, prioritize them and place them in the email's visual landmarks. Place the essential at the top, then repeat it in several reading cues: a headline or teaser, a sub-headline, a few bold words in the body, and a CTA.

Think of the structure as a journey: «I understand the subject» (object), «I understand the problem» (hook), «I understand the promise» (body), «I know what to do» (CTA). This avoids asking the reader to make the effort of understanding.

4/10. Write short sentences, simple words, precise figures, bulleted lists.

Why is this important?

If a sentence is too long, you'll have to reread it, and you'll lose your train of thought. The simpler and more precise your writing, the faster the reader understands, and the more likely they are to follow through and act.

In our audits, we regularly see «catch-all» sentences that cumulate several pieces of information, with incises, parentheses, double negations and administrative formulations («it is stipulated that...»). It's very difficult to decipher.

There are also long words, technical words (professional jargon) and abstract words, which slow down reading and make the message less fluid. When we read long words or sentences, it's hard to know where to put our eye. So we waste time and energy reading them.

Example: “catch-all” sentence ? simple sentences
Before : «To ensure you benefit from the best possible conditions, please register as soon as possible, otherwise your participation cannot be guaranteed.»
After : «Register before March 8. Otherwise, your place is not guaranteed.»

Our recommendations:

• Reduce each sentence to one main idea. If you want to add a detail, make a new sentence.
• Writing short sentences Subject, verb, complement.
• Prefer common words technical terms, unless your audience actually uses them.
• Remove unnecessary words.
• Replace abstractions with facts. Figures and deadlines and concrete elements make the message more credible.
• Introduce bulleted or numbered lists, These are very effective for retaining key messages when reading diagonally, and for understanding what the reader is expected to do.

5/10. Writing actionable CTAs: «I + precise verb».»

Why is this important?

Too often, calls to action (CTAs) are :

• Waves, passive : « Read more », « Read more », «Click here» ? the recipient doesn't know where it will land.
• Not quite precise and clear : «I request a quote» while the landing page offers an online loan simulation (which is also much more engaging).
• Placed too low in the email.

Recommendations:

• Formulate your CTAs in the first person («I») to create a personal commitment.
• Use a precise action verb which describes exactly what the recipient will do: «Simulate», «Calculate», «Download », «Book now», «Give it a try».
• Add a profit if possible : «I discover my eligibility in 2 minutes».», «Download the free guide», «I simulate my loan in 30 seconds».», «I calculate my loan amount».
• Prioritize your CTAs, This is particularly important if you're putting two of them side by side.
  • Main CTA: I + action verb (solid background button)
  • Secondary CTA: infinitive verb + word (inverted color button)

6/10. Write alternative texts correctly

Why is this important?

Alternative texts (or alt text) are often poorly mastered or even forgotten, even though they play a key role in accessibility. Screen readers use them to describe images to the visually impaired. I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that email accessibility is a legal obligation.

On the other hand, there's no point in filling in the alternative text if the image is decorative.
For example, if you put decorative flowers because it's spring. Writing «Spring Daffodils» as alt text won't add any value or understanding to the email.

If the image is useful, i.e. if it contains text or if it's a visual product or service you're selling, then fill in the alternative text. I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that putting text in an image is not good practice. I refer you to the article «Our top 10 design tips. Email is not print.

I also often see alternative texts in our audits that have nothing to do with the visual. «Summer 2024 promotional banner» when it's 2026.... Classic error when duplicating an email.

Our recommendations:

• Be descriptive and concise : «Chart: interest rate trends 2024-2026».
• Avoid unnecessary words : " Logo de [company] », " Visual [product] », Instead, write the name of the product.
• Write what's really written in the picture : « Summer 2026 special offer: -30 % on suncare products ».

7/10. Professional, consistent footer design

Why is this important?

Footers are often neglected. Many emails are content with a footer minimalist with a simple link «Click here to unsubscribe». However, a well-written footer is :

• A legal obligation (RGPD and CNIL recommendations).
• A guarantee of credibility for your brand (proof of transparency and professionalism).
• An opportunity to build trust (contact details, useful links, legal information).

