8 Email Marketing Trends and Best Practices for 2024 [+ Tips]

By Intelligent Relations Team

September 27, 2023

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Email marketing provides a direct and personalized way to reach your target audience. Plus, it’s cost-effective in comparison to other marketing strategies. While email marketing can be a powerful tool for businesses, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. 

You may be struggling to build a quality email list. Your open rates may be high, but your engagement rates may be low. Perhaps your email marketing doesn’t provide a seamless mobile experience.

Despite these challenges, there are plenty of ways to refine your email marketing strategy. Start by staying in the know about the latest email marketing trends for 2024. 

By doing so, you can incorporate fresh and innovative strategies into your email marketing campaigns. Plus, you’ll be able to adopt tactics that help you stand out in crowded inboxes.

Best of all, you don’t have to scour the Internet for the current email marketing trends and best practices. Below, we have outlined eight that you should know about.

8 Email Marketing Trends 2024

• Email Automation
• Personalization
• User-Generated Content
• The Use of AI
• Privacy Becoming More Important
• Open-Rate KPI Becoming Less Relevant
• Interactive Email
• Mobile Friendly Email

1. Email Automation

Email automation has emerged as one of the most prominent email marketing trends due to its ability to streamline and optimize marketing campaigns. It involves sending targeted emails to subscribers based on predefined triggers or actions. 

It saves time and effort by allowing you to nurture leads. Plus, you can engage with customers through pre-scheduled, personalized email campaigns.

Set up automated workflows triggered by specific actions or events using tools such as MailChimp. These can be welcome emails, abandoned cart reminders, or post-purchase follow-ups.

Here are a few reasons why email automation is one of the most important email marketing trends:

• Time-saving Efficiency: You can set up predefined workflows and triggers. This eliminates the need for manual, time-consuming tasks. By automating repetitive processes, you can save valuable time and focus on other important aspects of your email marketing strategy.
• Personalization at Scale: Email automation allows you to deliver personalized content and messages to subscribers. You can also segment your email lists and set up automated workflows. This enables you to tailor emails to specific target groups.
• Enhanced Customer Journey: Email automation allows you to send timely and relevant messages at each stage of the customer lifecycle. Plus, it ensures that the right messages are delivered at the right time.
• Improved Scalability and Consistency: As your subscriber base expands, it becomes challenging to maintain consistency and quality. Email automation enables you to automate your campaigns while maintaining a consistent message across all touchpoints.
• Data-driven Insights: Email automation platforms provide in-depth analytics and reporting features. This allows you to track the performance of your campaigns and gain valuable insights.

Looking for other tools that can help you automate or improve your PR or marketing efforts? Check out our article: 10 Best PR Tools That You Should Know About

2. Personalization

Email personalization is one of our top email marketing trends because it’s proven to work for several reasons. It involves customizing email content and messages to cater to unique preferences, behaviors, and characteristics. 

How do you use it?

Integrate recipient data, such as names, past interactions, and demographics, into your content to create more relevant and engaging email communications.

To incorporate personalization, make your subscribers feel valued. Use dynamic content and segmentation to deliver personalized experiences.

Here’s why email personalization is one of the most popular email marketing trends in 2024: 

• Improved Relevance: Personalization allows you to tailor your email content to specific interests, preferences, and recipient behaviors. This increases the likelihood that recipients will engage with your emails and take desired actions.
• Higher Engagement Rates: Personalized emails tend to have higher open, click-through, and conversion rates than generic emails. When recipients feel that the content is curated for them, they’re more likely to engage with it.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Personalization contributes to a more enjoyable and positive customer experience. This helps you build trust and loyalty over time.
• Increased Sales and Conversions: Personalized product recommendations and offers can boost sales and conversions. These can be based on previous interactions or purchase histories. 
• Better Audience Segmentation: Personalization is tied to effective audience segmentation. By segmenting your email list, you can send the right message to the right people. Segmentation can be based on demographics, behavior, and preferences.

Pro Tip: To personalize your email marketing efforts, start by segmenting your email list. This should be by demographics, interests, and past interactions. Use each recipient’s name in the subject line and greeting to create a sense of familiarity. Then, craft tailored content that speaks directly to their needs and pain points. 

Want to see a list of general digital marketing trends for 2024? We’ve got you covered! Check it out here: 15 Digital Marketing Trends Worth Your Attention in 2024

3. User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) refers to any content created and shared by users or customers. So, what does this have to do with email marketing? How did this content marketing trend get mixed in with email marketing trends?  

