The first marketing emails were sent in the late 1970s, when marketing executive Gary Sirk sent out hundreds of unsolicited emails promoting his company's computer products. More than 40 years have passed and a lot has changed. It is now common to send thousands of emails at once. Also, never send unsolicited email (if you do, please read goal #3 carefully).
Since its founding email marketing Several new marketing channels also emerged a few decades ago. Social media alone has exploded in popularity. But as 2025 approaches, email remains one of the most popular and effective ways to reach your audience.
If you're thinking about deleting your email to a new channel, don't. In fact, considering the ROI, if anything, you should consider how to use it more effectively.
To help you, we've created a list of goals you can set for 2024. Although many of these goals are basic, Email best practices These should be your priorities anyway, but some of them are related to trends. Many of the trends that shaped email marketing in 2023 will continue to play a large role in the new year. So even if you didn't take advantage of all the trends of the past year, you'll have another chance next year.
11 tips for email marketing in 2024:
1. Measure performance
Measuring the performance of your email campaigns isn’t just for 2024. That should be one of your goals every year. If you don't make time to crunch the numbers, you won't be able to set realistic goals for the rest of the year. This information can help you understand how your company stacks up against your competitors, as well as identify specific areas that need more attention.
here are some Important email benchmarks What you need to be aware of:
- Open rate
- click-through rate
- Click-to-open rate
- Unsubscribe rate
2. Know your audience better
We've written many times about how important it is to identify your target audience. Whether you're starting an online business from scratch or expanding your product range, the process often begins with determining your target audience.
But in 2024, make knowing your audience a priority. Be sure to not only know who they are, but also what excites them.
3. Become more transparent
In 2023, sustainability efforts have had a major impact on the retail industry. Consumers want to know the story behind their products and brands.
However, sustainability goes far beyond environmental impact. It also relates to social responsibility towards consumers. To understand why consumers value ethical marketing, look no further than the backlash Facebook received for choosing to maximize growth over the safety of its users.
This means you should always be transparent when it comes to email marketing. Don't try to get email addresses in a sneaky way. It's not worth it. You risk alienating your audience, damaging your brand, and being reported as spam.
Below are two practical examples. Use double opt-in and do not automatically mark the opt-in checkbox. It may be a hassle for your viewers, but if you would like to receive promotional materials, mark the box and ask her to confirm in your follow-up email. You can even take it a step further and let them specify the types of emails they want to receive. People who really want to receive your email newsletter won't care. And that's the real goal: building a loyal audience.
4. Accept UGC
One of the main benefits of using user-generated content (UGC) in your digital marketing campaign is that it helps your brand demonstrate that it's trustworthy. It's much easier for customers to trust your business and its services when they can see for themselves how other customers have interacted with your brand.
Not only is UGC free, but there are many easy ways to include it in your emails. So there's really no excuse not to embrace more UGC in 2024.
5. Utilization of AI
More and more retailers are implementing AI for tasks such as visual curation, customer engagement, and creating personalized shopping experiences. AI can also assist email marketers by analyzing data to predict subscriber behavior and trends. Some AI software solutions can also make suggestions on how to improve customer engagement.
If the technology exists, why not use it? Perhaps it's time for him to start working smarter in 2024.
6. Build in personalization
Email personalization was one of the major trends in email marketing last year and is expected to continue to play a major role in 2024. If you haven't taken advantage of this trend yet, you risk leaving your customers feeling undervalued. Additionally, customers have actually come to expect personalized customer experiences. Therefore, you cannot ignore it in the new year.
Here are some examples of how to incorporate this into your marketing strategy.
- Recommend products to specific segments of your list
- Use customer behavior, such as shopping cart abandonment, to trigger emails
- Please include recipient's name
7. Become more inclusive
The protests that marked 2020 meant that many companies prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in 2021. The role played by DEI Marketing campaigns and workplace recognition must be continually evaluated. A man pledging to fight cultural prejudice and discrimination should not stop at one statement.
