7 Proven Ways to Use Email Marketing to Drive Website Traffic (with Real Results from Canadian Businesses & Nonprofits)
If your nonprofit is trying to grow awareness, attract new donors, or drive traffic to a campaign or event page, email is one of the most effective (and cost-efficient) tools you have.
While social media plays an important role, it can be unpredictable. You can’t always control who sees your posts, and even with strong content, it’s harder to measure what’s landing. Email, on the other hand, puts your message in front of people who have already opted in to hear from you—giving you a direct, measurable path back to your website.
In Canada, average email open rates are 38.4%, and click-through rates are above 3%—far outperforming most other digital channels (Source: GetResponse, 2023 Email Marketing Benchmarks). You’re already ahead of the game if you’re using email at all. Now, let’s make those emails work harder for you.
1. Segment Your List Based on Real Interests or Behaviours
Sending the same message to everyone is a missed opportunity. Segmented campaigns can improve engagement, click-throughs, and increase revenue by up to 760% (Source: Campaign Monitor).
You could 2x your click throughs just by splitting your newsletter into two versions – one focused on program updates for volunteers, and one focused on impact stories and donation links for donors.
If you want to segment your own lists, start simple. Separate your list into donors, volunteers, and general supporters.
Your “General supporters” are the people who’ve shown interest in your nonprofit but haven’t taken a clear action like donating or volunteering yet.
Think of them as your warmest audience that’s still observing or deciding how to get involved.
They might include:
People who signed up for your newsletter
Event attendees who haven’t donated
Social media followers who opted into your email list
Community members who downloaded a free resource
Past donors or volunteers who haven’t been active in a while
This group is valuable—they’re paying attention. With the right messaging, they could become your next donors, volunteers, or advocates.
Quick win: Even separating active vs. inactive readers is a good start.
2. Subject Lines That Sound Like You—not a Template
35% of people open emails based only on the subject line (Source: Convince & Convert). That means the first few words might be your only shot.
Instead of “August Newsletter”, try “You helped feed 900 kids last week” or “This saved us 6 hours last month”.
It’s specific, human, and gives them a reason to open. Remember—your email competes with everything else in their inbox. Lead with impact.
3. Don't Just Ask—Invite
Every email should point somewhere, but sending emails that only ask for money burn people out.
Link to stories, updates, blog posts, or behind-the-scenes videos. Not just your donate page. Show them the heartbeat of your organization.
If you're trying to drive website traffic, don’t bury the call-to-action (CTA). And don’t be vague about what they’ll find.
Use direct language:
“Register now”
“See the 2025 event calendar”
“Read the full story here”
Pro tip: Put the CTA link above the fold and again at the end—most people won’t scroll the whole way.
4. Use a Lead Magnet That Feels Like a Real Win
People are more likely to opt into your emails—and click your links—if you offer them something useful. And if they like it, they’ll stick around.
Try:
A free checklist or template
Virtual tour
Early access
“Download our 2024 Community Report”
“Volunteer Starter Kit”
“Top 5 Ways to Make a Difference from Home”
Pro tip: After someone signs up, send them to a thank-you page on your own website. That way, you can boost your website traffic, show them more (like your blog, upcoming events, or ways to get involved), and track what’s working using tools like Google Analytics.
5. Send at the Right Time for Your Audience
According to Canadian data and our own client results, the best open and click rates happen:
Tuesday or Thursday mornings (8–10am)
Sunday evenings (for nonprofit community updates)
We avoid Fridays and long weekends when people tune out. But every industry and audience is different. Test different days/times—but always send in your local time zone. That’s a simple way to improve performance without doing more work.
(Source: Mailchimp and Campaign Monitor, Canada-based data sets)
6. Keep It Short, Clear, and Skimmable
Most people don’t read emails—they skim them. And with more people checking emails on their phones, you’ve got about 30 seconds (or less) to make your point and get the click.
That doesn’t mean your message matters less—it means you need to be more strategic with how you present it.
Structure your email like this:
One clear message
Short, punchy paragraphs
Bold headings or emojis to guide the eye
One strong, obvious action step
Pro Tip: Before you hit send, preview your email on your phone. If it feels like a chore to scroll or find the CTA, your reader will feel that too.
7. Track the Traffic (So You Can Do It Again)
Your email platform will show you opens and clicks—but if you want to know what happens after someone clicks, that’s where Google Analytics comes in.
It’s a free tool that lets you track:
Clicks and page views
Bounce rates (who sticks around vs. who leaves)
What people do next—like signing up, donating, or exploring other pages
This helps you figure out which emails (and which topics) actually lead to meaningful actions—so you can do more of what works.
Pro Tip: Use a free tool like Google’s Campaign URL Builder to add UTM tracking links to your emails. That way, you’ll know exactly which email brought someone to your site. No more guessing.
Need help writing emails that get opened—and clicked?
We partner with nonprofits across Saskatchewan to help them reach more supporters, share their impact, and drive results—without adding more to your plate.
We’ll help you:
Build strategic email campaigns that feel personal and purposeful
Write content that gets opened, clicked—and acted on
Increase traffic to key pages like your donation form, volunteer info, or program updates
📩 letscreate@undercover-creators.com
📞 (306) 380-1284
📱 @undercovercreators