What is Forwarding in Email Marketing?
Forwarding in the context of email marketing refers to the action taken by an email recipient when they pass along your email content to another person. This process can be incredibly beneficial for your marketing campaigns as it can lead to increased
engagement and a wider reach. When a recipient forwards your email, they are essentially endorsing your content, which can help in building credibility and trust with the new recipients.
Why is Forwarding Important?
Forwarding is important because it can significantly enhance the
virality of your email campaigns. Here are some key reasons why forwarding matters:
Extended Reach: When your email gets forwarded, it reaches an audience that you may not have direct access to.
Credibility: A forwarded email comes with an implicit recommendation from the original recipient, which can add trustworthiness to your message.
Cost-Effective: Forwarding doesn't cost you anything extra, yet it can yield substantial benefits.
Increased Engagement: Forwarded emails are often more likely to be opened and read because they come from a known contact.
How to Encourage Forwarding?
Encouraging recipients to forward your email can be achieved through several strategies: Incentivize: Offer incentives such as discounts or exclusive content for those who forward your email.
Call-to-Action: Include clear and concise
calls-to-action prompting the recipient to forward the email.
Social Sharing Buttons: Add social sharing buttons within your email to make it easy for recipients to share your content.
Engaging Content: Ensure your content is highly valuable and engaging so recipients feel compelled to share it.
Personalization: Personalize your emails to make them more relevant and interesting to the recipient.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Forwarding?
While forwarding can be beneficial, it also has some potential drawbacks: Spam Complaints: If the new recipients don't find your email relevant, they might mark it as spam.
Tracking Issues: It can be challenging to track forwarded emails accurately, which may affect your
metrics.
Design Issues: Forwarded emails might not display correctly across different email clients.
How to Track Forwarded Emails?
Tracking forwarded emails can be complex but not impossible. Here are some methods: Unique Links: Use unique tracking links within your email to monitor clicks and forwards.
Analytics Tools: Employ advanced email analytics tools that offer forward tracking features.
Feedback Forms: Include feedback forms within your email to get insights into how it is being shared.
Best Practices for Forwarding
To make the most out of forwarding, consider these best practices: Clear Instructions: Provide clear instructions on how to forward the email.
Email Design: Ensure your email design is responsive and will display correctly when forwarded.
Test: Test your emails across different email clients to identify any potential issues with forwarding.
Compliance: Ensure your emails comply with
email marketing regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM.