Experian's email marketing report has produced some surprising results. Some of the more interesting trends published by Marketing Profs include the fact that GIF animations in emails produced higher transaction-to-click rates, the use of symbols in subject lines increase open rates by up to 15%, and subject lines referencing Pinterest generated 11% higher open rates than bulk mailings.

These results highlight the need for email marketing campaigns to stand out in recipients' inboxes and to keep their attention once opened. Use of visual symbols and topical keywords in the subject line catch readers' eye and entice them to open, while calls to action that are animated or otherwise clearly indicated encourage your reader to click through. It's important to be judicious in your use of these attention-getting tactics, since overuse can make your message look like spam, but applied correctly they can provide the incentive your audience needs to give your email an extra look.

Read more results from the report on Marketing Profs' website.