With social media, SEO, and other online systems dominating much of the digital marketing conversation in 2020, some businesses are wondering, “Is email marketing still relevant?” The answer is yes, email marketing is still far more relevant than many might assume. Provided are some statistics, as well as other evidence, outlining why email marketing is still effective in 2020.
What is email marketing?
As briefly mentioned in our last blog post on ways to increase website views, email marketing involves reaching consumers by promoting goods and services through the use of email. It isn’t limited to that simple definition, though. Email marketing has the opportunity to be more personal than other marketing methods.
It also gives businesses a chance to reach out to potential (and existing) customers, building relationships with personal messages. It’s also important to consider that email marketing has a higher ROI than social media, TV, radio, online ads, direct mail, trade shows, PR, telemarketing, and event sponsorship. Due to its cost efficiency, this method should not be neglected.
Below are 8 ways email why your business benefits from email marketing:
- There is a $38 return for every $1 spent.
According to Oberlo, email marketing tactics generate $38 for every $1 spent, This is an astounding 3,800% ROI. As mentioned above, email marketing has a higher ROI in general compared to other methods. Investing in email marketing is, as a result, the best bang for your buck. - You will reach a wide audience, given 92% of internet users have at least one email account.
This statistic, provided by Fourth Source, shows the advantage email marketing has over social media. Not everyone has a social media account, but far more people use email because of work, school, and/or personal purposes. If a brand is trying to reach a wide array of customers, email is one the best routes for doing so. - Your message intersects with consumer behavior as 99% of consumers use email every single day.
Not only are there more email accounts being used today, but users are opening their inbox daily to see what messages have come their way. This percentage, found on Hubspot, provides information about all demographics which should not be taken for granted. If brands are trying to find a personal way to reach their existing and potential customers, email campaigns are the way to go. - Your emails will receive a sense of urgency as 58% of consumers check their email before doing anything else online.
This astonishing percentage provided by OptinMonster shows marketers that email is an ever-present part of consumers’ lives today. If the target audience is checking their email before doing anything else on their devices, having a brand name present in their inbox is beneficial for the business. (And by creating valuable content, it should be beneficial for the reader as well!)
Now that we’ve established its current relevance, it’s important to think about these 4 additional reasons to implement email campaigns into your digital marketing practices.
- There is an opportunity to nurture customers.
By this, we mean there is an opportunity to help your audience move from being only a brand viewer to becoming a brand participant. For example, a retail company might decide to email customers who have abandoned their online shopping cart. They have it built into their website where someone must enter their email to become a “member”, and once they have your email address they send you a message prior to not purchasing the items left in your cart. This is effective because by simply reminding a customer through email of the products they left in their cart, it reminds them of your business and encourages them to take another look. - Email marketing builds credibility and brand awareness by being present in a customer’s inbox (but not too frequently).
This combination of credibility and awareness creates familiarity with potential customers, making them comfortable with a brand image. As a result, as one might assume, these new customers are more likely to get involved with the brand’s products and services. Best practice: ensure your email are aesthetically pleasing, easy to read, and designed with a polished, professional look that complements your other digital platforms. We can help. - An increase in website traffic occurs.
If a brand is looking for simple ways to get more people looking through their site, email campaigns are very effective. Email recipients simply have to click on an attachment or graphic in order to visit the brand site, and often will if the message seems valuable enough to them. Increasing website traffic is most effective by including promotions in emails, as well as advertising products, services, or classes that are of value to a target group of potential and existing customers. - Email marketing helps strengthen relationships with consumers.
A post on social media is promoted towards a less personal audience, but an email is sent to a specific customer– and often begins by addressing them by name. This personal, relationship-building aspect of email marketing is what gives it so much power.
The above-mentioned are some reasons why email marketing campaigns should not be overlooked in 2020. Any business or brand’s campaigns should be developed, improved, and given a lot of attention to building brand assurance with its customers.
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