Most users will be reading your email content on their mobile device. In fact, an email infographic by Who is Hosting This, titled “How to Write Better Emails,” gives some tangible figures:

1. 47% of email is opened on a mobile device.
2. 30% of consumers read email exclusively on a mobile device.
3. 68% of Yahoo and Gmail email is opened on a mobile device.

For you, this means gearing email content for mobile. A good rule of thumb for mobile email content is to limit your verbiage to about 150 words. That rule stands even when users are downloading the email template and graphics. Your readers are going to want to know why they should further download the full email – and the 150 words is designed to make that sell quickly. According to Who is Hosting This’ infographic, there’s another reason you should keep email content short in light of the high mobile use: smaller screens affect readability.

Keeping mobile in mind, you should also give readers the option of click on a link to fully view the email in their browser, which offers greater navigation and an email app would.

There are people who feel frustrated with emails because they don’t know what to say. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people who say too much.

Whether you’re writing an email or a newsletter campaign, the goal is to share enough content in the email and ultimately lead them to your website or landing page. You don’t want to give away everything in one email – and you certainly don’t want to write an essay or dissertation, which only causes even the most interested of people to have their eyes glaze over a bit. If you do feel the need to say a lot, then break up your content like you would web content, with targeted sub-headers that offer the value in each bite sized chunk of content.

Those with a fear of public speaking are taught to focus on just one person in the audience to help overcome their stage fright. The same rule applies for email.

Email content that’s geared like a conversation and written as if it just one person, is far more effective than a blanket statement. People are going to feel like you’re personally reaching out to them. Psychologically speaking, we respond more favorably if it seems like the email is just for us. And your ability to write purposeful and engaging emails can be found through using your natural voice. This means that when you’re emailing, get more granular in how you think about that content. That email is first and foremost coming from you; you’re not hiding behind some agency or corporation.

The three tips here all revolve around the end reader. By writing for mobile, you’re considering how they’re receiving that information. By being concise, you’re being thoughtful to how many other distractions are on their plate. And finally, but writing personally, you’re approaching them in a more meaningful and direct way that highlights your value for them as an individual.