10 examples of interactive content in emails

Did you know that interactive emails, where recipients can participate in surveys directly within emails, drive a 520% higher user response rate compared to emails that redirect recipients to a website landing page via a link? Well, it’s true. Interactive content in emails does increase conversion. 

There are many other types of interactive elements you can add to your emails to boost engagement.

Key takeaways:

1. Email interactivity involves actions taken directly within the message, eliminating the need for recipients to leave their inboxes. While animated GIFs and countdown timers do not qualify as interactive content, embedded surveys, polls, product reveals, gamification, and many other content elements do.
2. Interactive content in emails not only captivates and engages recipients but also streamlines data collection, enhances user experience, and distinguishes your brand in a crowded market.

Benefits of incorporating interactive content in your email marketing

Enhance your marketing campaigns with interactive email content that captivates and converts. Learn how these strategic interactive elements can elevate your marketing efforts:

• increased email engagement: Interactive elements like polls can capture the recipient’s attention more effectively than static content;
• easier data collection: Interactive emails efficiently gather audience data, such as feedback from surveys or preferences from polls, which is crucial for refining future email campaigns and products;
• enhanced user experience: Providing fun or useful interactive experiences can improve perceptions of your brand. Positive experiences help build loyalty and increase the likelihood of conversion;
• brand differentiation and awareness: Unique interactive email content will help you stand out and improve brand recognition. Subscribers are more likely to share this engaging content, further extending your reach;
• higher conversion rates: Performing actions directly within the interactive email reduces steps, saves recipients some time, and boosts conversion rates.

Types and examples of email interactivity

Interactive email marketing transforms standard communications into dynamic interactions directly within the inbox. This section will delve into various types of interactive elements that not only easily engage subscribers but also drive higher conversion rates.

1. Star ratings and NPS score measuring

For sustained business growth, understanding customer perceptions of your products and services is essential. This isn’t just a one-time activity; it requires ongoing monitoring. Consider incorporating NPS (Net Promoter Score) or star ratings in your emails to stay consistently informed.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

2. Embedded surveys and forms

As stated above, embedded interactive forms and surveys can boost user response rates by an impressive 520%. How does this work? Recipients can engage with your surveys directly within the email, without the need to navigate away. The simpler the process, the more likely people are to participate.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Here’s an example of an open form that recipients can conveniently fill out directly in your email when they have a moment.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

3. Hover effect over buttons

We use CTA (Call to Action) buttons across all emails. Consider animating these buttons when recipients hover over them. This not only captures their attention but also introduces an element of gamification and ensures consistency with your brand design, especially if your website features CSS-animated buttons.

(Source: Email from Litmus)

4. Quizzes in interactive email marketing

Quizzes are an excellent tool to enhance audience engagement and provide educational content in your newsletters while also gathering insights about your customers. By integrating quizzes, you enable recipients to answer questions and immediately see if their responses are correct, all within the email.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

When crafting your quiz questions, ensure that they are relevant and appropriate by aligning them with your product, niche, or related events.

5. Gamification in interactive emails

I guess we all enjoy a bit of fun. Gamification in email marketing plays a crucial role by not only injecting enjoyment into your customers’ inboxes but also significantly boosting your return on investment (ROI) by 300%. Engaging customers through fun experiences fosters customer loyalty and can enhance the viral potential of your campaigns.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Gamification can entertain your customers, allow them to earn discounts, and avoid the fatigue of straightforward price cuts. Additionally, it’s an effective way to deliver educational content and announce new features. Each interaction becomes more engaging and memorable, thanks to the interactive content in your emails.

(Source: Email from Litmus)

6. Offer reveals in interactive emails

The “Reveal” interactive element, often used in promotional offers, falls under the “luck and chance” category, targeting emotions of excitement and intrigue akin to gamification. We’ve chosen to discuss it separately.

In the provided example, recipients don’t actually win anything; multiple clicks on the “Unlock” button yield the same results. Yet, the element of intrigue still effectively captures their interest.

(Source: Email from Universal Orlando Resort)

7. Interactive elements to make your emails more compact

In email design, balancing content length with functionality often leads to tough decisions about what to keep or cut. However, interactive emails offer a solution, allowing email marketers to include substantial content without overwhelming your recipients.

Here’s how:

• image rollover effect: This effect lets recipients view products from different angles or in detail directly in the email, enhancing engagement without extra text;

• image carousel: Display multiple products on one screen, complete with prices and descriptions embedded in the images. Image carousels not only showcase your products effectively but also encourage user interaction and potential conversion;

(Source: Stripo’s interactive email templates)

• accordion: Ideal for mobile users, accordions compress lengthy text into expandable sections, saving space while still providing all necessary details. Although not widely used, they represent a growing trend among forward-thinking email marketers;

• menu tabs: Use tabs to compress a large amount of information into a navigable format, making emails more compact, yet content rich. This interactive functionality allows recipients to easily access various sections of content as they click through the tabs.

These interactive elements ensure that your emails remain engaging and informative without forcing you to sacrifice content for brevity.

8. Slot and meet booking in interactive emails 

Whether in sales, follow-up, or promotional emails where you invite recipients to book or schedule a meeting, allowing them to do so directly within the email saves time. Our experience shows that using such interactive email elements can achieve click-through rates (CTR) as high as 17%.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

9. Subscription/registration confirmation

We understand the importance of double-opt-in. Typically, after registration, we send a verification email followed by a subscription confirmation. However, to save clients time, we can streamline this by allowing them to complete their registration and immediately see the results within interactive email campaigns.

(Source: Email from Ecwid)

10. Anchor links for easy navigation in interactive emails

Use anchor links in lengthy emails to quickly navigate recipients to sections of high interest, eliminating the need for excessive scrolling.

(Source: Email from Mercedes-Benz)

Wrapping up

Wrapping up the exploration of interactive emails, it’s clear that integrating interactive elements into your marketing strategy is not just about enhancing visual appeal or entertainment. It’s about fundamentally transforming how we communicate with audiences in our digital age. From embedded forms that boost engagement, to gamification techniques that increase ROI and loyalty, interactive emails offer a dynamic way to connect with recipients, gather valuable data, and stand out in a crowded inbox. As email continues to evolve, leveraging these interactive features will be key to creating more personalized, effective, and engaging email marketing campaigns. Remember, the goal is to make every email not just a message, but a memorable experience that prompts action and fosters connection.