6 strategies to design interactive newsletters

Want to craft engaging, interactive newsletters that people can’t get enough of? Ones that people enjoy so much that they can’t wait until the next one drops into their inbox? 

Email newsletters are a great way to convey valuable, relevant content—but nobody signs up to receive them because they want to spend ages scouring paragraphs of information.

That’s where interactive newsletters come in. Use your creative streak to craft engaging newsletters that keep people wanting more. Our guide will tell you exactly what an interactive newsletter is and what elements you can use to make yours engaging. We’ve got info on everything from animations to quizzes.

Read on to find out more.

An interactive newsletter is an email with dynamic content that engages the reader, making it the perfect addition to your inbound marketing strategy.

Digital publications are delivered to subscribers’ inboxes, appearing like regular emails. When they open the message, they engage with elements such as an interactive table of contents, GIFs, and clickable infographics. 

Sources like the Envato library make it easy to add interactive components to your video newsletters with top assets like graphic templates.

Email newsletters help you build touchpoints you can’t get from cloud calling or other channels.

Other interactive marketing email newsletter content includes:

There are many different ways to make your newsletter pop. Let’s review some of the most effective interactive newsletter ideas.

Remember when the teacher would shout, “Pop quiz!” when you were a student? You might have been nodding off or exchanging notes with a classmate (do students still do that these days?), but we can bet the teacher got your attention.

An interactive quiz in your email newsletter will also grab your reader’s attention. It gives subscribers something to do besides stare at the screen. You’ll also be gathering useful information about your audience. For example, asking a few questions about your products can help to clarify misconceptions and improve your offering. Then, you can use marketing automation tools to gather and analyze responses for easy insights.

Newsletters inform subscribers about news, upcoming events, and product hacks. You know what happens when you give people information? They often have questions. 

What if there was a way to fast-track your readers’ answer-seeking desires? There is! Embed live chat widgets that let your subscribers interact straight from the newsletter.

Even better, you’ll be catering to reader preferences. A HubSpot survey found that live chat was the third most popular channel for people to reach out to brands. 

Interactive quizzes engage users by asking them to recall information, but polls stimulate readers differently. There is no correct answer. You want their opinion; you want to know what they prefer from a list of options.

Interactive polls break up the monotony of regular email copy. However, that’s not all. Newsletter polls can also help you identify subscriber preferences. 

Find out answers to questions such as:

The insight possibilities with polls are nearly endless. 

Images sliders, carousels, and slideshows offer readers more lively visuals. Using images is a great way to build creative newsletter designs. You can go a step further by adding a more dynamic experience.

Slideshow galleries and interactive image displays improve the user experience by:

Use dynamic galleries in your interactive email campaigns. Add GIFs, animations, and videos to your slideshows and carousels to get more creative. Subscribers will enjoy the variety of visual content displayed neatly in your newsletter.

Infographics are a compelling way to summarize and share information with your audience. Many of us understand concepts better with visual aids. Again, a more creative newsletter design uses clickable infographics. 

Dynamic infographics can include animations, motion, and changing statistics. The graphic changes according to the user’s selection.

Some of the pros of interactive infographics include:

How can you wow and delight your readers with the element of surprise? By using click-to-reveal sections in your email newsletters. 

Recall the last time you ordered a delivery of Chinese food. You likely wolfed down a delicious meal. What about after? You discovered your future hidden in a cookie—sometimes the fortune is more memorable than the food!

Think of click-to-reveal buttons as digital fortune cookies for your readers. You’re giving your readers something to do besides, you know, read. When they click on the reveal button, they get a little surprise. 

Here are some ways to use click-to-reveal content buttons:

Newsletters spread awareness of your upcoming events. You may be exhibiting in a gallery showcase, hosting a webinar, doing a live Q&A, or some other event. Live countdowns add dynamism to your newsletters.

Almost nothing builds urgency like a timer. It offers a continuously changing visual CTA for your readers. The longer they stare at the countdown, the less time there is to sign up for your promotion or event. 

Use a tool like MailTimer to generate a countdown code snippet. Place the timer in an attention-grabbing location, such as the top of the email. Alternatively, you can opt for a pop-up timer that moves as the user scrolls.

Adding dynamic elements to your email newsletters can be fun for you and your subscribers. However, you want to get the most out of your interactive email campaigns.

Download some marketing email templates to give yourself a head start. Then, follow these strategies to build creative newsletter designs that will engage your audience.

TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are three of the top four platforms that social media users spend their time. What do they have in common? They’re all visually oriented. 

Naturally, newsletters are primarily text-based, but that doesn’t mean your subscribers aren’t stimulated and engaged by visual content. Add a mix of images, videos, and GIFs that stand out but still align with your brand aesthetics.

Play with background visuals to create contrast or highlight areas of your newsletter.

Incorporate interactive newsletter elements that demand the reader to perform an action. This may be to click on something, hover over an area, or even type into a dialog box. 

Use interactive newsletter ideas that fit with your content. If you’re talking about a new product, add a dynamic image gallery depicting the latest addition in all its glory. When promoting a photography class, use a live chat widget or express checkout to sign up for the course. 

B2B marketing strategies are about personalization. You may not sell to businesses, but you can borrow their tactics. Tailor your content to your different audiences. 

For example, let’s discuss an infographic that breaks data down by age. Your readers will be most interested in what’s relevant to them. Create interactive infographics that prioritize stats based on the subscriber’s age. Likewise, personalize countdown timers to fit the time zone of each newsletter recipient.

Adding interactive elements to your newsletters is fun and exciting. Don’t let a good time distract you from your goals. You send newsletters to convert your subscribers to do something beyond reading. 

It’s great to liven up your emails. Just remember to craft clear and compelling CTAs. After all, your efforts aim to get the user to click that “Buy Now” button. Use concise CTAs such as “Sign Up”, “Chat with Us”, and “Learn More” to build effective interactive newsletters. 

As of the end of 2023, mobile devices accounted for nearly 55% of global website traffic. More than half of your newsletters are being read on smartphones and tablets. Do you know what that means? Design responsive newsletters that adjust to vertical and horizontal screen ratios.

You don’t need to be able to code in HTML5 or any other language. Instead, use interactive email tools and templates that help you optimize mobile content.

As a creative, you know what you want to communicate when you design something. You can’t, however, read your subscribers’ minds.

There’s a trusty marketing tool that lets you know what your readers vibe with the most: A/B testing. Create different versions of your newsletters to test out different page elements. Try different fonts, colors, placement, and other variables. Track user behavior with an email tracking solution to discover the winner of each A/B test.

Each result helps you put out more polished interactive email campaigns.

Your readers want more than static content. Frankly, you’re better than that. Your creative talent has gotten you this far, so why not give your emails an interactive boost?

Sign up with Envato today and gain access to a wide range of creative assets in one place. Download video templates, photos, graphics, fonts, email templates, and other elements from our extensive library. You’ll be creating interactive newsletters in no time! Learn more by reading our articles on the benefits of email marketing and tips for better email marketing campaigns.