When carving out your place as a leader in the marketing field, it’s critical that you know when to drop outdated techniques in favor of up-and-coming ones. Doing so prematurely, however, could be catastrophic. Within the last few years, some experts have predicted that email campaigns, for instance, are on their way out. On the contrary, research suggests that email marketing could still be one of your greatest assets in 2021 if you leverage it properly.
Email Marketing Stats
Data analysis of the consumer response to email campaigns in recent years indicates that email marketing has become increasingly effective for companies in a wide range of industries. While this strategy clearly reached a low point in late 2019, the pandemic impacted the public in such a way that people are now more responsive to the messages they receive in their inboxes. In fact, email marketers saw an overall improvement in the rates at which recipients opened and clicked through emails, especially those messages involving small businesses. Notably, consumers responded with the most vivacity to businesses that sent out weekly emails versus those that sent out monthly or bi-monthly messages.
Email Marketing Benefits
Reaching consumers over email offers multiple advantages that other platforms do not:
- Prompt Communication: Rather than posting a message or advertisement on social media and waiting for the right people to see it, you can reliably drop information directly into people’s inboxes so it is accessible almost immediately.
- Personalization: Marketers have the ability to collect a great deal of data about consumers which they can then use to send highly personalized dispatches.
- Trustworthiness: People feel more secure when they can choose whether or not to remain on your mailing list. Additionally, readers tend to see email as more fact-based than social media.
Email Marketing Best Practices for 2021
When it comes to maximizing the profitability of your email marketing approach in 2021, the best practices to keep on your radar may focus on either content design or consumer interaction.
Best Practices for Content Design
- Keep Designs Up to Date: Modifying the overall look of your emails not only keeps them fresh and interesting for readers, but it also gives you a chance to adapt to changing user interfaces. Make sure your messages are compatible with smartphones, for instance.
- Make It Colorful: Color has the potential to encourage customers to click through your emails, as well as to purchase highlighted products. Be sure to consider color schemes carefully, as certain shades impact people’s moods differently.
- Opt for Simplicity: While color certainly has its place in the world of email marketing, minimalism does, too. Try formatting your dispatches like a personal letter you would send to a friend.
- Add Content Generated by Users: Whether you collect customers’ written testimonials, video tutorials, or before-and-after photos, find ways to share these experiences with prospective patrons. This may help newcomers feel more confident about investing in your products.
Include Interactive Elements: When consumers are quickly skimming through an email, they may not be willing to leave the page to take the next steps. You can eliminate this barrier by utilizing accelerated mobile pages that allow readers to browse merchandise and perform other actions all while staying on the email page.
Best Practices for Consumer Interaction
- Prioritize Privacy: Both to avoid legal issues and to earn consumers’ trust, it’s critical that you keep users informed about where their personal data is going, as well as how they can opt out of their subscription.
- Try Drip Campaigns: Rather than sending out emails based on your schedule, try doing so in response to customers’ actions. When patrons leave something in their cart, explore a new product line, or first subscribe to your email list, it’s a good idea to send a couple of messages their way.
- Personalize, Personalize, Personalize: Make sure your dispatches accurately line up with customers’ profiles. To collect and organize data more efficiently, you could utilize segmentation techniques and explore the latest AI technology.
- Adjust Your Budget: Don’t be tempted to cut your email marketing budget in favor of social media campaigns. Research suggests that email marketing offers a whopping 4200% ROI, making every added dollar worthwhile.
Are you looking to beef up your approach to 2021 email marketing? At ScaledOn, our team of experts helps businesses in various industries to grow in areas such as search engine optimization, Google analytics, and E-commerce sales. Give us a call today at (603) 392-7004 to learn more.