Newsletter Earning Rule

Overview

The Newsletter Earning Rule rewards customers with loyalty points for subscribing to your store's newsletter. This is a one-time reward that helps grow your email marketing list while incentivizing customers to stay engaged with your brand.

Points are automatically awarded when a customer opts in to receive marketing emails, creating a win-win: customers earn rewards, and you gain permission to communicate with them.

Configuration

Basic Settings

Setting	Description	Default
Enable/Disable	Turn the newsletter earning rule on or off	Enabled
Points Awarded	Number of points given for newsletter signup	50 points

Setup

1. Navigate to Loyalty Program > Earn Points in the Keystone Loyalty Rewards App
2. Select Newsletter Earning Rule
3. Toggle to Enabled
4. Set the points value (e.g., 50 points)
5. Click Save

Email Marketing Consent

How Consent Works in Shopify

Shopify tracks email marketing consent at the customer level with several possible states:

Consent State	Description	Points Eligible?
Subscribed	Customer actively opted in	Yes
Not Subscribed	Customer hasn't opted in or opted out	No
Unsubscribed	Customer previously opted in, then out	No
Pending	Awaiting confirmation (double opt-in)	After confirmation

Where Customers Can Subscribe

Customers can opt in to your newsletter through:

1. Account creation page
2. Checkout page (checkbox for marketing emails)
3. Newsletter signup widget on your storefront
4. Customer account page
5. Dedicated landing pages

One-Time Reward Guarantee

Customers can only earn newsletter signup points once, even if they:

• Unsubscribe and re-subscribe
• Update their email preferences multiple times
• Subscribe from different sources

Once marked as awarded, subsequent newsletter consent changes won't trigger additional points.

INFO

This earning rule only applies to customers who subscribe after the rule is enabled. Existing newsletter subscribers will not automatically receive points. To reward existing subscribers, use the Retroactive Points feature.

Use Cases

1. List Building Campaign

Goal: Rapidly grow email list

Strategy:

• Newsletter points: 100 (higher than usual)
• Promote heavily on homepage
• Time-limited campaign (e.g., "Double points for newsletter signups this week!")

Expected Results:

• Increased subscription rate
• More customers engaged with loyalty program
• Better email marketing reach

2. First-Time Visitor Incentive

Goal: Convert browsers into subscribers

Strategy:

• Newsletter points: 50
• Exit-intent popup: "Don't leave empty-handed! Subscribe for 50 points"
• Combine with immediate discount code

Expected Results:

• Reduced bounce rate
• Email capture for remarketing
• Increased return visits

Best Practices

1. Set Appropriate Point Values

Balance incentive with list quality:

Point Value	Redemption Value	Best For
25-50 points	$0.25-$0.50	Standard incentive
50-100 points	$0.50-$1.00	Aggressive list building
100-200 points	$1.00-$2.00	Premium/luxury brands

Remember: Higher points = more subscribers, but ensure they're genuinely interested in your content.

2. Communicate the Value

Make newsletter benefits clear:

• What they'll receive: Product updates, exclusive deals, early access
• Frequency: How often you'll email (don't spam!)
• Immediate reward: Points credited instantly
• Ongoing value: Continue earning through other rules

3. Combine with Other Rules

Create a strong onboarding sequence:

New Customer Journey:
1. Sign up → 100 points (Signup Rule)
2. Subscribe to newsletter → 50 points (Newsletter Rule)
3. Purchase → 500 points (Order Rule)
───────────────────────────────────────
Total: 650 points = ~$6.50 value

Compliance & Privacy

Email Marketing Laws

Ensure compliance with:

• CAN-SPAM Act (US)
• GDPR (Europe)
• CASL (Canada)
• Other regional regulations

Best Practices

1. Clear opt-in: Make subscription choice obvious
2. Easy unsubscribe: Always provide unsubscribe option
3. Privacy notice: Link to your privacy policy
4. Consent records: System maintains consent audit trail
5. No pre-checked boxes: Require active consent

Unsubscribe Handling

Q: What happens to points if someone unsubscribes?

A: Customers keep their points even after unsubscribing. Points are a one-time reward for the initial subscription action.

Related Features

• Email Consent - Configure email marketing settings
• Customer Data - View subscription status
• Signup Earning Rule - Combine with account creation rewards
• Customer Email Notifications - Automated email communications

Summary

The Newsletter Earning Rule helps you:

Grow your email list with incentivized signups Increase loyalty engagement by rewarding subscriptions Capture customer attention at key touchpoints Build marketing database with permission-based contacts Track ROI of loyalty-driven email growth

A small point incentive can significantly boost newsletter signups while building a valuable marketing asset!