Instead, you should focus on how diversity is represented in your marketing materials. Does your image represent everyone? Does your language use reinforce stereotypes? More than half of consumers surveyed in a Facebook-commissioned study say they prefer culturally complete people in online ads. respondents said they felt that they were not being represented. Furthermore, in the same study, 70% said they expect brands to promote diversity and inclusion in online advertising.
The challenge in promoting and communicating diversity is to strike the right balance. This can easily give the impression that you are trying too hard, which can make you feel uncomfortable. So make sure to stay smart.
Getting this right will not only give you peace of mind that you are part of the solution, but it will also help your brand benefit financially. When brands address representation in their marketing, customer loyalty improves and sales increase.almost 60% of consumers said they are more loyal to and prefer to buy from brands that promote diversity and inclusivity in online advertising.
8. Give more rewards
It is beneficial to include free content in your emails. In fact, a study conducted by Bluewire Media found that click-through rates were three times higher when free resources like templates were included.
So don't just use freebies as leads to grow your subscriber list. These types of resources are great for increasing engagement.
9. Send at the right time
Timing is very important when it comes to email marketing. Optimizing send times can have a significant impact on open rates, click-through rates, and revenue per subscriber. Online data shows that the best days to send marketing emails are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Overall, it's better to send on weekdays, but these two days in particular have the highest click-through and open rates.
Not only the day of the week but also the time is important. Generally, the best time to send marketing emails is when your subscribers usually take a break.
However, you should do your own testing to determine which days and times will produce the best results for your target audience. After all, the goal in 2024 is to find that sweet spot where your email appears at the top when your subscribers check your messages.
10. Organize your list
If you haven't deleted inactive subscribers in the past few years, it's time to clean up your act in 2024. In fact, your email list should ideally be updated twice a year.
Failure to do so may negatively impact email deliverability. Additionally, the metrics are not affected by subscribers whose email addresses may have changed, giving a more accurate picture.
If you want to remove inactive subscribers and update your subscriber list, we recommend sending a refund email first. It's worth a try. You might even get a few subscribers who want to stay on your list. Anyone who remains inactive after this re-engagement email should be removed from your list with a clear conscience.
11. Keep it simple!
The new year is the perfect time for decluttering. One area where you can remove unnecessary objects is email design. Minimalist design has become mainstream in recent years and will continue to be popular in the future.
Check colors, fonts, and layout. Do you have enough white space? These are all elements of your email template that you should re-evaluate in the new year.
FAQ
Are email newsletters important?
Email newsletters play an important role in a successful email marketing strategy. This helps brands share information that is important to their subscribers and can also be used to promote products or offer discounts. Sharing this type of content basically helps you build a stronger relationship with your subscribers. Email newsletters should be sent regularly. You can send as often as is convenient for you and your subscribers, but he recommends once a week.
What is email personalization?
Email personalization is when you use data you've already collected about your subscribers to target email campaigns to specific subscribers. The data available includes information such as the subscriber's name, products purchased, location, website activity, gender, and age. An example of personalization by simply adding the subscriber's name to the email subject line. It helps increase sales, improve customer experience and satisfaction, and increase brand loyalty.
How can you make your email marketing more inclusive?
First, it's important to work with a diverse team of email marketers, including the customers who make up your target audience. By working with a marketer who has a comprehensive understanding of your target audience, you'll be better able to craft an email newsletter that connects rather than offends. When creating email content, your goal is to create a sense of belonging for everyone. This means you need to speak to different types of users so that everyone feels welcome.
When should I remove inactive subscribers from my subscriber list?
Online data shows that the majority of marketers remove inactive subscribers from their email lists after 15 months. Ideally, you should always update your email list every six months by removing inactive or disengaged subscribers. Failure to do so may negatively impact email deliverability. However, before deleting, please send a reinstatement email first. This can get some subscribers interested in your email content again.
About the author
Writer
Koba Molenaar brings nearly a decade of rich experience in content creation, specializing in digital marketing, branding, SaaS, and e-commerce. Her passion for helping brands connect with their audiences shines through her work, from solopreneurs to established businesses. As a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, Koba's commitment to excellence is evident in her work and makes her an approachable and knowledgeable voice within the industry.
