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How to use email marketing to drive in-app purchases

November 18, 2023 | Jimit Mehta

Imagine this: you have a fantastic app that you're eager to promote, but you're not quite sure how to get the word out. You've tried social media, paid advertising, and even some good old-fashioned word of mouth, but you're still not seeing the sales numbers you'd hoped for. What if there was another way to reach your target audience and convince them to make a purchase? That's where email marketing comes in. By crafting compelling emails and sending them to your subscriber list, you can tap into a powerful tool for driving in-app purchases. In this article, we'll walk you through the basics of email marketing and show you how to use it to boost your app sales. So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and let's get started!

Building an email list for your app

When it comes to email marketing, the first step is building an email list of subscribers who have opted in to receive communications from you. This is important because it gives you permission to contact people who have shown interest in your app, and it allows you to communicate with them on a more personal level. There are a few ways to build your email list:

  1. Offer an incentive: Provide an exclusive offer, discount or freebie to those who sign up for your email list.

  2. Use social media: Promote your app and encourage people to sign up for your email list on your social media channels.

  3. Include sign-up forms in your app: Make it easy for users to sign up for your email list by including a form within your app.

  4. Run contests: Host a contest or giveaway and require people to sign up for your email list to enter.

Remember that it's important to always ask for permission before adding someone to your email list, so make sure to use opt-in forms and provide clear instructions on how to unsubscribe if someone no longer wants to receive emails from you. By building a quality email list, you'll have a solid foundation for driving in-app purchases and building long-term relationships with your customers.

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Crafting effective subject lines to increase open rates

The subject line is the first thing that your subscribers will see when they receive an email from you, so it's essential to craft a compelling one that grabs their attention and entices them to open the email. A well-crafted subject line can make the difference between someone deleting your email without even opening it or becoming a loyal customer who makes in-app purchases.

To create effective subject lines, it's important to keep them short and sweet while still conveying what the email is about. Consider using action-oriented words or creating a sense of urgency to encourage subscribers to open the email right away. You could also use personalization techniques such as including the recipient's name or referencing their previous in-app behavior to make the email feel more personalized.

Avoid using all caps or exclamation points excessively as this could come across as spammy or unprofessional. Also, don't make false promises in your subject line that you can't deliver on in the email content. This could lead to disappointed subscribers and ultimately hurt your sales.

Testing different subject lines can help you determine what works best for your audience. Analyze your open rates and adjust your subject lines accordingly. By putting effort into crafting effective subject lines, you'll increase the chances of your emails being opened and read, which can ultimately lead to more in-app purchases.

Creating engaging email content that promotes in-app purchases

Creating engaging email content is crucial for promoting in-app purchases. Your email content should be relevant, valuable, and easy to read. It's important to provide your subscribers with content that is interesting and informative, while also making it clear how your app can benefit them.

To create engaging email content, start by identifying what your target audience is interested in and tailor your content to their needs. You can include tutorials, tips, and guides that showcase the unique features and benefits of your app. Providing exclusive offers, discounts, or promo codes to your subscribers can also encourage them to make in-app purchases.

When creating your email content, make sure to use a clear and concise writing style, break up the content into short paragraphs, and use headings to make it easy to scan. You can also use visual elements such as images, videos, and graphics to make your content more engaging and help it stand out in your subscribers' crowded inboxes.

Remember to always include a clear and prominent call-to-action (CTA) that encourages subscribers to take action, such as downloading your app or making a purchase. Make sure your CTA stands out and is easy to find, and consider using urgency words such as "limited time" or "act now" to create a sense of urgency.

By creating engaging email content that promotes in-app purchases, you can establish a strong connection with your subscribers, build trust, and ultimately drive sales for your app.

Using targeted segmentation to reach specific groups of subscribers

Using targeted segmentation is an effective way to reach specific groups of subscribers with content that is relevant and tailored to their interests. By segmenting your email list based on factors such as demographics, past purchases, or in-app behavior, you can create targeted campaigns that are more likely to resonate with your subscribers.

Segmenting your email list can help you achieve a number of goals, such as increasing open and click-through rates, reducing unsubscribe rates, and ultimately driving more in-app purchases. For example, you could segment your list to target users who have abandoned their carts, and send them a personalized email with a special offer to encourage them to complete their purchase.

