Email Marketing: A Core Pillar of Modern Marketing
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Though we’ve seen the rise of social media and video content, email marketing remains one of the most effective ways for brands to communicate directly with their audience.
After all, research estimates that 376.4 billion emails are sent every day. This format isn’t going anywhere soon!
Sure, emails look different today and email marketing tactics have evolved, but email has retained its value because it’s measurable and highly adaptable. When used well, it supports awareness, engagement, and conversion across the entire customer journey.
Here’s everything you need to know about email marketing, as part of our How to Explain Marketing series.
What Is Email Marketing?
At its simplest, email marketing is the use of email to share relevant messages with people who have opted in to hear from a brand.
These messages may have a range of purposes, such as to inform, educate, promote, or nurture.
Unlike channels and social media platforms driven by algorithms, email gives businesses direct access to their audience and control over how and when messages are delivered. Plus, customers can opt out whenever they feel like it.
Why Email Marketing Still Matters
Email plays a unique role within the wider marketing ecosystem. It helps bridge the gap between discovery and long-term loyalty by connecting with other channels, such as blog content, social media, and paid campaigns.
Some key advantages of email marketing include:
- Building ongoing relationships with customers over time
- Driving traffic back to websites, content hubs, or online stores
- Segmenting audiences based on behaviour and preferences
- Testing subject lines and calls to action to improve performance (A/B testing)
Another huge bonus is that email activity can be tracked in detail. This means you get insights into what resonates with an audience.
The main metrics to track include open rates and clicks, which allow marketers to refine campaigns and make informed decisions.
Common Types of Email Marketing
Not all emails are the same!
Yes, that’s right. Though they arrive in the same inbox, email marketing can be divided into a collection of formats designed to support different goals.
Understanding when to use each type is essential for creating a balanced strategy, so here’s a whistle-stop tour of the main ones.
1. Welcome Emails
These emails welcome new subscribers and encourage them to learn more about your product or service.
They often include a trial, discount, or another kind of promotional offer to introduce recipients to your business.
2. Newsletter Emails
Newsletters are a blast of information.
They keep audiences informed, highlighting new products, services, articles, blogs, or customer reviews.
While mainly informative, they usually include a call to action to guide readers to further content or purchases.
3. Lead Nurturing Emails
Lead nurturing emails guide specific audience segments from awareness to consideration and, eventually, to purchase.
They provide additional information (such as links to blogs or knowledge hubs) or relevant promotions to build interest. Think of them as a gentle reminder of how your company can deliver the products and services your audience needs.
4. Confirmation Emails
Confirmation emails reassure users that their sign-up or purchase has been received. They may also include instructions for next steps or additional engagement opportunities.
Pro Tip: These might seem less significant than other emails, but confirmation emails build trust with your customers.
Without them, customers might panic after making a purchase. More communication is always better than dead silence!
5. Personalised Emails
Personalised (or dedicated) emails target a specific portion of your list, such as recent buyers or inactive subscribers. This allows for more personalised and relevant messaging.
For example, you could send out an exclusive discount to inactive subscribers to catch their attention.
6. Invite Emails
Invite emails announce events or product launches. They encourage participation and engagement with something limited or time-sensitive.
7. Promotional Emails or Offers
Promotional emails drive awareness or immediate action, often highlighting sales, new products, or limited-time offers. These are the type of emails you’ll see around Black Friday sales, for example.
8. Survey Emails
Survey emails collect feedback from customers, showing that their opinion is valued.
While not the most engaging type of email, any insights gathered can improve services and the overall customer experience.
9. Seasonal Marketing Emails
As the name suggests, seasonal emails are tied to holidays or special occasions. These often provide a holiday message, before promoting relevant products and offers. Christmas emails are a great example of this.
Common Email Marketing Challenges
While email marketing is highly effective, like any other strategy, it comes with challenges.
For example, no matter your industry, inbox competition is high and poorly targeted or frequent emails can lead to disengagement.
Email design may even vary across devices, so that one email template your team has spent hours perfecting might not arrive as you want it to.
Lastly, maintaining trust through relevant content and compliance with data protection regulations is essential for long-term success. Make sure you look at your local regulations, such as the GDPR.
Last Thoughts
Email marketing remains a flexible and reliable way to communicate with your audience.
When used strategically, it strengthens relationships, supports growth, and ensures you stay relevant, even when your audience is bombarded with adverts on social media and in the real world.
Unsure where to start? Compare the last few emails you’ve received to the main categories in this article. Look at what works and what doesn’t, and see how different brands use email to communicate.
Or hand over the job to the experts. Re:View Creative is here to help with email strategy and design.
