Email is a powerful tool in any marketer’s toolkit, showing an average return on investment (ROI) of $42 for each dollar spent. And it gets even higher for retail businesses. This makes email the best way for retailers to keep visitors engaged with their Shopify store and convert them into repeat customers.
Personalized messages that arrive at the optimal time hit every prospect’s soft spot. And Shopify email marketing is the way to do that. Email allows for direct communication with your audience, without intermediates. You just need your visitors’ consent to join your email list.
Shopify email marketing might seem challenging at first, especially for small online businesses. But the truth is you just need to know the right Shopify email marketing practices. Plus, we’ll list the best tools to take your Shopify emails to the next level.
Why Do You Need Shopify Email Marketing?
With email, Shopify stores get countless opportunities to acquire and retain customers. Before diving into the basics, let’s list the benefits of Shopify email marketing:
- It’s personal and direct. Your emails land straight in recipients’ inboxes, opening a direct line of communication with them. Email allows you to have one-on-one conversations with subscribers and strengthen your connection through regular and personalized messages.
- It’s cost-effective. Most email marketing platforms come with free trials or free versions. With them, you can check their core features and start sending emails immediately. That way, you monetize your email marketing efforts before paying for the service. But even when you switch to a paid plan, the cost is much lower than other channels.
- It’s efficient. With most consumers having at least one active email account, email marketing helps you reach broad audiences. With one tool, you can tailor your emails to specific segments based on demographics, actions, and interests. Plus, you can automate certain emails and email series to go out at the perfect time, saving time while maximizing effectiveness.
- It’s reliable. You are the sole owner of your email list. No third parties are involved, and you can manage it and customer data as you see fit. As long as you adhere to email marketing regulations. As opposed to social media, where constant algorithm changes might derail your strategy or even cost you a percentage of your audience.
7 Steps to Build a Solid Shopify Email Marketing Strategy
To succeed in Shopify email marketing, you should plan everything beforehand and take it one step at a time. Let’s explore these steps so you can build an effective strategy.
Invest in a robust email marketing automation service
Automated emails and email series free up valuable time while bringing in revenue. With them, you attract new customers, retain existing ones, or bring back disengaged prospects. You just need to decide on the right automated workflows, schedule their delivery, and set them in motion.
Klaviyo is a popular tool among online stores. That’s because it comes with advanced email automation and eCommerce-oriented features. It offers powerful solutions for online stores such as a variety of integrations and a review tool to gather customer feedback. But are these options all you need as a retailer?
For instance, small businesses and beginners usually require reliable customer support 24/7. This is an aspect where Klaviyo falls short, with its live chat operating only on weekdays during working hours. Some users report slow response times, too.
Which may be a reason for eCommerce business owners to try out robust Klaviyo competitors. Many of these email marketing automation services offer advanced eCommerce features, plus 24/7 email and chat support at a lower price.
But not all email solutions are the same. Before picking the perfect fit for your store, these are the must-have features to look for:
- Ready-made and customizable workflows for different eCommerce needs and stages within the customer journey.
- A drag-and-drop and user-friendly email editor that helps you adjust, remove, or duplicate elements.
- A wide set of professionally designed and responsive email templates to serve as a starting point for email creation.
- Options to create beautiful, targeted forms and landing pages to fill your list with qualified contacts.
- Segmentation features so you can manage subscribers based on their location, buying and browsing history, preferences, etc.
- Robust analytics to monitor key engagement metrics like clicks, unsubscribes, email ROI, and conversion rates.
To take some of the load off, later in this guide we’ll list the best ESPs so you can find the perfect fit for your eCommerce business.
Build your email list through your Shopify store
The way you build your email list affects the success of your Shopify email marketing efforts. It takes some time and effort at first. But once you’ve built a sanitized and engaged subscriber database, it becomes one of the most powerful tools to drive conversions and sales.
So, how can you persuade people to subscribe? Here are the best practices to keep in mind:
- Place your newsletter sign-up forms prominently on web pages like your homepage or product pages. You should limit the form fields to the user’s name and email address since giving up too much data at once seems intimidating to visitors.
