Top 8 Trends For Dynamic Emails

Regarding commercial emails and bulk mailings, the definition is quite simple. This content is able to get changed according to the client’s personal data and content updates on servers. In other words, in first case changes are based on variables substitution and content insertion, while the latter – on mutual data transfer between server and respective blocks in email.

Dynamic content is among 2019 email marketing top trends. Why? Dynamic data itself is far not something innovative. We already know it as an essential tool, we apply methods of personalization for years, we craft emails that are personalized by all the possible criteria, from names and gender to customer behavior and geolocation… Moreover, generic and impersonal campaigns are just a shame on the email marketer.

What matters is AMP 4 Emails technology released by Google this spring. With AMP, dynamic and real-time data techniques are upgraded to the next level. The influence seems to be really great as it caused amazing growth of interest towards dynamic data and even closer techniques of dynamic personalization.

Well, let’s follow the hottest trends as it’s essential condition for email marketers to reach goals. And take a look at older and newest ways of dynamic content implementation.

1. Old good personalization by names

Let’s start with the basics. Personalization by names is the simplest technique to apply dynamic content. Of course, personalization is much more than just addressing by names but it is still important. They make the very first impression of not generic but personal message.

The subject line is a very first email element, subscribers see it right in the inbox folder – even before they open a new message. That’s why we should add names not only to email copy but to subject lines as well. According to the Campaign Monitor stats, personalized subject lines boost open rate up to 26%.

How to do this? Everything is simple – use merge tags. Email builders provide you with manuals on how to do this – just notice that merge tags are not universal, each particular ESP has its own unique tags.

2. Dynamic copy and offer

It’s proper to clarify how deeper personalization works. In a nutshell, dynamic content is connected with database segmentation. The latter allows marketer to group the whole contact list into smaller intersecting segments based on various criteria: location, marital status, industry, personal preferences, previous actions and so on. Then, segments are used to add variables to insert the respective content according to personal client’s data. This allows create sending scenarios.

Again, implementation is quite easy and can be done in all email builder tool. You typically choose the part of text you want to personalize and then apply variables you need in the setting panels.

3. Dynamic imagery and personalized videos

The following practices are more complex and impressive. Personalized imagery makes a stronger sense of close friendly relations. It also helps to personalize offers according to the preferences and behavior. While videos are great to congratulate our customers or make an annual reviews. Impressive stats: personalized videos generate a 5x higher conversion rate.

How to craft these types of dynamic content? As for imagery, we create personalized pics with NiftyImages service and then embed the code in HTML editor mode. By the way, there are 100+ dynamic templates in NiftyImages ready-made collection.

With videos, Vidyard to the rescue. The same sequence – craft your video and insert its embed code to your HTML template.

4. Countdown timers

Countdown timers are considered dynamic content too, though their working mechanisms are different. They need neither variables nor connection to the server, everything works in an autonomic mode right in the email body. But they show how soon your sale will end, or when some event will start. That’s why we call them dynamic content.

Their psychological effect is based on a sense of urgency as people don’t like to be late and lose something. Timers increase revenue by up to 9%. And yeah, these dynamic elements are among 2019 top trends.

How to craft countdown timers? Again, with the same NiftyImages tool, or in advanced template builders like Stripo.email

Everything is simple – choose your timezone, specify the date of expiration, and configure design. Ready!

5. Live social feeds

Social feeds are a technique to receive updates from social media accounts and show the fresh posts from Pinterest, Instagram etc in emails. Again, this type of dynamic content is built with NiftyImages. A perfect solution for blogs – as well as for promo emails when these blocks are added to “New products” or “Follow us on…” content sections. By the way, 65% of specialists in email marketing say that real-time is the best type of data to personalize.

Moreover, it boosts virality. Most users prefer social media to share interesting content.

6. RSS Feeds

RSS is designed to provide recipients with updated actual content. Regarding email marketing, it’s good to digest newsletters or welcome email series.

Your technical support team will need to add special JSON file and configure CORS policy settings on the website. When everything is done successfully – choose the proper templates with this element and craft campaigns! Notice that RSS is a very time-saving technology: you create a template with RSS elements just once, and then all updates are made automatically.

7. Dynamic real-time imagery

This kind of dynamic data is used, for instance, in weather forecasts. So it’s helpful to build hyper-personalized emails based on changes in geolocation data. You can create abandoned cart emails with this technology as well.

How to embed it? Build everything with NiftyImages or contact the ESP support team to craft messages of this type. With ESP, you need to specify which parts of the email body must be dynamic and static.

8. AMP-powered dynamic data

The last but obviously not least is the most advanced technology of dynamic data use. Of course, this is famous AMP 4 Emails that allows us to always provide users with fresh actual data – and options of interactivity. In other words, AMP makes email a mini-website.

For instance, users can see updated prices, currency exchange rates or sports game scores. Or the number and position of available seats in a plane or cinema… They can check how many product items are available in the stock, order them, vote, leave comments and chat in respective AMP-powered blocks. And see all changes in real-time mode.

You probably know there are still some difficulties with that. Firstly, not all ESPs and email clients support AMP HTML protocols, so don’t forget to add websafe fallbacks to every AMP element you have. Secondly, you need to get whitelisted with Google to send AMP campaigns. It’s caused by security requirements. The data transferred with AMP emails is more private, so Google needs to ensure you’re not a cyber-criminal.

But when you get whitelisted – feel free to use AMP. This is the most advanced and performing way for today… And in future, it seems to become even better!

Summing up

What is the dynamic content? The best friend of every email marketer. With dynamic data we can personalize and hyper personalize our campaigns as deep as possible, provide users with the most fresh updated information, and, of course, be polite by addressing by names, sending offers based on clients’ preferences. All those are opportunities to show our care and friendly warm approach.

It has very good impact on your conversion rates and overall ROI. So always use dynamic data of all types to be professional.

We sincerely wish you the best of luck!