Email marketing is still one of the best forms of online marketing out there, but it is fast becoming an overlooked tool by many marketers. Around 25% of lead generation, for example, still comes from email marketing campaigns which represents a greater ROI than that of leads generated through social media.
One of the reasons it is still such an effective tool is because email marketing has the ability to reach a specific client and speak to them in a personable way. Email marketing also has the ability to drive customers to your website or a landing page- all the while engaging them with your brand.
While the concept of email marketing is still sound, the problem today is that some marketers are not adapting to the changes brought about by the ever-evolving mobile market. According to a survey by Marketing Land over 58% of 1,100 email marketers said they were not designing their emails to render with the mobile market. Given the fact that mobile usage is increasing dramatically and is set to overtake desktop by the end of 2013 there is a massive opportunity being lost here.
We at Posner know the value email marketing can add to your business from the results we get for our clients on a daily basis. There is an enormous opportunity out there today for businesses to gain a competitive advantage by adopting an email strategy that is designed for both the mobile AND desktop market. While some people may question the relevancy of email marketing today, we highly recommend that it be incorporated into your online strategy.
A report by eMarketer in 2012, for instance, showed that email marketing was still a very effective tool for marketers because the click through rates were still above a level that is considered ‘good’- according to Google Adwords, a click-through rate of around 3% is considered to be effective. The example given below represents the click through rates for the Financial Services Industry, who boasted a click-through rate of around 5.4% at that time (over Q1 in 2012).
What is even more interesting from this report is that it highlights where these emails are being opened. The graphic below shows that in 2011 over 70% of emails were opened on Desktops with mobile around the 21%. mark. In 2013 around 50% of emails are opened on Desktops while 41% are now being opened on mobile devices.
With mobile trends set to overtake desktop by the end of 2013, businesses that adopt an ‘early worm’ policy by recognising the importance of the mobile market could a greater ROI.
Unfortunately what we are seeing for now is a correlation between the increase in the amount of people using mobile devices to open emails, and the lack of marketers who are designing their email campaigns with this in mind. How many times have you tried to open an email on your iPhone or Android and found that you can’t see it properly?
Another reason why email marketing is effective is because it is trusted and because people who open and click through your emails expect that you are trying to sell them something. We have found that clients respond very favourably in this regard to email campaigns. Adding links to your emails is also a great way to increase your SEO and drive your clients to a landing page or website, all the while increasing the length of time they are spending with your brand.
What the future holds for email marketing
The future of email marketing is bright. However, marketers need to realise the importance of mobile and the different rules that apply to the mobile market. The Interactive Service Team at Posner has helped many businesses optimize their marketing and advertising campaigns through a multitude of options for both mobile and desktop. We have found that if your email marketing strategy is not compatible with both mobile and desktop, the fact is that your click-through rates will take a massive drop. Aside from not reaching your audience, it also becomes difficult to evaluate a campaign’s true performance.
Designing an email marketing campaign
While there is no standalone tactic that ensures success with email marketing, our experience at Posner has found that it is important to look at each individual campaign and understand the purpose of the campaign. Instead of sending out a bunch of emails to your entire contact list hoping for success, you should ask yourself:
- Are you targeting the right demographic?
- What is it that you want people to do with the information you are sending them?
- How are they likely to respond to the information?
- And how are you encouraging a positive interaction with your brand through these emails?
The next thing to consider is whether the information can be accessed on all devices.
While it is important to constantly add new tools to your businesses marketing kit, it is just as important not to forget the ones that still work.
