We’re calling it: Interactive email is the next big thing. Completely dispelling the idea that email is stale and outdated (their words, not ours), interactive elements deliver a fresh take on email marketing and invite subscribers to engage with your brand.
In yesterday’s #emailchat, we asked the AWeber community to share their thoughts on this exciting new trend: what it means, where it’s going and why it’s so important.
Here’s seven reasons why we love interactive emails:
1. They prompt subscribers to take action.
Q1. How would you define an interactive email? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/HbpVrFxLGr
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A1. IMO, interactive email is any email that invites people to take action within the email itself. #emailchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) February 11, 2016
A1. Typically I would think of emails that go beyond simple text, buttons, and images #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
A1 I'd say an interactive email is one where a user can do something in an email that affects the look or behavior of that email #emailchat
— Chris Vasquez (@ClickPop) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- A strong call-to-action can get subscribers to engage with your brand.
- Think beyond buttons and text.
- Use interactive elements to influence subscriber behavior.
2. They stand out in the inbox – and look “really really cool” doing it.
Q2. Why is interactive email so appealing? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/mMDKeeDfVw
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A2. They're appealing because they're new and different right now. It's unexpected. That's a smart way to engage subscribers! #emailchat
— Grace Stoeckle (@grace_ux) February 11, 2016
A2. It stands out and makes the email sender just seem really really cool. #emailchat
— Monica Montesa (@missmontesa) February 11, 2016
A2. It's not as common to see interactions within emails! It can be a surprise to realize you can interact with an email! #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Stay ahead of the trends by incorporating interactive elements.
- Looking to stand out in the inbox? Interactive email is the way to do it.
- Interactive email is unexpected – a great way to delight subscribers!
3.They show off your creative side.
Q3. What are some ways to use interactive elements in email? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/UHy2DVqWqL
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A3. Here is an example: https://t.co/HN3iJFJ6Vy – just choose your flavor #emailchat
— Grace Stoeckle (@grace_ux) February 11, 2016
A3. You can use it to show off a new app and let people play around with it too! #emailchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) February 11, 2016
A3. You can use these elements to allow your readers to make choices (eg. select a color, or a flavor like @grace_ux mentioned) #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Need some inspiration? Check this out.
- Have a cool new app? Show off what it can do in your email!
- Interactive email is a fun way to give subscribers a choice (and who doesn’t love options?).
4. Not a designer? These tools that make it easy.
Q4. Are there any tools that can help non-designers create interactive emails? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/hfPlQdkzFu
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A4. While interactive emails will require custom code, there's a number of resources out there! Checkout @Freshinbox! #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
A4 there are some cool apps out there that allow you to add elements like countdown timers to email https://t.co/hMKtrkpcuk #emailchat
— Chris Vasquez (@ClickPop) February 11, 2016
@aweber #emailchat We use Litmus a lot for testing but for things like interactive, having an up to date testing suite helps!
— ActionRocket (@ActionRocket) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Follow @Freshinbox on Twitter to get inspiration without leaving your feed!
- Add unique elements, like a countdown timer, using apps like this one.
- Litmus is a great app for testing your emails.
5. They help sharpen your email optimization skills.
Q5. How can you ensure your emails look great on all devices? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/5PZIU8DB5N
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
Q5. You would need to have what is called fallback content in place. For email clients or browsers that won't display interaction #emailchat
— Grace Stoeckle (@grace_ux) February 11, 2016
A5. Interactive emails will not work in all email clients/apps so make sure you have fallbacks for those clients and send tests! #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
A5: @litmusapp is great for email testing – recommend using https://t.co/ewX9K2RIUz to test locally for interactive emails #EmailChat
— Kevin Mandeville (@KevinMandeville) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Optimize your content so that it plays well with all devices.
- Testing is a non-negotiable!
- We mentioned how much we love Litmus, and Putsmail (one of their local testing features) is no exception.
6. It creates a great user experience (when used sparingly).
Q6. How do you decide when to add interactivity to your email? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/aCTQKDG4qy
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A6: You should add interactivity in email when it reduces friction for users or helps create a great subscriber experience #EmailChat
— Kevin Mandeville (@KevinMandeville) February 11, 2016
A6. Interactions aren't needed in every email Use it when it works with your content or you have something new to announce! #emailchat
— Kimberly Robbins (@r_kimberlyc) February 11, 2016
A6. Add interactivity when you want to share important announcements or information. #emailchat
— Elisabeth Willits (@emwillits) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Interactive elements should create a great experience for your subscribers.
- Use them sparingly – we suggest saving them for big announcements, product releases or holiday emails.
7. Need some inspiration?
Q7. What's the coolest thing you've ever seen in an email? #emailchat http://pic.twitter.com/gPw7fHrzkc
— AWeber (@aweber) February 11, 2016
A7. I really love seeing live twitter streams. Really cool way of showing realtime conversations + encouraging participation. #emailchat
— Brandon Olson (@BrandonSonofOle) February 11, 2016
A7: 3) Burberry https://t.co/ldrSyNqtCV 4) Nest https://t.co/njz3q6bf08 5) B&Q https://t.co/GRdWMMD6uR #EmailChat
— Kevin Mandeville (@KevinMandeville) February 11, 2016
A7. @Everlane has sent emails where you can add an item into your cart from the message itself. Pretty neat! #emailchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) February 11, 2016
Key Takeaways:
- Twitter streams in email are pretty cool – check out this one we sent back in October.
- There are tons of brands doing really fresh things with email. Stay informed with the aptly-named FreshInbox.
- Shopping from your inbox? Sign us up! Brands like Everlane are letting you do just that.
What’s Next
Mark your calendars! Come back next Thursday at 12pm ET for another round of #emailchat! Josh Smith, our Email Best Practices Manager, will be our guest expert as we talk about the important things every email marketer should know.
Join us next Thursday @ 12pm ET for another round of #emailchat
https://t.co/8JVV5x2mcH http://pic.twitter.com/so2c1yVOjZ
— AWeber (@aweber) February 12, 2016
Follow us on Twitter (@AWeber) to keep up-to-date with all of the latest events, announcements, resources and more. See you there!
The post [#EmailChat Recap] Why Interactive Email is the One to Watch appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.
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