State of Email - 2024 Email Marketing Predictions

A new year brings new email trends! Working in a constantly evolving industry requires keeping a finger on the pulse. This is especially true after an eventful year of AI updates, BIMI advancements, Apple’s Link Tracking Protection, and record email volumes.

Are you prepared for 2024?

We watched the State of Email with Guy Hanson to learn more about email trends we’ll see in 2024—and how to prepare.

Validity's Email Analytics

• Email remains a high performer in terms of return on investment.

• Many increase email campaigns towards year-end to boost conversions.

• Caution: Increased volume can lead to neglect of best practices, risking inbox rejection.

• Common issue: Sending emails to non-existent addresses.

• Solution: Utilize an email list validation service before ramping up volume.

• Action Step: Remove unknown or invalid addresses from the list.

• Recommendation: Enhance segmentation criteria based on the recent engagement history of the email addresses.

• Increasing email volume often leads to hitting Spam Traps.

• A rise in recycled and pristine traps indicates issues with sunset policy or segmentation.

• Sending to non-engaged addresses is a common problem in such cases.

• This scenario is a definite indicator that the email volume strategy needs reassessment.

• Mailbox providers analyze all available data about senders and their messages to establish a sender reputation.

• Each mailbox provider operates independently in evaluating sender reputations.

• A positive sender reputation enhances email deliverability, ensuring messages are accepted and likely delivered to the inbox.

• Monitoring email rejection metrics is crucial as it directly reflects how mailbox providers perceive and treat your messages.

• Increased email rejections suggest a potential decline in the sender reputation.

• Increased email volume typically results in more complaints.

• In December, a noticeable decrease in complaints is observed.

• Possible reasons for fewer complaints in December:

• People may be more lenient due to the holiday spirit.

• Reduced email checking frequency during the holiday season.

• Higher likelihood of people being away and less engaged with emails.

• Inbox goes down in November/December

• Missing rates (waiting for a message that never arrived) go up in those same months

What Predictions Can We Make From This Data?

Email Value Is Going Up!

• Rapid Growth in Users: From just 55 million email users worldwide in 1997, we're expecting an astonishing rise to 4.73 billion by 2026, according to Statista.

• Increasing Email Volume: Daily global email volume is projected to swell from 306 billion in 2022 to over 393 billion by 2026, as per Radicati's findings.

• Rising Email Revenue: The global email marketing sector, valued at $9.2 billion in 2022, is set to soar to $26.7 billion by 2028, reports Market Growth Reports.

About 15% of global email volume constitutes personal emails. The remaining 85% is commercial, with approximately two-thirds of these being unsolicited. However, when we analyze the 100 billion permission marketing emails sent daily and compare them with the revenue figures, we find an average value of 12.9 cents per email. This figure is expected to increase to around 17 cents by 2026.

Four Key Reasons Behind the Growth

1. New Privacy Laws: Robust consent and greater transparency are having a positive effect on marketing efforts.

2. New Email Standards: Regulations introduced by Yahoo and Gmail are set to boost subscriber trust significantly.

3. Advancements in AI: The ability to send more effective triggered emails is a major revenue driver, aiding in one-to-one hyper-personalization.

4. Shift in Ad Spend Due to 3rd Party Cookie Restrictions: With Google Chrome planning to ramp up restrictions on 3rd party cookies, there's a likely shift in ad spending from search ads to email marketing.

VIP Treatment Is the New Personalization 

• Identifying VIP Subscribers: Understanding what elevates a subscriber to VIP status is pivotal. Assess whether your email program is finely attuned to the unique needs and behaviours of these valued customers.

• Loyalty Through Experiences: Consider the foundation of your subscribers' loyalty. Often, it's rooted in the great experiences they've had with your brand. Enhance this connection by offering engaging experiences that deepen their commitment.

• Engagement-Boosting Strategies: Interactive experiences, such as scratch-offs, have been proven to ramp up engagement. Hickory Farm recently created a lot of engagement with a scratch-off campaign. You can also use experiences instead of discounts.

• Data-Driven Personalization: Employ preference centre data to personalize communications effectively. Quality data is essential to understand customer behaviour, anticipate their next purchase, and suggest complementary items that show you're paying attention to their likes.

• Intelligent Segmentation: Group customers by their preferences and purchase history. For instance, if a segment predominantly buys shoes, tailor your emails to feature footwear. Similarly, respect lifestyle choices by not sending a vegan client advertisements for steak.

• Communication Is Key: Maintain regular communication with your customers to stay informed about their preferences. This consistent engagement not only provides valuable insights but also reinforces their VIP status.

Accessibility Standards Awareness Increases

Validity predicts and hopes that marketers will increase accessibility awareness and functionality for their email programs.

