Nobody was more surprised than I to read in a respected news outlet that email was the “hot” new marketing trend for 2019. The email itself has been around since the 70s, and the first marketing email was sent in 1978, so why was email being bandied about in the media as if it was brand new?
Recent trends in marketing and communications have seen marketers focus more on new channels such as social media, search, display advertising, and other digital routes. This means that email has not been at the forefront of the “cutting edge”, but it is still far from being outdated and has definitely not been underused.
There are 3.81 billion email users worldwide, which is about half the world’s population and also double the number of active Facebook users. A Statista report shows that 269 billion emails were sent each day in 2017. In fact, according to an Adobe Campaigns survey, 61% of consumers would rather receive communications from brands through email versus any other channel. Email is still a highly relevant and active channel for organisations to communicate with their customers and clients.
ROI with email is incredibly high compared to other channels. Costs are low and engagement rates are relatively high. For example, average engagement rates for posts on the big three social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) is 0.6%, whereas average open rates across industries for email is 22%.
What marketers should be focusing on is using email as part of their overall digital strategy and tying this into social media marketing and other online activity. A multi-channel approach will always achieve the best results. Getting across the right message, at the right time, on the right channel is the best way to result in high engagement rates and ultimately conversion rates. Using email as a mainstay of that multi-channel approach is a tactic of the best marketing campaigns.
Email marketing works best when personalised and when lists have been segmented to narrowly target specific sections with the right message. The sender then needs to consider the best time of day to send depending on the audience, product/service, and seasonal activity. Content should also add value and be engaging to increase open and conversion rates. The regularity of sends should also be considered to ensure your brand doesn’t become too “spammy” whilst also not leaving too much time between sends to avoid the risk of losing engagement.
Email is still 100% relevant and if contact data is available this should be utilised to help achieve your marketing objectives and business goals.
If you need help with your email marketing please do not hesitate to get in touch today on 01484 637 980 or email roar@wild-pr.co.uk.