UGC can include testimonials, reviews, photos, videos, or social media posts that users provide. Incorporating UGC in emails can enhance authenticity, social proof, and customer engagement.

Make UGC part of your email marketing strategy by inviting your audience to share their thoughts. Showcase customer testimonials, reviews, or social media posts to build trust.

USG is one of the most important email marketing trends due to:

• Authenticity and Trust: UGC provides genuine testimonials, reviews, and experiences from real customers. When included in email marketing campaigns, it adds authenticity to your messages. It also builds trust with potential customers who see the positive experiences of others.
• Increased Engagement: UGC often resonates more with recipients because it features content created by fellow customers. This relatability can lead to higher engagement rates. 
• Diverse Content: UGC diversifies your email content. It can include various formats such as photos, videos, reviews, and user stories. This keeps your email campaigns fresh and appealing to a wider audience.
• Social Proof and Credibility: UGC can provide social proof and credibility to your email marketing. It reinforces the value and quality of your offerings. This can be persuasive in convincing potential customers to take action.
• Cost-effective Content Creation: Incorporating UGC in your email marketing strategy saves time and resources. UGC content is readily available. You can leverage it effectively without the production costs.

Want to learn more about how to blend social media with PR and digital marketing activities? Then check out our article: Social Media PR – 6 Easy Ways to Connect with Your Target Audience

4. The Use of AI

With the use of artificial intelligence (AI), email marketing can be more efficient and effective. AI-powered tools can analyze customer data, predict preferences, and automate email campaigns. This helps you fine-tune your email marketing efforts based on data-driven insights.

MailChimp uses AI features for automated campaigns and personalization. If you’re writing email content, ChatGPT can significantly speed up the process. However, it’s important to edit and fact check any content generated by AI tools. 

AI is one of the most prevalent email marketing trends in 2024 and beyond. Here’s why: 

• Enhanced Personalization: AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data to create highly personalized email content. This level of personalization improves engagement rates.
• Improved Timing: AI can analyze recipient behavior and historical data. This can help you determine the best time to send emails for maximum impact. Sending emails at the right time increases open and click-through rates.
• Efficient Segmentation: AI-driven segmentation allows you to categorize your email lists. This ensures that your emails reach the most relevant audience.
• A/B Testing and Optimization: AI can automate A/B testing. Plus, it can optimize email campaigns in real time. You can also use AI to adjust email content, subject lines, and send times based on performance data.
• Predictive Analytics: AI can predict future customer behavior by analyzing past data. This enables you to proactively tailor your email marketing strategy. You can anticipate customer needs and offer relevant products or services. This can help boost conversion rates and customer retention.

Pro Tip: To make your email marketing efforts easier, choose an AI platform that works for you. Many email marketing platforms now offer AI features, like MailChimp, or you can integrate third-party AI solutions. Some PR platforms also integrate email and AI for enhanced pitching.

5. Privacy Becoming More Important

Email privacy refers to the protection of personal information shared through email. It involves implementing encryption and secure protocols. It aims to safeguard sensitive data from unauthorized access, hacking, or misuse.

As data privacy and online security become more important, this is one of the email marketing trends you want to be sure to implement sooner rather than later.

You can build trust with your subscribers by being transparent about your data usage. Obtain proper consent, respect unsubscribe requests, and implement secure data management practices.

There are several reasons why email privacy is among today’s email marketing trends, including:

• Trust and Transparency: Today, data privacy is a top concern in email. Consumers are becoming more cautious about sharing their personal information. You can build trust by protecting subscribers’ data. 
• Compliance with Regulations: Many countries have implemented stricter data protection regulations. For example, the European Union has the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The United States has the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). You can avoid potential legal consequences by adhering to these guidelines.
• Enhanced Deliverability and Engagement: Email service providers are cracking down on spam. The purpose is to promote a secure email environment. This can lead to better deliverability rates and increased engagement.
• Personalization Opportunities: Privacy-conscious consumers are more likely to engage with brands that respect their preferences.
• Competitive Advantage: Prioritizing email privacy can set you apart from your competitors. Plus, you can attract a loyal customer base that values their ethical practices.

6. Open-rate KPI Becoming Less Relevant

Open-rate is an email marketing metric used to measure the percentage of recipients who open emails. It can indicate the effectiveness of subject lines and overall email deliverability. However, it has become outpaced by more important metrics in recent years. 

Today, more important metrics, such as click-through rate and conversions, are taking center stage as one of the top email marketing trends.

