Email Newsletters: How the NFL.com used personalization and segmentation to score a 121% open rate touchdown

Email Awards 2013 Presentation

Christine Hua Brad Bortone

Manager of Fan-Centric Marketing Senior Research Editor

NFL MECLABS

A Look at MarketingSherpa Email Awards 2013

• 5 judges

• 6 categories

• 1 “Best-in-Show” winner selected

• NO guarantee we’ll hand out Gold

• Entries received over six weeks

• Entries judged over four weeks

• Report is completely free-of-charge

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Session Speaker

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Christine Hua

Manager of Fan-Centric Marketing

NFL

Christine Hua currently manages the email marketing program for NFL.com, and analytics for the digital media properties at the National Football League. As Manager of Fan-Centric Marketing, Hua has been integral in the growth and monetization of the email program since she joined the NFL in March 2011. Prior to the NFL, Hua worked at Time Inc. on titles such as Sports Illustrated, Real Simple, and Cooking Light in the Consumer Marketing group. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Psychology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

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Our Best-in-Show Winner!

• The Company: NFL

• The Product: NFL.com Weekly Team Newsletter

• Category of Entry: Best Personalization/Segmentation

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Campaign Background

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Objective: To make this email as relevant and targeted as possible by segmenting by a fan’s team and providing the fan with the most up-to-date, real-time content and information. How Did They Get Here? 1. Aimed to pull ahead of competing sports leagues and entertainment

outlets. 2. Wanted more user engagement via the newsletter. 3. Wanted to maintain consistent design and branding with recently

updated NFL.com homepage. 4. Noticed a trend toward mobile email use.

Campaign Goal: This email campaign was created to engage fans by informing them of the current week's NFL news and remind them of the upcoming NFL games.

Takeaway #1: Segment the audience

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Takeaway #1: Segment the audience

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Objective: To make this email as relevant and targeted as possible by segmenting by a fan’s chosen team, and providing the fan with the most up-to-date, real-time content and information. Steps to Success: 1. Maintained user team preference, with additional newsletter

branding. 2. Further segmented recipient database, broken down by user activity

and longevity.

Takeaway #2: Personalize the campaign

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Takeaway #2: Personalize the campaign

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Objective: Knowing the users’ need for the most up-to-date information, the team inserted a live countdown to specific a franchise’s game, and scoured the NFL site on the day the email is sent, to deliver up-to-date articles and videos, catered to the users’ preferences. Steps to Success:

1. Real-time site content, segmented by fan preferences, delivered to inbox. 2. Team schedule and game information, alongside team-specific imagery,

appears in real time. 3. Stadium, broadcast information also provided. 4. Subject line personalized to team-specific content. 5. Weekly Pick ‘Em. 6. Banner promotions (i.e. Stats Lab and ads) allowed for more personalization

that was tailored to a user’s favorite team.

Standard, non-personalized newsletter

Personalized newsletter

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Takeaway #3: Make the email mobile-friendly

Marketing channel email integration Which marketing channels does your organization integrate with your email program?

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75% 56%

40% 35%

31% 29%

21% 16% 15%

13% 8%

6%

Website

Social media

Events (eg tradeshows, webinars)

Blogs

SEO/ PPC

Direct mail

Mobile

Print/catalog

Public relations

Teleprospecting

SMS (text)

In-store advertising

Broadcast

Outdoor advertising

Source: ©2013 MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Benchmark Survey Methodology: Fielded December 2012, N=579

4%

2%

Events (e.g. tradeshows, webinars)

Are you designing your emails to render differently on mobile devices?

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No 58%

Yes 42%

Source: ©2013 MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Benchmark Survey Methodology: Fielded December 2012, N=145

Mobile email design

Takeaway #3: Make the email mobile-friendly

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Objective: Knowing that more than 50% of the NFL database consists of mobile email users, the team created a responsive design email template for this newsletter. This made it mobile-friendly – and easy to view and scroll with a touch of a finger. Steps to Success: 1. Addressed the challenge of viewable area on mobile screen. 2. Made buttons larger for ease of access; each element is well-spaced,

eliminating incorrect button presses. 3. All CTAs large, clearly marked to draw attention 4. Navigation bar streamlined based on customers’ previous actions. 5. NO content eliminated from standard desktop email, ensuring the

same quality of user experience.

Takeaway #3: Make the email mobile-friendly

Results: Get me the ball! I’m 121% more open!

Year-over-year, the 2012 NFL.com newsletter produced

• 121% more opens

• 26% more clickthroughs

• 9% more mobile opens

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Planning for Next Season

Some of our “next-step” strategy includes:

• Heat map review

• Correct number of headlines?

• “Cheerleaders work well”

• What areas are engaging?

• Better understanding user behavior and engagement

• Removal of articles the user has already read on NFL.com; in process of getting this feature in real-time.

• Researching more levels of customization, optimizing for best possible fan experience

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Planning for Next Season

Some of our “next step” strategy includes:

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•

•

•

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Post-Game Press Conference: (Are there any questions?)

Thank you!

Christine Hua Manager of Fan-Centric Marketing

NFL

christine.hua@nfl.com

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Congratulations to the NFL from our Email Awards 2013 sponsor!

Email Newsletters: How the NFL.com used personalization and segmentation to score a 121% open rate touchdown

Email Awards 2013 Presentation

Christine Hua Brad Bortone

Manager of Fan-Centric Marketing Senior Research Editor

NFL MECLABS