
Mie Oline Erichsen
Marketing Intern at Ackermann
Boost Your Email Marketing Strategy with Gamification
Gamification has become a powerful tool in email marketing, enabling brands to transform traditional campaigns into interactive experiences that captivate audiences and drive conversions. By incorporating game-like elements into your emails, you can enhance engagement, foster brand loyalty, and achieve better marketing outcomes.
Discover the secrets to transforming your campaigns into interactive and rewarding experiences. This insightful piece was originally crafted by Mie Oline Erichsen and has been thoughtfully translated into English for your reading pleasure. Ready to level up your email game? Find out how below!
What Is Gamification in Email Marketing?
Gamification in email marketing involves integrating interactive elements—such as quizzes, spin-to-win wheels, scratchcards, and more—into your email campaigns. These elements encourage subscribers to participate actively, making the email experience more engaging and enjoyable. While it’s not feasible to embed full-fledged games directly into emails due to technical limitations, you can include enticing visuals or GIFs that link to interactive landing pages hosting the actual games.
Why Incorporate Gamification into Your Email Marketing?
Implementing gamification in your email marketing strategy offers several benefits:
- Enhanced Engagement: Interactive elements capture attention, encouraging subscribers to spend more time with your content.
- Improved Lead Generation: Gamified experiences can incentivize users to provide their contact information in exchange for rewards or participation.
- Increased Brand Awareness: Engaging games can make your brand more memorable, fostering a stronger connection with your audience.
- Data Enrichment: Through interactive elements, you can gather valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors.
Examples of Gamification in Email Marketing
Incorporating interactive elements into your Email Marketing strategy can significantly boost engagement and conversions. Here are some proven gamification formats that marketers use to stand out in the inbox:
👉 Discover My Favourites
In this interactive experience, users swipe through a multi-level selection to curate their favorite products from your assortment. For example, a fashion brand might let users select a top, bottom, and shoes, while a restaurant might offer choices like starter, main course, and dessert.
Discover my favourites not only engages users but also helps them visualize how products work together—driving deeper brand interaction and increasing purchase intent.
👉 Spin the Wheel
This classic has made its way into Email Marketing and remains a fan favorite. With just an email address entry, subscribers can spin to win discounts, freebies, loyalty points, or exclusive rewards. This luck-based game creates a sense of excitement and encourages users to take immediate action—perfect for growing your email list and boosting conversions.
👉 Scratch Card
Scratch cards have long been a popular form of instant win mechanics—now they’ve gone digital. In Email Marketing, users can virtually “scratch” to reveal a reward, such as a free drink or special offer. Companies like Circle K and Cafe Korn have successfully used scratch card campaigns to increase engagement and reward loyal customers. It’s simple, fun, and delivers instant gratification.
👉 Quizzes
Quizzes are an excellent tool to engage users while educating them about your brand or services. A quiz like “Test your Email Marketing knowledge” or “How well do you know our products?” taps into curiosity and competitiveness. Quizzes not only increase interaction rates but also provide valuable data about customer preferences, which can be used to personalize future campaigns.
Types of Gamification in Email Marketing
Gamification elements can be categorized based on the nature of the interaction:
- Luck-Based Games: These rely on chance, such as spin-to-win wheels or scratch cards.
- Knowledge-Based Games: These test the user’s knowledge, like quizzes or trivia.
- Skill-Based Games: These require user skill, such as puzzles or challenges that involve problem-solving.
Implementing Gamification with Scratcher
Platforms like Scratcher offer seamless integration of gamification into your email marketing campaigns. With over 20 interactive formats and compatibility with more than 3,000 platforms, Scratcher enables you to create engaging experiences that resonate with your audience.
Original post: Gamification in email marketing (ackermann.dk)
Ready to level up your engagement strategy?
Explore gamification marketing to create personalised experiences, foster engagement, and establish meaningful connections with your audience. With Scratcher as a partner you will have:
- 40+ Interactive Formats: Luck-based, knowledge-based, and skill-based, designed to meet marketing campaign objectives.
- Ready to Use Templates: Personalise your campaign to reflect your unique brand
- User-friendly Integration: Easily integrate interactive content with all of your favourite marketing tools
- Customer Support: We're here to assist you every step of the way