To effectively segment your email list, you'll need to have a good understanding of your subscribers' behavior and preferences. You can use data such as purchase history, browsing behavior, and engagement metrics to inform your segmentation strategy.

Once you have segmented your email list, you can create targeted campaigns that speak directly to each group of subscribers. For example, you could send a series of welcome emails to new users that highlight the key features of your app and provide helpful tips for getting started.

By using targeted segmentation to reach specific groups of subscribers, you can create more personalized and relevant email campaigns that are more likely to result in in-app purchases. It's a powerful strategy that can help you build stronger relationships with your customers and drive long-term success for your app.

Incorporating social proof and user-generated content into your emails

Incorporating social proof and user-generated content (UGC) into your emails is an effective way to build trust with your subscribers and encourage them to make in-app purchases. Social proof refers to the idea that people are more likely to trust and follow the actions of others, especially those they perceive as similar to themselves.

One way to incorporate social proof into your emails is by showcasing customer reviews, ratings, or testimonials. Including positive feedback from real users can help build trust with potential customers and provide social proof that your app is worth using and making purchases within.

User-generated content (UGC) can also be a powerful way to showcase your app and encourage purchases. UGC refers to any content created by users, such as reviews, photos, or videos, that showcases their experience with your app. Including UGC in your emails can help showcase the benefits and features of your app in an authentic way, and provide potential customers with real-life examples of how the app can benefit them.

When incorporating social proof and UGC into your emails, make sure to highlight the most relevant and compelling content, and consider using visual elements such as images or videos to make it more engaging. Also, be sure to ask for permission from the user before featuring their content in your emails, and give them credit where appropriate.

By incorporating social proof and UGC into your emails, you can build trust with your subscribers, showcase the benefits of your app, and ultimately drive more in-app purchases. It's a powerful strategy that can help you build a loyal customer base and drive long-term success for your app.

Analyzing and optimizing your email campaigns for better results

Analyzing and optimizing your email campaigns is a critical step to achieving better results and driving more in-app purchases. By regularly reviewing your email campaign performance, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven changes to increase engagement and conversion rates.

There are several key metrics to track when analyzing your email campaigns, such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. By tracking these metrics over time, you can identify trends and patterns in subscriber behavior and identify areas for improvement.

For example, if you notice that your open rates are low, you may want to experiment with different subject lines or sender names to see if you can increase engagement. If your click-through rates are low, you may want to focus on creating more compelling calls-to-action or improving the visual design of your emails.

When optimizing your email campaigns, it's important to test different elements to see what works best for your subscribers. You can test different subject lines, email copy, visual elements, and calls-to-action to see what resonates most with your audience. A/B testing is a common method of testing where two variations of an email are sent to a small group of subscribers to see which one performs better before sending the winning variation to the rest of your list.

By analyzing and optimizing your email campaigns, you can refine your strategy over time and drive better results for your app. It's an ongoing process that requires a commitment to testing and learning, but the rewards can be significant in terms of increased engagement, higher conversion rates, and ultimately, more in-app purchases.

Avoiding common email marketing mistakes that can hurt your sales

While email marketing can be a highly effective way to drive in-app purchases, there are some common mistakes that can actually hurt your sales. By avoiding these mistakes, you can improve the performance of your email campaigns and achieve better results for your app.

One common mistake is sending too many emails. Bombarding your subscribers with too many emails can lead to unsubscribes, reduced engagement, and even lost sales. Instead, focus on sending targeted, relevant emails that provide value to your subscribers.

Another mistake is failing to personalize your emails. Personalization can help increase engagement and conversion rates by making your emails feel more relevant and tailored to each subscriber. You can use data such as past purchases or browsing behavior to personalize your emails and make them more effective.

A third mistake is not optimizing your emails for mobile devices. More and more people are accessing their email on their mobile devices, so it's important to make sure your emails are easy to read and navigate on smaller screens. Use a responsive email design and keep your content concise and easy to scan.

Finally, it's important to avoid using spammy tactics such as misleading subject lines, excessive use of capital letters or exclamation marks, or deceptive calls-to-action. These tactics can damage your reputation and lead to reduced engagement and lower sales over time.

