Email remarketing
Every email term you need to master email marketing and email deliverability, explained clearly and simply.
Email Marketing
Definition
Email remarketing is a behavioral marketing strategy that sends personalized emails to users based on their previous interactions with your website, app, or emails. By leveraging user activity data such as abandoned carts, browsed products, or incomplete sign-ups, these targeted campaigns deliver highly relevant content that re-engages prospects and drives conversions.
Common Use Cases
Cart abandonment recovery campaigns that remind shoppers of items left behind and offer incentives to complete purchase
Browse abandonment emails targeting users who viewed products or categories without adding to cart
Post-purchase follow-up sequences recommending complementary products or requesting reviews
Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers who have not opened emails in 30-90 days
Lead nurturing workflows for users who downloaded content but have not converted to customers
Subscription renewal reminders for SaaS and membership-based businesses
Win-back campaigns targeting churned customers with special offers to return
Event-triggered emails based on milestone dates like subscription anniversaries or birthdays
Why Email Remarketing Matters
Email remarketing addresses a fundamental challenge in digital marketing: most website visitors leave without converting. Studies show that 96-98% of first-time visitors do not purchase, and the average cart abandonment rate exceeds 70%. Remarketing emails provide a second chance to capture these potential customers by reaching them directly in their inbox with relevant, timely messages. The effectiveness of remarketing emails stems from their relevance. Unlike generic promotional emails, remarketing messages reference specific user actions, making them significantly more engaging. Cart abandonment emails achieve open rates of 40-45% compared to 15-20% for standard marketing emails, with click-through rates often three times higher. This personalization demonstrates that you understand the customer's needs. From a business perspective, remarketing emails deliver exceptional ROI because they target users who have already shown purchase intent. Acquiring a new customer costs five to seven times more than retaining an existing one, making remarketing a cost-effective strategy for maximizing the value of your existing traffic and email list.
How Email Remarketing Works
Email remarketing operates through a systematic process of tracking, segmenting, and re-engaging users. First, tracking pixels and cookies capture user behavior on your website or app, recording actions like product views, cart additions, form abandonments, and email interactions. This behavioral data flows into your email marketing platform, where it triggers automated workflows. Once a user action meets predefined criteria, the system automatically sends a personalized email. For example, if someone adds items to their cart but leaves without purchasing, they receive a cart abandonment email within hours. The email content dynamically populates with the exact products they viewed, often including personalized recommendations based on browsing history. Advanced remarketing systems incorporate machine learning to optimize send times, subject lines, and content variations. They also coordinate with other channels like display ads and social media retargeting to create cohesive cross-channel remarketing campaigns that keep your brand top-of-mind until the user converts.
Best Practices
Send the first remarketing email within 1-3 hours of the trigger action while intent remains high
Limit remarketing sequences to 3-4 emails to avoid annoying recipients and damaging brand perception
Include clear product images and details from the user's browsing session for immediate recognition
Test incentive strategies progressively, starting without discounts and adding offers in later emails
Personalize subject lines with product names or user behavior references to boost open rates
Ensure mobile optimization since over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices
Validate email addresses before sending to maintain deliverability and sender reputation
Provide easy unsubscribe options and respect frequency preferences to maintain list health
Frequently Asked Questions
How is email remarketing different from email retargeting?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically remarketing refers to re-engaging users through email based on their behavior, while retargeting typically describes displaying ads to users as they browse other websites. Both strategies target users who have previously interacted with your brand but use different channels to reach them.
How soon should I send a remarketing email after cart abandonment?
The optimal timing for the first cart abandonment email is within 1-3 hours of abandonment. Research shows that emails sent within this window achieve significantly higher conversion rates than those sent later. Follow-up emails can be spaced 24 hours and 72 hours apart, with conversion rates declining after the third email.
What is a good conversion rate for remarketing emails?
Cart abandonment emails typically convert at 3-5%, which is significantly higher than standard promotional emails at 1-2%. Browse abandonment emails convert at 1-3%. However, rates vary by industry, product price point, and email timing. The key is to benchmark against your own historical performance and continuously optimize.
How do I comply with privacy regulations when running email remarketing?
Ensure you have proper consent for email marketing under GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other applicable regulations. Only send remarketing emails to users who have opted in to receive marketing communications. Include clear unsubscribe links in every email, honor opt-out requests promptly, and be transparent about how you use behavioral data in your privacy policy.
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