Email has become a ubiquitous communication platform, and marketers have jumped on it to reach their target audiences. Most brands understand that an email marketing strategy is important. But many don't understand the mindset of today's smart buyers, who aren't impressed by a one-size-fits-all approach.
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As internet technology and email access migrate to new devices and standards, businesses must update and optimize their email marketing strategies to keep up.
The future of email marketing
According to Statista, there will be 4.6 billion email users worldwide by 2025. Communication media is a natural choice for brands that want to reach their target customers directly. However, attracting the attention of qualified leads is not easy. Content must strike a delicate balance between sharing valuable information and driving people to your brand.
“The key is to properly manage email content that is educational and provides useful information and promotional emails that connect readers to products and services,” says Crystal Sheffield, strategic content storyteller at Crystal Clear Storytting. – Baird explains. “Too much promotion and people will unsubscribe. If there's not enough, people will forget what your business is about and won't become customers.”
Brands need a personalized approach to attract consumers and must embrace technological advancements to maximize conversions. Consider the following email marketing trends and predictions to create an effective email marketing strategy that attracts consumers, generate leads, and increases brand awareness.
1. Machine learning, AI, and cloud technology will change the way we think about email marketing.
As in most industries, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing are changing the email marketing landscape, enabling marketing automation to tailor messages to audiences based on customer data. I am.
- Machine learning and email marketing. Email marketing has evolved into tailor-made recommendations for the exact products consumers need. Machine learning algorithms generate personalized marketing based on a consumer's previous searches. Personalization increases engagement and increases the likelihood of conversion.
- AI and email marketing. Kent Lewis, president and founder of Anvil Media, said AI “brings new and improved capabilities to email marketing,” ensuring campaigns comply with privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and helping small and medium-sized businesses. He said it would give business owners the tools to create email campaigns. Huge budget. “AI will automate and improve many aspects of email planning and management,” Lewis said. “For example, AI will be able to quickly perform A/B and multivariate tests that were previously complex and time-consuming.” Lewis said AI can understand predictive behavior, optimize send times, and We explained that it helps you personalize your message even more.
- Cloud computing and email marketing. Stacey Caprio, owner of Her.CEO, says technologies such as cloud-based computing are playing a role in email marketing. Service providers like Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), Zoho Campaigns, and Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) are industry changers, and Caprio He believes it will ultimately “lower costs for everyone.” business needs.
The benefits of email marketing include high ROI, reaching a wide audience, and strengthening relationships with your customers.
2. Personalization is very important in email marketing.
Whether your email marketing strategy targets individuals or other businesses, one thing is for sure. That is, people want to feel that their specific needs and interests are being met. People tend to delete emails that are overly promotional or irrelevant to their interests. We may also mark these messages as spam.
Here's some expert advice on personalizing your email marketing messages.
- Personalization is more than a name. Personalization means more than adding the recipient's name. Jakub Kliszczak, head of marketing at YouTube channel Ali Abdaal, advises, “People open and respond to personalized emails, but just including your name and company isn't enough.” Masu. “Taking the next step and personalizing emails based on his recently visited websites, things he likes, things he's done recently is much more powerful. This familiarity breeds trust, especially in today's world. That’s the key to building a relationship.”
- Hyper-personalization is the future. Olga Mykhoparkina, founder of B2B software company Quoleady, says hyper-personalization is the future of email marketing. Email Her While marketers are already focused on segmenting customers based on general demographic and psychographic data, Mikopalkina says most marketers are still focused on segmenting customers based on general demographic and psychographic data, but most marketers still use I believe we can do more. “No matter how segmented your list is, you can always go one step further and personalize your emails even more,” Mikopalkina said. Mykhoparkina suggests adding steps to her email opt-in process, such as asking subscribers what kind of content they want to receive. Taking the extra steps may reduce signups, but you'll get more engaged subscribers.
3. Interactive emails make it easier to bridge the gap to sales.
Currently, email services are typically limited to specific applications or web addresses. However, email marketing experts believe that more interactive emails will take the industry by storm.
For example, you might be able to see email that looks and behaves like a miniature web experience. With features like engaging video content, interactive calls to action, and instant messaging within the email, your email marketing materials can become a portal to your products and services for your customers.
“The more interactive you can make something, the more people are excited to use it,” explains Zarar Ameen, CEO of CANZ Marketing. “There's a lot of room for growth in email marketing from an interactivity standpoint.”
Interactive emails can increase customer engagement and click-through rates, ultimately converting more customers. Lewis says that by combining interactive components with his AI technology, he can “dynamically incorporate user-generated content into emails, create more compelling storytelling, and increase read and engagement rates.” It can be improved.”
Engaging CTAs can improve your marketing return on investment (ROI) by increasing the number of qualified leads in your sales funnel while nurturing existing leads with new and engaging content.
4. Engaging storytelling drives email marketing.
Everyone loves a good story. If your small business has it, email her marketer should share it. Business Insider technology reporter Tasmin Lockwood says customers want to strengthen their relationship with brands, and email newsletters are a great way to do that.
Sending a newsletter helps consumers connect with your business. “[Newsletters] It can give you insight into your people, culture, social awareness and future plans,” Lockwood explained. “As a result, customers feel like they are traveling with the company.”
Lockwood says email newsletters don't have to be just about your business. Share industry news, tips, and sound advice and brand yourself as an expert source. “This allows us to keep existing customers in the funnel, provide value-added content for new prospects, and typically keep them engaged without having to visit your site.” ” Lockwood said.
5. User-generated content will become more common in marketing emails.
Customers are more likely to purchase products recommended by others. Including user-generated content in your marketing emails can demonstrate that people are actually buying what you're selling. More importantly, show consumers that they enjoy your product enough to share it with the world.
To get high-quality user-generated content, set up a system that automatically sends emails to customers to leave a review with a photo after they make a purchase. You can include these reviews and photos in emails to potential customers. Free email is a great form of marketing because you don't have to pay extra for this content.
Responding to online reviews, both good and bad, is an important way to solidify your business's reputation and show that you value your customers.
6. Data privacy is of paramount importance.
Data privacy regulations such as GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act reflect growing customer concerns about data privacy. This trend will continue to gain momentum.
Addressing customer privacy concerns is as simple as stating that your emails are compliant with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance and GDPR standards. We are also required to send you an email each time we change our Privacy Terms. These updates and all emails must come with an opportunity to opt out. This allows customers to unsubscribe and protect their information if they feel uncomfortable with how their data is being handled.
