Email has become one of the most powerful channels to reach consumers. With ROI of 38-to-1, it has the highest ROI among digital marketing channels. And, people want to receive emails. 72% say they prefer companies to communicate with them via email over any other channel.
To use email to its full advantage, marketers must stay on top of the the latest changes and updates.
Litmus’ annual State of Email Report details major innovations from the past year, providing actionable insights for marketing professionals and the intelligence needed to send more effective email in 2016.
Biggest Email Innovations of 2015
Last year, the email industry saw some major changes. Between the introduction of new email apps and updates to existing email clients, email marketing has never presented more challenges—or opportunities. Here are some of the biggest email updates of 2015.
Apple Watch
One of the most exciting innovations in email during in 2015 was the launch of the Apple Watch. With the rise in popularity of wearables, marketers should understand that traditional marketing standards such as images, videos, and links will not display on the Watch. Because there is no room for extras, simple and short calls to action in plain text must be utilized. Straightforward text will help reinforce brand value, and avoid frustrating Apple Watch users.
Outlook app for iOS and Android
Also catering to those on-the-go, Outlook launched a mobile app for both Android and iOS phones and tablets. With great support for HTML and CSS, the groundwork has been laid for marketers to experiment with animated GIFs, CSS animation, web fonts, and media queries—upping the ante in email design possibilities for Outlook clients. Hopefully this is a sign that desktop apps will soon follow suit.
Gmail introduces ‘block’ option
After rolling out a new “block” option, Gmail has given users yet another way to rid their inboxes of unwanted emails. The new functionality allows all Gmail webmail and Android Gmail app users the ability to block all communication from a particular sender, without marking brands as spam or permanently closing the communication door by hitting unsubscribe.
However, blocking isn’t all bad news for brands, the option is likely to decrease spam complaints and reports of phishing—which can seriously harm a brand’s sender reputation. With a tarnished sender reputation you could have some serious difficulties getting your emails to reach the inbox.
iOS 9’s peek and pop features
The latest 3D Touch functionality in iPhones 6s and 6s Plus gives users two new interactions, Peek and Pop, which allow users to check mail without leaving the inbox view. While in the inbox, users can lightly press the screen to “peek” at an email, previewing the email without actually opening it.
In peek mode, users can press the screen harder to then “pop” the message out and completely open the email. Since images load while “peeking,” the email is marked as opened, which may affect how marketers interpret campaign engagement metrics.
Action Items for Marketers
Optimize for the inbox
In a crowded inbox there are three chances for marketers to optimize their emails: the from name, subject line, and, in many cases, the preview text.
Ensure your from name is trustworthy. If a subscriber does not recognize who an email is from, it’s unlikely they’ll open the message—and they may even mark you as spam.
The subject line and preview text should work together to encourage an open. While this may seem obvious, if the content of a campaign isn’t relevant to your target audience, the chances of a user hitting unsubscribe or marking the message as spam will increase. Although these items are small and simple, they will prove effective.
New clients this year, including Outlook 2016, Outlook app for iOS and Android, and AOL’s Alto Mail app, include all three of these elements. Optimizing for the inbox may be one of the most effective ways to increase opens and campaign engagement.
Send relevant emails
The latest update to the Outlook app for Android and iOS is a perfect example of why sending relevant and timely email to subscribers is crucial. The Outlook app separates emails into “Focused” and “Other” groups, making marketing emails much easier to be overlooked.
If you’re sending relevant emails and have highly engaged subscribers, you’re not only building brand trust, but you may even find your emails landing in the coveted Focus group, instead of in the Other group, where emails may be bypassed.
The arrival of Gmail’s Block option should be another reminder that marketers need to send more messages that are contextually aware. By making use of segmentation, personalization, dynamic content, and triggered messaging, brands are creating a better subscriber experience and limiting the chance of being blocked.
Make unsubscribing easy
While losing subscribers isn’t ideal, if subscribers can’t easily spot an opt-out link, some will simply hit block, as is the case with Gmail’s blocking option. Additionally, being marked as spam or reported for phishing could tarnish the brand’s sender reputation and potentially make it difficult for the sender to deliver email to other users. To avoid these harmful reports, unsubscribe links and user preferences should be clear and easily accessible for subscribers.
Send Better Email in 2016
Sending successful emails doesn’t have to be complex. The key is understanding the evolving landscape of email functionality and design, and adapting your campaigns when needed.
With three of the top five email clients as mobile platforms, it’s no secret that mobile’s user base will continue to rise. Building and testing for a mobile-friendly layout this year will be essential for marketers to confidently hit send on their best emails. Testing for proper rendering on mobile devices and all other platforms, as well as staying up to date on the latest upgrades in email, will be crucial for campaign success.
Litmus is a provider of email testing technology.