Our recommendations:

To be compliant, your footer must include :

1. A clear and explicit unsubscribe link : «Click here» (a vague and inaccessible link), while «Unsubscribe» (direct link and description).
2. Sender's full contact details The DPO (Data Protection Officer) contact's name, SIRET number, postal address, telephone number or email address.
3. A link to the legal notice and privacy policy.
4. A link to your preference center (if any) : «Manage my preferences».

8/10. Add messaging interactions

Why is this important?

For two main reasons:

1. American messaging services (Gmail, Microsoft, Apple Mail, Yahoo...) take into account interactions (opens, clicks, but also replies, forwards, calendar additions) in the their sender reputation calculation. An email with no interaction is considered uninviting and risks being classified as spam.
2. These same messaging services are starting to integrate AI. The algorithms highlight the emails that generate the most interactions. I invite you to read the article on 2026 email trends, which describes what we're likely to see in mid-to-late 2026 in France.

In short, interaction is very important in email marketing, and will become increasingly so.

Our recommendations:

• Insert «Transfer» buttons» mailto link, A very useful and effective tool for your newsletters or invitation emails (if the invitation is not private, of course).
• Encourage people to reply to the email In the email content, add a sentence like :
  " Got a question about the program? Reply directly to this email, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours. » Please note: use a reply email address that actually receives replies, and responds to them promptly. This implies banish noreply@sous-domaine.com and mentions such as «please do not reply to this email».
• Add buttons to calendar Reminders: very useful for invitations to a webinar or physical event (breakfast, cocktail party, launch party), but also for administrative emails asking you to take action by a certain date. In this case, you can offer to add reminders to his calendar.

9/10. Add verbatim or reassurance blocks to combat cognitive bias

Why is this important?

In neuropsychology, social proof is a cognitive bias that influences our day-to-day decisions. Our brains use mental shortcuts: if a lot of people are doing something, it's probably the right decision.

Buying in line with our values stimulates dopamine production. It positively reinforces buying behavior and creates a mental association between the product and our personal identity. I'm the kind of person who supports farmers. I'm the kind of person who keeps my family safe..

Yet most of our analyzed emails ignore these cognitive biases, which reduces their impact. By highlighting verbatims, customer satisfaction ratings, the number of active customers and your benefits, you activate emotional levers and encourage people to take action.

Our recommendations:

• Tell us how many customers have already taken action Instead of saying Instead of saying «Discover our new product», say «Join our 5,000 customers.
• Give verbatims of these customers.
• Mention your satisfaction rating if you have one.
• Summarize your values to strengthen the sense of belonging: « I'm the kind of person who ... ".

10/10. Add a tone that matches your intention

Why is this important?

When you read an email, it comes out a general feeling. Emotions come out in your vocabulary. It's important to match your tone to your intention. If you want to reassure your audience or inform them in a neutral way, you'll use different vocabularies.

Tone influences message reception. The brain processes positively perceived text more easily. Positive emotions facilitate comprehension and memorization. Whenever possible, use positive wording to improve the effectiveness of your communication.

Recommendations:

• Refer to your editorial charter Find out more. This charter is sometimes left to the Brand or Communications departments, even though it also concerns the CRM team.
• If not, ask your management questions and create your own mini-editorial charter, which at Badsender we call «the email writing framework».

Conclusion: create a reference document: «Email writing framework».»

Why is this important? Because there's turnover in your teams, interns and work-study students. New recruits (or even experienced teams) need to be coached. a common guide shared by everyone who writes emails for ensure consistency emails and save time. In this way, all emails follow the same rules.

This guide, known as the «email writing framework», details :

1. General rules How do you say hello? are you on first-name or last-name terms? what semantic and lexical fields do you use? who signs your emails? do you use emojis?
2. Formulations How do we formulate our titles? With a verb in the infinitive? in the imperative? conjugated in the first person plural (We) to bring together and emphasize the collective or in the second person plural (You) to guide, or even impose your ideas? What conclusion or politeness formula do you use? ...
3. Concrete examples of copywriting by campaign type : commercial, transactional, newsletter, relational.
4. A validation checklist before dispatch.

If you'd like Badsender to help you develop your writing framework, or write your emails, contact us !