We’ve all been inundated with pesky spam emails every day, but still email has become a standard communication method since its introduction in 1993. And, it hasn’t become the standard by being just important for internal business communications, but for consumers and marketers alike.
THE SHIFT
Think back to the last time you opened your inbox and had to filter through a few dozen spam emails. Irritating right? But there’s a shift taking place. Stricter laws and better spam filters have actually started to change the game. And with that change the perception of email by consumers has increased the effectiveness of email marketing.
It’s interesting to point out that almost 70% of marketers rely on email marketing campaigns as a crucial part of their overall marketing strategy. So why the shift? The answer is trust. Over 70% consumers prefer email marketing. And it’s because they’ve asked you to communicate your products or services to them. Having a solicited email list can connect your brand to customers in a much more effective way than through unsolicited methods.
OPTIMIZING FOR MOBILE DEVICES
Along with the rise of email has also come the rise of mobile devices. Mobile devices have become and integral part of our culture, a culture that seems to covet multitasking and busy lifestyles more and more. The reason being mobile friendly is so crucial to your email strategy is because of the increasing popularity of smartphones.
Mobile devices are no longer secondary devices when it comes to consumer research preferences, and more than half of emails are opened on smart devices. The importance of having a mobile friendly email campaign has never been more important and as highlighted by consumer metrics can be a blessing or your downfall when it comes to your email marketing strategy.
What you’re missing by ignoring the market demand for mobile friendly formats could be as much as 70% of your target audience.
OPTIMIZE YOUR TIMING
One thing that is consistent across all industries though i
s that roughly 75% of all emails are opened the day they are sent.
Now just because there is a high percentage for emails being opened the day they are sent doesn’t mean that three quarters of all your emails will be opened. This is why knowing your audience is crucial when it comes to timing. Avoiding the ‘mass flood’ can be a major benefit to capturing your customers attention.
It’s been shown that it’s more likely that you’ll increase your open rate by launching your email campaign around the middle of the day instead of early morning or late in the afternoon. The reason is really quite logical. Most people purge their inboxes in the morning and what’s left at the end of the day is likely to be purged the following morning.
… SO HERE’S THE GIST
Email is here to stay and consumers and marketers know this. The trust consumers are placing in marketers is increasing due to more respect for their preferences through opt-in and unsubscribe features and the accessibility that mobile devices have created. This is what sets email apart from almost every other marketing method.
Check back next month if you’re one of the business owners that understands ‘Why’ email marketing is becoming so critical for your marketing strategy but doesn’t understand the ‘How’. We’ll be covering some best practices to consider when crafting your perfect email campaign.