- Use exit-intent pop-ups to capture users just as they’re about to leave your online store. Exit-intent pop-ups are less intrusive compared to other pop-ups. Still, they should be enough to make people sign up—especially when combined with the right incentive.
- Another method to generate leads for your eCommerce is to implement an opt-in option on your checkout page. With it, you capture visitors already interested in your products. So, they’re far more likely to become engaged subscribers once they join your list.
- Create a dedicated landing page for your forms. A landing page is the ideal place to talk about your offerings and highlight the added value of your email material. There are multiple touch points to link your landing page, such as your email signature or paid ads.
- Consumers love contests where they get stuff for free. On top of that, they tend to go viral, meaning your followers will share them with their friends. That way, you’ll increase their visibility without additional effort. Obviously, users should give their email addresses to participate. And you should pick a compelling prize so it’s worth their while.
Whatever you choose, invest in clear messaging and an actionable CTA that urges visitors to take action.
To further boost newsletter signups, consider leveraging a lead magnet, such as a discount or a freebie. Valuable content in the form of cheat sheets, or eBooks can be an equally effective incentive, especially if it helps prospects solve a common problem.
Whether it’s a lead magnet or a giveaway prize, ensure it matches your target audience’s needs. Otherwise, you end up with uninterested subscribers who will unsubscribe at the first opportunity.
Surreal used a two-step process to lure visitors in their email list. The question and the incentive of a 25% discount evokes curiosity, urging users to tap on ‘YES, PLEASE’ and learn more about it.
The form we landed on is simple and short with an action-oriented and strong CTA. Surreal used clever copywriting, with just enough information to evoke curiosity without giving up everything.
Set up your automated emails or email sequences
Figuring out the type of Shopify email campaigns to build and automate is critical. These are some of the most popular automated workflows for Shopify users:
Welcome email series
First impressions stick, which is why welcome emails matter. As the first touching point between brands and subscribers, they set the tone and establish expectations for future emails. What kind of emails will you be sending? At which frequency?
Welcome emails give readers the opportunity to take an insider look at your products or services. Also, they are a great place to make readers an offer they can’t resist, usually a first-time discount.
Small moves like a warm welcome note from the founder or a message that includes your brand story work equally well.
Transactional emails
Transactional emails, like password resets, have high open rates that range between 40 and 50%. That’s because they’re triggered by specific actions and subscribers expect them in their inbox. To make the process smoother, it pays to automate those messages and ensure people get them on time, every time.
These are the most common transactional workflows to automate:
- Order confirmation emails: Order confirmation emails inform customers about their order, including details like the shipping address and purchased products. It’s a great way to build rapport and encourage future purchases. You can even try to upsell related products.
- Shipping confirmation emails: These campaigns are sent to customers to notify them their order is on its way. Make sure to include an estimated delivery date and an order tracking option. Consider adding a link to your return policy page and your contact details so recipients can reach out in case any issues arise.
- Thank-you emails: Once a customer takes certain actions like placing an order on your site, they should receive a thank-you email. That way, you show your appreciation and build customer loyalty. You can leverage the occasion to urge them to further explore your products or services.
Cart abandonment sequences
Cart abandonment is like the Holy Grail of eCommerce email campaigns. For an abandoned cart email to work, it must entice shoppers to return to your Shopify store and complete the purchase.
These campaigns work better when you throw in an incentive like free shipping or a discount. Also, you could dispatch educational content on how the abandoned items might address the user’s pain points.
Another way to motivate visitors to cross the finish line is to feature customer testimonials and reviews. After all, most consumers think that user-generated content is far more credible and authentic than branded content. So, a customer review explaining how your product or service was the solution to their problems could easily make them convert. Ensure to include high-quality product images, too, to compel them.
Promotional emails
Promotional email campaigns help you spread the world about new products or services and share upcoming offers. Or you can increase brand awareness through educational content that positions your brand as an industry expert. For instance, you can inform subscribers about new content on your blog offering insightful tips.
