What is a Kinetic Email and Why Should You be Sending Them?

Have you ever noticed that some emails just look cool?

They have all sorts of interesting features; you can scroll, scratch, click, and interact with them.

It’s almost like you’re doing stuff on a conventional webpage, but it’s all right inside your inbox.

These types of emails are called kinetic emails, and we’re going to dive into these today. You’ll learn a little bit about what they are and why the brands that are using them are seeing some real results.

Ready to get into it?

The basics of kinetic emails

Kinetic emails are a form of interactive content that can bring your email marketing to the next level.

Competition for attention has gotten hardcore today. So anything you can do to stand out from the crowd counts. That’s especially true when it comes to email because it’s such an effective marketing channel.

Even a small lift in your open and click rates can translate to real dollars as customers move through your funnel.

And here’s another bonus, people love these kinds of emails.

Check out those rates!

What makes kinetic emails stand out from the pack is that they tap into the psychological impacts around the power of touch.

One way to look at it is through what’s called the Ikea Effect. Basically, this hones in on the idea that when a person physically interacts with something they give it a higher perceived value.

That’s why you assign a higher mental value to a cake you baked versus one you bought at a store.

It also works with interactive content too, that’s part of the power of reveal marketing.

Engaging with an email that asks you to click or touch or scratch puts it into a different level in your brain compared to passive emails that you just read and move on.

Are you starting to get why kinetic emails are kind of a big deal?

A few examples of kinetic emails

When it comes to kinetic emails, there are a few different approaches you can take. How your email looks primarily depends on the back end CSS coding that is used to create the style you’re looking to feature.

And what really separates kinetic emails from other types of interactive content is they primarily rely on readers to engage by clicking, hovering, and scratching physically.

That extra bit of physical touch is something that isn’t a key component of other types of interactive email like gifs, for example.

Here are a few of the most popular types of kinetic emails you’ll see:

Sliding carousels

A sliding carousel is one type of kinetic email you’ll see. These are great for retail operations and will have each slide represent a product or item on sale.

This email from Adidas shows you a sliding carousel in action.

You, as the user, must click on each slide to get information, it doesn’t just scroll for you. As you click on each slide, if you choose to shop, you’ll be taken directly to the corresponding page on the website where the products are located.

So, in addition to getting your brain interested in clicking right away, Adidas also gets points for saving time too.

Puzzles and Games

Who doesn’t like to have fun right from their email? That’s where puzzles and games can come in handy.

From the psychology behind reveal marketing, we know that people love playing with puzzles and games, it taps into curiosity and the fear of missing out.

Click on this example to interact:

This Spin-It style email can be used as a puzzle or a game. It asks readers to get involved; they have to spin the tiles Vanna White style to see a solution or message that’s hidden behind them.

This is yet another type of dynamic activity that gets people actively involved by clicking. Unless you physically move your fingers across a trackpad or screen, you can’t access what’s behind the tiles.

Both of these examples highlight how asking people to actively interact with your emails can make for better results for your brand and a cooler experience for your customers.

Wrapping up

Now that you have a better understanding of what kinetic emails are and how they can help your email marketing you might want to consider incorporating them into your email marketing strategy.

As these types of emails get more popular and brands continue to see higher click rates with them, you don’t want to be left behind!