2021 Email Marketing Statistics & Best Practices

On average, $38 is gained for every $1 spent on email marketing*.

That’s certainly an impressive ROI. Sure, we could dazzle you with colorful infographics and flocks of promises, however, just like with your company’s spend on any channel of marketing, you must be strategic in your approach and keep expectations incremental. As we all navigate the shifting foundations of our industry niches because of covid-19, often needing to pivot to virtual offerings and a tighter budget, we must always consider the end user and what the data is actually saying. More than ever, email marketing needs to be done strategically to succeed. No “winging it”!

Email Marketing Statistics 2020Bringing Your Brand to Users’ Inboxes

Your emails are an extension of your brand. In today’s world of automated emails, you must be careful not to exhaust your subscribers by inundating them with tone-deaf emails. Email cadence and content are different for every industry.

For example: Daily emails from a fashion brand may work well among subscribers, but daily emails from a retirement investment firm will likely cause subscribers to drop like flies. The value to subscribers of a fashion brand — offering sales, deals, in-stock notifications, etc. — is much more in line with daily or weekly touch points than investors who expect more of a set-it-and-forget-it method to their retirement plan. What and how you offer products & services to your audience is as important as your business itself, and you should always keep in mind what your customers need and what your prospects are looking for.

How does your email marketing measure up?

Measuring ROI is easier in some niches than others. Only about 30% of brands can measure the ROI of their email marketing with accuracy, but even if you aren’t selling something, you can and should still track conversions and interest.

Email marketing parallels what we find in the web design and UX design worlds: overall, simpler is better. Is yours? The more we ask users to “digest,” the higher the bounce rates will be. That’s not to say that complex emails and web pages aren’t sometimes needed, but it’s all about where and when — exactly where in the user journey or sales relationship a customer is at the time can make all the difference.

The good news is that for most industries, email engagement is on the rise from 2019 to 2020, with real estate and education topping the list.

Average Email Open & Click Rates by Industry

email marketing statistics for 2020

 

Average Email Bounce & Unsubscribe Rates by Industry

email marketing statistics for 2020 bounce rates

What’s your average email open rate?
How about your average click rate? Unsubscribe rate?

Ways to Improve Your Email Strategy

  • Segment your lists based on demographics, analytics, and previous interactions.
  • Include variable data to personalize emails as much as possible.
  • Don’t be afraid to do small-batch send-outs to focused subscribers who have high conversion tendencies.
  • Include A-B Testing into a long term strategy.
  • Utilize dynamic content based on user client and/or device.
  • Include latest UX strategies, design, and best practices.
  • Implement List-building strategies on an ongoing basis that offers value before and after sign-up.

*source for data: Litmus.com

 

See more about Email Marketing and how we can help.

 

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