Seasonal promotions are a revenue machine for online stores, allowing you to benefit from holidays and times of the year. Whether it’s a summer sale or a Black Friday promotion, it’s important to decide on the holidays that best resonate with your audience.
Segmentation is of utmost importance here since it helps you target recipients with relevant content. For instance, if an audience group is on winter holidays, you should promote collections of gloves and scarves instead of beach wear and sunglasses.
Use attention-grabbing copy and design
The first thing everyone notices in an email is its subject line. A well-crafted email will do you no good if your subject line is poorly written or irrelevant to the email body. So, how can you stand out in your recipients’ stuffed inboxes? Let’s list some essential tips:
- Customers these days receive a ton of promotional emails. For memorable emails, you need to create clever, insightful copy and eye-catching subject lines.
- Don’t overdo it, though. Avoid practices like excessive punctuation, all-caps, salesy language and spam-triggering words like “money” or “earn.” Such practices may lead to unsubscribes, or even worse, spam complaints.
- Personalize your emails by recommending products based on subscribers’ buying or browsing preferences. For example, if they recently purchased a pair of trainers, suggest complementary items like socks.
- Capitalize on feelings of urgency. Use FOMO elements in your subject line for exclusive offers and product recommendations. You can mention the time left to evoke urgency, using words like “only X days left,” “ends on X day,” etc. Also, consider incorporating countdown timers in your emails for limited-time sales.
- A few seconds is all you get to catch your subscribers’ attention. So, use high-quality product images so readers can visualize themselves using your products, encouraging them to click through your online store.
- Use the AI assistants featured in most ESPs to generate personalized product descriptions or targeted subject lines. Also, leverage AI’s predictive analytics of AI technology to forecast how your emails might perform and optimize them for maximum conversions.
- Add social proof by featuring top-rated products or bestsellers, along with testimonials and star ratings. Add a section that highlights positive reviews or customer photos and videos showcasing your products in real-life. Remember, potential buyers trust other consumers’ opinions more than any brand-generated content.
- All the email design elements should reinforce your unique brand identity. Ensure that the colors, fonts, and visuals are consistent with those of your online store. This will help you build a cohesive shopping experience.
Subject line: new-found favourite.
Hiyo’s email is as simple and to the point as it gets. The brand left unnecessary graphics out, investing in clean design and two high-quality product images. Instead of going on and on about their product, they let customers do the talking. The five-star reviews show how much consumers love the beverage, turning its consumption into a daily habit.
Let them unsubscribe
Recipients unsubscribing from email lists is bad news for businesses. But hiding or neglecting to add an email unsubscribe option is a big no-no. Including an unsubscribe link is a legal requirement due to anti-spam laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act. Failing to comply with them could result in distrust with recipients, or worse, severe legal consequences.
It’s wise to allow recipients who want out to do so through a clear and prominent unsubscribe option. It’s actually a win-win situation. When uninterested subscribers opt out, brands maintain healthy email lists for their Shopify stores. This leaves them room to focus on their most engaged readers, making their lists high performing. Not to mention that an unsubscribe is always better than a spam complaint.
Your unsubscribe link or button isn’t the place to be cryptic. Try to use simple language instead of ambiguous phrases so readers know exactly how to unsubscribe. If you want to make the most of this situation, create an unsubscribe page as a last resort to win subscribers back.
Employ humor and visuals to grab their attention. Evoking emotions has proven to work, too, as long as you don’t get too melodramatic. You could even offer them an alternative, such as adjusting their email preferences. For example, they could choose to receive monthly updates instead of weekly. If nothing does the trick, you can still gain something by asking them why they opt out and use that insight to improve your Shopify email marketing strategy.
Flings include a clear and bold unsubscribe link in every email. The wording is simple and conversational, making it easy for readers to understand what happens upon clicking.
Monitor email performance and optimize
The final piece of the puzzle involves monitoring your email performance. Apart from Shopify analytics, your email marketing tool’s reporting will allow you to track and analyze key performance indicators. Metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, unsubscribes, bounces, or email ROI clearly show what works and what doesn’t.
