AMP (Interactive Emails)
AMP is a technology introduced by Google for making emails interactive. It enables the creation of microsites in emails. Think of AMP as enabling email apps. AMP is a big leap forward. It eliminates a click to the website or app for a wide range of use cases: filling a form, gathering feedback, scheduling appointments, showing live content, creating interactive games and collecting zero-party data. AMP makes email a two-way channel.
There have been two challenges so far which have limited AMP adoption. First, AMP emails are complex to create because of software that has to be written, meaning marketers need to add a new skill besides creative and design. Second, AMP is limited to the Gmail app and Chrome browser. It is not supported by Apple. As a result, in the developed markets, over half of recipients will not be able to view AMP emails. (A fallback design is there in every AMP email for non-AMP mail clients.) The situation is very different in countries like India where Gmail accounts for 85-90% of email lists.
The creation problem can be solved by the creation of AMP editors. (Netcore is also launching one shortly.) AMPlets which can be easily inserted into emails are another innovative solution. In fact, brands should consider creating an AMP-based interactive footer with multiple AMPlets. The client problem is a much harder one to address – but whether it is 50% or 90% of their base, brands should make use of it because the benefits in terms of attention and engagement are big.
Here are some of my past writings on AMP:
Microns and AMP: A Powerful Combo: “AMP gives email marketers the opportunity to transform the user experience. Emails can do so much more – forms, image galleries, product cards, games, dynamic data, and of course, quizzes. One has to really experience it to feel the possibilities and imagine a new future for emails… For the mission of “No Email Unopened”, AMP-enabled emails can be a huge enabler.”
Email2: Energising Engagement (Part 3): “AMP was introduced by Google a few years ago to make emails interactive. Think of web pages in the late 1990s, and you will get the idea! Actions can be taken within emails without having to click through to a web page or an app… The challenge in AMP is the cost of design and coding; the solution is to create templates which can be used by marketers with limited friction.”
