The average person receives 100 to 120 emails per day and deletes over 60% of these messages without opening them. Considering these stats, you might be wondering if email marketing is still effective. The answer is a resounding “yes!” Studies show that email marketing continues to yield the highest return on investment (ROI) among marketing channels – for every $1 you spend on email marketing, the average expected ROI is $43. It also has the highest conversion rate (66%) for purchases made in response to promotional messages.

But wait, isn’t social media the new marketing wunderkind? Not for every objective. In fact, compared with social media, email is considered to be 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers. (Now, that’s something to Tweet about!) Of course, both email and social media have their strengths and weaknesses, so most experts agree that a successful marketing strategy requires both.

The primary benefit of email marketing is control. It allows you to reach a targeted audience with the most relevant information at a specific time. So, whether you’re communicating special offers, updates, reminders, news or other brand information, email allows you to reach your audience directly through their inbox at the optimal moment.

5 More Reasons Email Marketing is Crucial to Your Content Strategy

In addition to being a cost-effective way to get proven results, email marketing is:

1. Easy to implement.

With the help of email automation software, you can run email campaigns 24/7 without your direct involvement.

2. Highly personal.

Email lets you personalize messages in ways that social media or other forms of advertising cannot – especially when you employ email automation software which provides deep insights into your customers and allows you to create content that is relevant to your audience’s interests and shopping habits. When you connect with customers on a personal level you’ll increase both engagement and retention.

3. Flexible.

Email allows you to tailor your messages in many different formats from newsletters and invitations to promotions and updates, or just a quick note to stay in touch.

4. Measurable

Unlike many traditional marketing methods, email marketing is highly measurable. You can track key metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, allowing you to gauge the effectiveness of campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve future campaigns.

5. A traffic driver.

By including links to your website, emails can encourage recipients to click through and visit the website, increasing traffic and engagement, and ultimately leading to more conversions. You might include a link to your latest blog, a new product page, or a promotional offer found on your website.

Of course, emails also integrate seamlessly with your other marketing channels, such as social media, webinars, and content marketing. Be sure to include clickable social media icons on your email’s footers and embed your social media posts to boost awareness.

How to Make Your Emails Stand Out

While email marketing is a highly effective tool, not all campaigns are created equal. As mentioned, our inboxes are filling up faster than the latest iPhone sells out. And statistics show that nearly 85% of all emails are spam – that’s 122.33 billion messages globally that are considered digital junk mail! The good news is there are 4 billion daily email users and a whopping 99% of email users check their inbox every day, with some checking 20 times a day!

The key is to make your emails stand out in a crowded inbox with the following strategies:

Get personal – The days of generic email blasts are over. Personalized messages are the best way to cut through the clutter. Today’s consumers expect companies to know who they are, what they like, and provide them with content that is meaningful to them. Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. Thankfully, creating highly targeted, personalized emails is easier than ever with email marketing automation tools. These tools also provide important analytics and help you make data-driven adjustments to finetune campaigns.

Keep it short and pertinent – Your audience has a 10-15 second attention span, which equates to approximately 300 words. So, it’s important to grab their attention and keep them engaged with concise messages that get to the point quickly.

Get interactive – Studies show emails that contain videos, infographics, GIFs. and other interactive formats have higher open rates.

Make your subject line work hard – Emails with subject lines that are catchy, concise, and straightforward or ask questions that pique your reader’s curiosity are more likely to be opened and read.

Include a call-to-action (CTA) – Emails that compel your audience to take action are more effective than those that simply provide information. Be sure to include a “Buy Now” or “Learn More” button that takes readers to a specific landing page. Another effective strategy is offering a discount to readers who click your CTA. Make your CTA buttons stand out with contrasting or bright colors.

Provide value – Make sure your emails offer something valuable to your recipients. The more value you can provide in your email campaigns, the more your recipients will look forward to receiving and opening your messages. It could be content that addresses their pain points and helps them solve a problem or makes something easier, such as a step-by-step instructional video, a product guide, or answers to common questions. Value might also come in the form of exclusive offers or invitations to events. Begin by asking what matters to your audience.

Make them mobile friendly – According to research, the majority of email views come from mobile devices (41%) and 46% of smartphone users prefer to receive communications from businesses via email. This means your emails must be optimized for mobile devices.

In Conclusion

While there may be newer and sexier digital marketing strategies, email marketing continues to outperform the competition. And in case you’re thinking that emails are only popular among Baby Boomers, think again. The majority (73%) of Millennials prefer communicating with a brand through email versus any other medium. What’s more, 59% of respondents in a recent survey said marketing emails influence their purchase decisions.

In short, emails can help you achieve a long list of marketing goals. How will you take advantage of this powerful marketing tool in 2023?