Email marketing is here to stay
We have all heard mixed reports about consumer habits changing regarding email according to Adobe's findings, the overall number of hours consumers spend on email each day decreased 27 percent from last year.
So, should we all be freaking out? Does the fact that people are finding balance and spending less time reading email mean email marketing will become less effective over time?
We don't think so.
The good news for email marketers
Firstly, there has been a downturn in people checking email overall, everyone's favorite demographic to name-drop (millennials) love it more than ever. According to recent reports, more than half of 18-24 year olds still check their email first thing in the morning and 43% of millennials aged 25-34 admit to doing the same.
Plus, according to recent reports 47% of marketers report that email generates the greatest return on investment for their business, and 58% plan to increase spending on email marketing in 2018.
The fact remains that despite all the rapidly shifting trends in technology, email remains a cornerstone for many channels: You need an email address to even sign up for most services, including social media accounts. Because of its eminence in the digital space, because it continues to drive incredible ROI for businesses, and because it remains a channel consumers want to use to hear from brands, we don’t believe email is losing momentum at all.
Things that were supposed to kill email as a channel altogether
- Spam: When email first started becoming a go-to communication method, something else came with it: spam. Everyone started getting inundated and people thought the inbox would be forever lost. But despite the fact that spammers now send around 100 billion unwanted emails, modern spam filters mean we rarely (if ever) see them.
- SMS: Even though people are most definitely attached to their phones, SMS marketing is not for every business.The reason: Texting is seen as a personal communication platform, so while it works for some brands it is not for everyone.
- Social media: This was perceived as a huge scare in the email marketing world: The insane popularity of social media must mean a certain death for email, right? Wrong. The two coexist quite harmoniously and can actually support one another in some interesting ways.
Why email marketing has stuck around and will continue to do so
Despite all the worry over the years, email isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, according to a recent Adobe report, a whopping 61% of people now prefer to be contacted by businesses via email – a 24% increase year-over-year.
Why?
- It’s personal. Smart email marketing tools like automation, segmentation, and dynamic content allow you to send relevant messages to your intended audience. Marketers report seeing an average increase of 20% in sales.
- It’s cost-effective. Unlike many other marketing methods, bulk email is incredibly affordable and boasts an astounding
- It’s measurable. Email generates easily trackable and measurable results.
Plus, email just works. It’s open. It’s user-friendly. It’s mobile friendly.
We’re all addicted to it and it's certainly here to stay.