They think marketers will become increasingly aware of accessibility standards in 2024, and develop a holistic accessibility strategy for email by:

1. Investing in robust accessibility tools

2. Soliciting feedback directly from subscribers

3. Establishing a standard operating procedure for accessibility quality assurance for email campaigns

4. Sourcing technology and consultants that specialize in improving accessibility in marketing channels

5. Working across teams to ensure cross-channel accessibility

Email Will Get Political

This year 70 nations including Namibia will be having elections! This will touch email in a big way! We will need to:

Monitor customer behavior

• Understand the impact of increased political and economic uncertainty on engagement

Understand customer expectations

• Will your target audience expect your brand to make a clear stand on political issues, or to stay out of the conversation?

Stay on brand

• Now is not the time to change your message to be relevant to the election.

Be flexible and willing to pivot

• Incorporate trendspotting and social listening into campaign planning. Be aware of – and responsive to key political events and dates.

Bulk Senders Prepare For Yahoo and Gmail Updates

As we step into February 2024, significant changes in email authentication practices are on the horizon, especially for those using Gmail and Yahoo. Understanding these changes is crucial for businesses and email marketers aiming to maintain high deliverability and a strong sender reputation.

Definition of a Bulk Sender

• 5000 messages per day to Gmail accounts

Authentication for sending domain

• Required: SPF, DKIM and now DMARC

• DMARC policy can be set to “none”

Easy Unsubscribe

• Bulk senders must have One-Click List Unsubscribe

• Visible opt-out link in the message body

Spam Complaints Threshold 0.3%

• Gmail: Use Postmaster Tools

• Yahoo: Use FBL data

Validity feels this could lead to a "report illegal content button" or a "mass unsubscribe" button.

Minimalist Email Design

Targeted Marketing

• Using segments created from preference centres and shopping habits, design shorter and more targeted emails

Quicker Browsing

• No more long scrolling emails with every possible product, keep it simple and encourage quick click-throughs to the website

Better Designs

• Minimal designs are cleaner and easier to see on all devices

Clearly Defined Purpose

• What is the goal of your email? Minimally designing an email means better planning and a clear strategy

Huge rise in e-receipts to combat waste

• France has banned the use of paper receipts.

• V5 Digital has you covered with SmartSlip™.

• Or you could use, email, QR codes, or SMS.

Artificial Intelligence Will Eat Itself

Cycle of Inputs

• If AI relies on itself for fresh inputs, we're missing the mark. Remain (or get) personal with customers to fuel your AI data, and use it wisely

AI & Laziness Become Synonymous

• AI has become lazy! Use it for ideas and inspiration but utilize subscriber data to enhance content and engagement

Go with what you know

• Conduct A/B testing, use preference centre data, lean on things you know that spark the interest of your subscribers

Keep it legal

• Watch for new laws that will encourage transparency when AI is used. Ensure you're staying within boundaries to avoid potentially costly fines

Stay on brand

• Subscribers (and mailbox providers) expect brand consistency, which fosters trust in the legitimacy of your messages

Focus on Sustainable Email Marketing

Marketers will put sustainability at the forefront of email communications to:

• Align with consumer values and retain customers

• Achieve business and government objectives

• Stay competitive and retain customers

So making your email campaigns more efficient can help the planet!

If a customer can choose between two brands why would they choose the one with a lesser commitment to our environment?

Back to Basics

MarTech Reduction

• Brands are reducing their MarTech stacks, and only the most critical solutions remain

Email Program Audits

• Infrastructure, triggers, etc. will be up for review

Retention vs Growth

• More focus on keeping loyal customers over increasing file size

Email "plus"

• Due to staffing cuts email marketers now have SMS and social channel responsibility. This could lead to more seamless customer experiences across channels

Automation & Efficiency

• Brands looking to maximize spend and do more with less. (e.g. use of AI and no-code platforms)

Where is the Next Big Email Provider?

MAGY – Microsoft, AOL, Gmail, Yahoo

• Launched between 20-30+ years ago

As technology changes, mailbox providers adapt and grow

• Auto-complete; app versions; tags; spam algorithms; etc.

Many other mailbox providers exist

• And new ones are launched regularly

• Are we due for another major contender?

Many integrations exist that can be added to your inbox to suit your needs

• But first, you need to know what you need!

• There could be integrations that you don't even know to look for

Gen Z has entered the workforce with the oldest in their early/mid-20s

• Not known for being an email-heavy generation

• But Email isn't going anywhere

• How will they change things?

• We predict they will bring something new to the table

Possible Priorities:

1. Include SMS number processing through the MBP

2. Auto tl;dr summary

3. Exclusivity

4. Social Media integration, or part of the platform

5. MBP created a preference centre (how often do you want to see emails from us)

6. Gamify emails

7. Privacy focused

Going Forward

As we transition into 2024, the landscape of email marketing is poised for significant transformations. The insights gained from the Webinar, State of Email alongside the evolving trends and statistics, highlight the critical need for businesses to adapt and innovate.

Are you ready to embrace these changes and elevate your email marketing strategy?

V5 Digital is here to guide you through these dynamic times. Our expertise in harnessing the latest email trends, combined with our commitment to sustainable, efficient, and highly personalized email marketing, ensures your business stays ahead of the curve.

Reach out below for a no-commitment consultation with a member of Team V5 Digital below.

Watch the full Validity Webinar for even more insights: Here