Despite email alert systems having a large reach, email can be a difficult platform to spread awareness. BETA partnered with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to find ways of boosting the impact of an email alert system. We applied behavioural insights to the email design to bolster its effects, and tested these different design aspects using a randomised controlled trial. Subscribers were randomly assigned to receive an alert with one or more of our new design features (or a business-as-usual alert with the standard branding). We trialled two new behaviourally informed design features: salient icons at the top of the page designed to give readers information about the urgency or action required at a glance, and a banner calling upon users to share the alert with their contacts. We found including icons increased email open rates and interaction with the alert, and encouraging subscribers to share the alert with others increased forwarding rates.

This is part of a series of reports on applying behavioural insights to improve cyber security advice for individuals and small businesses in Australia.