By avoiding these common email marketing mistakes, you can improve the performance of your email campaigns and achieve better results for your app. Focus on providing value to your subscribers, personalizing your emails, optimizing for mobile, and using ethical marketing tactics, and you'll be well on your way to driving more in-app purchases and building a loyal customer base.

Personalizing your emails to build stronger relationships with subscribers

Personalization is a powerful strategy for building stronger relationships with your email subscribers and driving more in-app purchases. By tailoring your emails to each individual subscriber, you can make your emails feel more relevant, engaging, and valuable.

One way to personalize your emails is to use the subscriber's name in the email greeting or subject line. This simple technique can make your emails feel more personal and help establish a connection with your subscribers.

Another way to personalize your emails is to use data such as past purchases or browsing behavior to recommend products or services that are likely to be of interest to each subscriber. By showing that you understand their preferences and needs, you can increase the likelihood that they will make a purchase through your app.

You can also personalize your emails based on other demographic or psychographic data such as age, gender, location, or interests. This can help you create more targeted and relevant content that resonates with your subscribers and drives more engagement and in-app purchases.

Personalization is not just about using data, however. It's also about using a tone and style that feels authentic and aligned with your brand. By speaking to your subscribers in a way that feels natural and relatable, you can build trust and loyalty over time.

Overall, personalization is a key strategy for building stronger relationships with your email subscribers and driving more in-app purchases. By tailoring your emails to each individual subscriber, you can create a more engaging and effective email marketing campaign that delivers results for your app.

Testing different email elements to find what resonates with your audience

Email marketing is a powerful way to drive in-app purchases, but the success of your email campaigns depends on a variety of factors, such as the subject line, content, and call-to-action. To improve the performance of your emails, it's important to test different elements and find out what resonates best with your audience.

One way to test your emails is to run A/B tests, where you send two versions of an email to a subset of your subscribers and measure which one performs better. For example, you could test different subject lines, email content, or calls-to-action to see which version drives more clicks, conversions, or revenue.

You can also test different email formats, such as plain text versus HTML emails, or different designs and layouts, to see what your subscribers prefer. By testing different elements of your emails, you can gain insights into what works best for your audience and use that knowledge to improve your overall email marketing strategy.

It's important to note that testing is an ongoing process, and what works for your audience today may not work tomorrow. That's why it's important to regularly test and optimize your email campaigns to ensure you're delivering the most effective content to your subscribers.

By testing different email elements and analyzing the results, you can gain valuable insights into what resonates with your audience and use that knowledge to create more effective email campaigns that drive in-app purchases and grow your business.

Following best practices for email deliverability and avoiding spam filters

When it comes to email marketing, getting your messages delivered to your subscribers' inboxes is crucial. However, there are a number of factors that can affect email deliverability, including spam filters and email clients that automatically mark emails as spam.

To maximize your email deliverability, it's important to follow best practices for email marketing. This includes using a reputable email service provider, using a clear and recognizable "from" name and email address, and avoiding spam trigger words and phrases in your subject lines and email content.

It's also important to maintain a clean email list by regularly removing inactive or invalid email addresses and honoring unsubscribe requests promptly. When subscribers mark your emails as spam or unsubscribe, it can negatively impact your email deliverability and sender reputation, so it's important to manage your list carefully.

In addition, you should use authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify that your emails are coming from a trusted source and not being spoofed or forged.

Finally, you should regularly monitor your email deliverability metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates to identify potential issues and adjust your email marketing strategy accordingly.

By following best practices for email deliverability and avoiding spam filters, you can increase the chances that your emails will be delivered to your subscribers' inboxes and drive more in-app purchases.

Over to you

Email marketing can be a powerful tool to drive in-app purchases and grow your business. However, to be effective, your email campaigns need to be crafted carefully and targeted to your audience's interests and needs. In this article, we covered several key strategies for using email marketing to drive in-app purchases, including building an email list, crafting effective subject lines, creating engaging email content, using targeted segmentation, incorporating social proof and user-generated content, analyzing and optimizing your email campaigns, personalizing your emails, testing different email elements, and following best practices for email deliverability.

By implementing these strategies and constantly refining your approach, you can create effective email campaigns that drive more in-app purchases and help you achieve your business goals.

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