For instance, if your click-through rates keep dropping, you might want to consider refining your email CTAs or email copy. Whereas if you observe low open rates, it could mean that your subject lines or preview texts are underperforming.
By monitoring these metrics, you’ll be able to identify patterns in audience behavior and understand what content different segments prefer receiving. Or you might get insights into the best time to send your email to each group. This process will help you detect potential bottlenecks in your strategy and double down on the practices that bring results.
3 Top Email Marketing Tools for Shopify
There’s a plethora of tools to pick from based on your business size and specific objectives. We’ve gathered the top 3 email marketing tools to enhance your Shopify email marketing.
Moosend
Moosend is an all-in-one email marketing platform that helps Shopify users craft and send beautiful emails. What’s more, they can use the tool to build and manage mailing lists and set up automated sequences.
Best features:
- Seamless one-click Shopify integration through Zapier.
- AI-driven product recommendations to target recipients based on their online behavior.
- Advanced automation with a range of built-in sequences called recipes for every eCommerce scenario.
- Capability to automate abandoned cart emails and transactional emails including order and shipping information.
- Lead generation features using its intuitive sign-up and landing page creators.
- Detailed analytics, along with the option to create your own custom reports.
Pricing: There’s a 30-day free trial that includes all the features. Paid plans start at $9/month with unlimited emails and core features, such as AI-powered product recommendations.
Omnisend
Omnisend is a marketing solution that helps eCommerce companies grow by integrating email with channels like SMS and WhatsApp.
Best features:
- Lead capturing options like pop-ups and wheels of fortune.
- Ability to connect your account with Facebook Custom Audiences to expand your reach.
- Its SMS marketing capabilities let you contact customers worldwide using a simple credit subscription system.
- Options to set up web push notifications to retarget visitors.
- Unique features to increase conversions, such as scratch cards.
Pricing: The free plan offers the choice to add up to 250 recipients and send 500 emails/month. If you want to gain access to Omnisend’s SMS marketing, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan that starts at $20/month.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is an email marketing service offering all the features eCommerces need to create, customize, and automate their email marketing campaigns.
Best features:
- Its ease of use makes it a perfect fit for small businesses and entry-level marketers.
- Advanced segmentation, empowering you to create audience segments based on real-time insights.
- A suite of workflows, ranging from birthday emails to cross-sell campaigns.
- Klaviyo Reviews tool sends review requests to customers once they receive the purchased products by pulling data from your store.
- A long list of integrations with third-party apps like Typeform and ShipStation.
Pricing: There’s a free plan version limited to 250 recipients and 500 emails while you can have email support only for the first 60 days. Pricing for paid plans starts at $20/month ($25 for the Review feature for up to 250 orders/month).
Building successful Shopify email marketing campaigns
Brands are turning to emails to interact with their audience in a personalized way. Shopify email marketing is what it takes to accelerate growth, from small-sized companies to large online stores. The tactics we went through will deliver optimal results, elevating your marketing campaigns. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels. Instead, you should continue optimizing your strategy at every step.
The ESPs we researched offer the necessary features to create high-converting emails. Test them out before picking the one that works best for your business type and budget. Then, just let your email campaigns and automated sequences do the heavy lifting, turning subscribers into loyal customers.
FAQs
Does Shopify offer a built-in email marketing tool?
Yes, Shopify comes with a feature called Shopify Email. With it, you can access ready-made email templates that you can customize using data from your online store. You can also use its analytics to segment contacts based on their behavior. There are some automation features, but they are quite limited compared to those provided by a dedicated ESP.
How can you optimize your Shopify email marketing for better results?
To optimize your Shopify email marketing, you should regularly monitor your email campaign performance and analyze results. Moreover, invest in A/B testing to find the best-performing email variants and ask for customer feedback to gain valuable insights into their preferences.
What are some of the most common pitfalls in Shopify email marketing?
Common pitfalls in Shopify email marketing include sending emails too frequently, which could irritate recipients, or too rarely, which might make them forget about your brand. Neglecting to segment your audience and personalize your content is a major mistake, too, since it leads to low engagement
