How to Design Emails Based on Real User Behaviour (Not Assumptions)
Most email campaigns are designed based on assumptions.
What looks good.
What worked before.
What stakeholders prefer.
But assumptions don’t always reflect how users actually interact with emails.
In Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC), campaign teams rely on metrics to guide decisions, but these metrics don’t fully capture behaviour.
This blog explains how to design emails based on real user behaviour and how email heatmaps make this possible.
Why Assumption-Based Design Fails
Campaign teams often design emails based on:
• Past experience
• Industry best practices
• Stakeholder feedback
• A/B test results
While these are useful, they don’t always reflect real engagement.
What works in theory doesn’t always work in practice.
The Gap Between Design and Behaviour
Designers create layouts with intent:
• Highlight key messages
• Guide users toward CTAs
• Structure content logically
But users interact differently:
• They scan quickly
• They skip sections
• They click unexpected elements
• They drop off early
Without visibility into behaviour, this gap remains hidden.
Why Salesforce Marketing Cloud Cannot Show Behaviour
SFMC provides:
• Click data
• CTR
• Link performance
But it does not show:
• Where users focus first
• How they move through the email
• Which sections are ignored
• Where engagement drops
Campaign teams see results, but not behaviour.
How Email Heatmaps Reveal Real User Behaviour
Email heatmaps provide a visual representation of engagement.
They show:
• Click concentration areas
• Attention hotspots
• Drop-off points
• Ignored sections
This allows teams to see exactly how users interact with emails.
How Behaviour-Driven Design Improves Performance
When emails are designed based on real behaviour:
• Important content is placed where users look first
• CTAs appear in high-attention areas
• Low-performing sections are removed
• Layout aligns with natural scanning patterns
This leads to better engagement and conversions.
Practical Ways to Design Emails Using Behaviour
1. Design for the First Few Seconds
Place key messages and CTAs at the top where engagement is highest.
2. Follow Attention Patterns
Structure content based on how users interact, not how teams expect them to.
3. Simplify the Layout
Reduce unnecessary elements that distract from the main goal.
4. Position CTAs Strategically
Align CTAs with high-engagement zones instead of fixed template positions.
5. Remove Low-Engagement Sections
Use heatmaps to identify and eliminate dead zones.
Why Behaviour-Driven Design Scales Better
For SFMC teams managing multiple campaigns:
• Behaviour insights can be reused
• Templates improve over time
• Decisions become faster
• Performance becomes more consistent
Design becomes data-driven, not opinion-driven.
How CRMX Enables Behaviour-Based Email Design
CRMX provides Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Heatmap Intelligence built for campaign teams.
With CRMX, teams can:
• Visualise user behaviour directly on email layouts
• Design based on real engagement patterns
• Optimise templates continuously
• Replace assumptions with evidence
CRMX bridges the gap between design and behaviour.
Final Thoughts
Email design should not rely on assumptions.
It should be guided by how users actually interact.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud shows what happened. Email heatmaps show why it happened.
When you design based on behaviour, better performance follows naturally.
Want to Design Emails Based on Real Behaviour?
Discover how Salesforce Marketing Cloud email heatmaps help campaign teams design emails that align with real user interaction.
Request a demo to explore CRMX email heatmap intelligence.