To use KPIs in your email marketing campaigns, consider tools such as MailChimp, Constant Contacts, or SenderScore. Then define your KPIs and monitor them regularly.

Here’s why open-rate is becoming less relevant as one of the top email marketing trends:

• Images Disabled: Many email clients block images by default. This can result in emails being counted as “unopened,” even if the recipient has viewed and engaged with the content. This can lead to an inaccurate representation of engagement.
• Limited Insights: Open-rate provides limited insights into recipient behavior. It doesn’t indicate whether the recipient took any meaningful action after opening the email.
• Mobile Devices: With the rise of mobile email usage, some email clients may automatically open emails when viewed in the preview pane. This can artificially inflate open rates. These “opens” might not represent genuine engagement.
• Focus on Conversions: The goal of email marketing is to drive conversions. Metrics like click-through rate and conversion rate provide more direct insights into the effectiveness of your email campaigns. 
• Engagement Metrics: Engagement metrics offer a more comprehensive view of the success of your email marketing efforts. They measure actions taken by recipients that directly impact your business objectives.

Knowing what marketing or PR metrics to choose isn’t easy. Curious what metrics to track for your PR? Learn more here: 10 Key PR Metrics You Must Measure to Gauge Success

7. Interactive Email

Interactive email goes beyond the traditional static content. They provide a more dynamic and engaging experience for subscribers. They can include interactive elements to enhance the user experience and encourage recipients to take specific actions.

There are plenty of tools you can use to implement interactive emails into your marketing campaign. Consider trying Typeform, Poll Everywhere, Playbuzz, or H5P.

Here’s why it’s one of the top email marketing trends of 2024: 

• Enhanced Engagement: Interactive elements encourage recipients to actively engage with your email content. This engagement can lead to higher click-through rates and increased time spent with your email.
• Higher Conversion Rates: Interactive emails often include clear call-to-action buttons and forms. This makes it easier for recipients to take desired actions. These actions can include making a purchase, signing up, or requesting more information. 
• Personalization Opportunities: Interactive emails can be personalized based on recipient behavior and preferences. For example, you can show different content or options to recipients based on their past interactions.
• Richer Content: Interactive emails enable you to convey complex information in a more visually appealing way. For instance, you can use interactive carousels, sliders, or product galleries. These items can showcase multiple products or features within a single email.
• Data Collection: You can use surveys and quizzes to gather data about your subscribers. This data can help you refine your email marketing strategy.

8. Mobile-Friendly Email

Today, most subscribers read emails from their cell phones. That’s why email should be specifically designed and optimized for all devices. 

This means that the email’s layout, font sizes, and images are scaled appropriately. This provides a seamless email experience, regardless of the device your subscribers are using.

To optimize your email marketing for mobile use, make sure your email templates are responsive. This means they can adjust to any type of device. Litmus and MailChimp are excellent tools for creating and previewing responsive email templates.

Here’s what makes mobile-friendly email one of the leading email marketing trends: 

• Widespread Mobile Usage: A significant portion of email opens occurs on mobile devices. Mobile-friendly emails ensure that your content is accessible and visually appealing. This can help maximize your reach.
• Improved User Experience: Mobile-optimized emails are easier to read and interact with on smaller screens. They adapt to various screen sizes and orientations. This provides a seamless and enjoyable user experience.
• Higher Open and Click-through Rates: Emails that display properly on mobile devices are more likely to be clicked. When recipients can easily access and navigate your content, they are more inclined to take the desired actions.
• Reduced Unsubscribes and Bounces: Non-mobile-friendly emails may frustrate recipients. This can lead to increased unsubscribe rates or email bounces. A mobile-friendly design reduces these issues.

Key Takeaways on Email Marketing Trends for 2024

Email marketing is constantly evolving. That’s why it’s crucial to stay up to date with the latest email marketing trends. Dedicate time to reading industry blogs, attending webinars, and following thought leaders in the field. This will help you stay informed about emerging technologies, best practices, and changing consumer behaviors.

Regularly analyze your email marketing data to identify trends and patterns. Monitor metrics such as click-through rates and conversion rates to understand how your audience is responding. This data will provide insights into what strategies work and where improvements can be made.

And just remember, personalization, data protection, and mobile-friendly email design are paramount in email marketing. These three email marketing trends collectively enhance the overall user experience and help build trust in your brand. Adhering to these best practices helps keep you ahead of the competition.

Still not sure how to implement these email marketing trends into your PR and marketing mix? Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with us and we will see how we can spruce up your strategy.