Johannes Neuer

eCommunications Manager

The New York Public Library

Case Study: Leveraging Transactional Messages to Boost Email Newsletter Opt-Ins - How the New York Public Library increased opt-ins by 120%

• The company: The New York Public Library

• The marketplace: Circulating and research libraries

• The product: Free and open access to physical and electronic collections, information and services

• The channel: Transactional email messages

• The campaign objective: Increase the number of newsletter opt-ins

Case Study Background

• Increase the number of patrons who engage with the Library through its email newsletter, measured by the total number of opt-ins per month

The Goal

• Existing channels of newsletter promotions showed declining yield of new subscribers

The Challenge

• Map out current sources

Strategy and Tactics

e-mailopt-ins

social media

publications website

newsletters

• Identify missing elements

Strategy and Tactics

e-mailopt-ins

partnerships

social media

publications

courtesy messages

signatures

splash page

outgoingSMS

website

newsletters

receipts

door clings

text-to-subscribe

Strategy and Tactics

e-mailopt-ins

partnerships

social media

publications

courtesy messages

signatures

splash page

outgoingSMS

website

newsletters

receipts

door clings

text-to-subscribe

• Focus on automated courtesy messages:

o 5000 – 9000 reminders sent each day

o Easy implementation in text-based email

o Virtually no cost

o Con: Limited space

Strategy and Tactics

• Sample courtesy message:

• Concurrent landing page optimization through A/B testing:

o Include stronger headline

o Add unique value proposition points

o Remove unnecessary information fields (first/last name)

o Remove newsletter options

o Shorten privacy messaging

o Open privacy policy in new window

o Show image with link of newsletter sample

Strategy and Tactics

Strategy and Tactics

• Landing page control

Strategy and Tactics

• Simplified landing page variation

• Expectations:

o Increase in traffic to sign-up page

o Increase in absolute conversions

o Determine winner of landing page test

Strategy and Tactics

• Courtesy messages increased unique visits to sign-up page by 165%

Results

0 1000 2000 3000

Month after implementation

Month prior to implementation

Unique Visits

• Subscriber opt-ins increased by 120%

Results

0 250 500

Month after implementation

Month prior to implementation

Subscriber Opt-ins

• Conversion rate dropped slightly from 17.65% to 16.77%

Results

0.00% 10.00% 20.00%

Month after implementation

Month prior to implementation

Conversion Rate

• Winning landing page was quickly identified

• The simplified version generated a 53% increase in conversions

• This version is now used as a dedicated landing page for traffic from transactional messages

Results

• Take advantage of existing channels of communication

• Map out all touch points and how to leverage them to boost opt-ins (transactional messages, social media, newsletters, SMS, in-store, etc.)

• Determine which of these channels will best promote the newsletter, especially at little or no cost

• Don’t let other stakeholders crowd you out

Key Takeaways

• Test promotional copy and landing page combinations for each channel

• Don’t be afraid to lose on the conversion rate

• Focus on the outcome – the actual number of conversions

• Measure response and continually optimize the process

Key Takeaways

• The team:

o Susan Halligan, Marketing Director

o Johannes Neuer, eCommuncations Manager

• Volunteer consultant:

o Patricia Hader, Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Travelers

• Library system: Millennium ILS

• eCRM system: CONVIO

• Testing platform: Google Website Optimizer

• Analytics platform: Google Analytics

Credits