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Email Marketing Statistics and Trends For 2019

2019 brings a new year in email marketing. A successful email strategy increases sales and marketing metrics.

Email marketing is still one of the most engaging and guaranteed methods to grow your business and customer base.

Tthe reasons why emails are opened range far and wide making the marketer’s job more difficult. Rather than present a long list of stats like every other article on the subject, I have picked ones that stood out and dive deeper.

1. Cart abandonment emails are most effective after one hour (Source: SaleCycle)

There’s nothing more frustrating for businesses than cart abandonment.

Studies suggest that sending emails when a cart has been abandoned can help to increase sales. But when is the best time to do this? If a customer places a product in the cart, this suggests that they have a level of interest. As a marketer, you want to convert that interest into a purchase via marketing automation.

Research by SaleCycle shows that the best time to send out an abandonment email is one hour later. Conversion rates of 6.33% one hour after abandonment compared to:

  • 3.14% for less than an hour
  • 1.74% for 24 hours

2. 73% of millennials prefer to contact brands via email. (Source: Adestra )

Did you know that 73% of millennials prefer to email brands?

Research from Adestra suggests that email is the preferred form of contact for adults in their 20’s and 30’s. For this group of consumers, email has become part and parcel of everyday life.

Sending emails is quick and easy, and you can do it on the go. This makes it ideal for millennials. To cater to this market, brands should provide:

  • rapid responses via email
  • useful information and links within email promotions

3. Email has higher conversion rates than social media and search engine marketing combined. (Source: Wordstream)

Marketing efforts are contingent upon the business’ ability to convert prospects into subscribers or customers.

Marketers and business owners alike know that conversion rate optimization is critical. It’s possible to have many visitors and a terrible conversion rate.

When it comes to spending money on your marketing, you need to know that you’re making a return and exactly how much.

Pouring funds into your marketing plan is necessary, and email helps ensure you’ll receive your dollars back.

Keep going with other marketing efforts like search and social media with full force while emphasizing email marketing campaigns.

Also, promote your best performing social media content in your emails.

4. 59% of people say that email marketing influences their purchases (Source: SaleCycle)

Email marketing plays a valuable role in influencing purchase decisions.

This statistic shows that almost 60% are influenced by the emails they open and read. Of those surveyed, 50% said that they bought something via email marketing or advertising once a month.

Digital marketers can learn from email statistics. Figures underline not only the popularity of email, but also its capacity to drive sales. If you generate the right leads, sending emails is proven to increase the likelihood of a customer buying your product.

Just 1.9% that receive promotional emails don’t buy products after viewing marketing emails.

5. Segmenting emails can increase revenue by 760%. (Source: Campaign Monitor)

People are different and so are their needs.

Address this difference in needs with list segmentation according to your buyer personas. It’s beneficial to have around eight different types of prospective customers, as everyone buys for various reasons. While nearly everyone sleeps on a bed, the reasons that lead to that purchase are different for everyone.

Some buy beds for their first dorm room while others require a bed that helps meet medical needs. Others buy beds to save space or convert an office to a co-living space.

All of the scenarios above involve very different customers.

Your emails should speak to your customers on this individual level. Generic emails with the same information are sometimes appropriate. However, you’ll increase your engagement by catering to the unique persona.

6. Email open rate for personalized emails is 82% higher. (Source: Adestra/IDM)

Sending personalized emails is critical when it comes to higher open and transaction rates.

This statistic shows that adding personal touches increases email open rates by 82 percent.

The majority of users like emails to contain their name. Emails should also be relevant to previous purchases. Bear this in mind for your next email marketing campaign.

7. 42% delete non-optimized emails.

Increase your click-through rates and make your messages appealing to potential buyers by sending optimized mail.

Over 40% of delete non-optimized messages. This means that you could be wasting valuable opportunities by isolating mobile customers.

If you want to tap into the growing mobile market, providing optimized content is crucial. Just 11% of recipients will press read emails that aren’t designed for mobile devices.

8. 85% of email recipients are looking for discounts, but approximately half (46%) want information.

It’s no secret that consumers look for bargains. Studies show that 85% of customers sign up for discounts and offers. That said, it’s worth looking at the next figure too. Around 45% subscribe for information and details about new products and services.

Is the main focus of your email list and social media email campaigns to increase subscriber numbers? If so, it’s useful to bear this statistic in mind.

The majority want to hear about special offers and promotions. But many also want access to information. This is key when making decisions.

Consumers want to find out more about brands, and they want to know all about products before they buy. Emails with details of discounts may have a higher open rate. But don’t forget that your subscribers want useful information about the products and services you offer.

9. 81% of online shoppers who receive emails based on previous shopping habits were at least somewhat likely to buy as a result of a targeted email.  (Source: eMarketer)

Increase the likelihood that a visitor will make a purchase from your site with email. Do this by sending targeted emails based on actions the user has previously taken.

For example, if your visitor purchased a hat from your online shop, it may prove beneficial to send an email on hat care offering additional items for maintenance and care. This kind of follow-up up email shows your visitor that you’re paying attention to what they like. Sending irrelevant emails is the fastest way to get someone to unsubscribe.

Send relevant emails that show a high level of care your business has towards visitors and customers.

This strategy carries over offline.

Visitors are more likely to make in-store purchases after receiving emails based on their previous action. You don’t treat every person you associate with the same; this applies to your customers too. Get creative and find new ways to build a relationship with your customers via email.

10. 46% of email is now opened on a mobile device.  (Source: Litmus)

It’s clear that a mobile-first strategy that closely caters to your personas is a winning strategy.

Email campaign open rates are critical.

This statistic clearly shows you why you should adopt a mobile-first strategy. If more users are opening their emails on mobile, why wouldn’t you cater to that preference?

Of course, you’ll want to optimize for both desktop and mobile.

You need to be 100% sure that your email looks excellent across all devices and email platforms.

11. Those who receive products marketed via email spend more than those who don’t get email offers by 138%.

Consider that you can increase revenue not just by getting more customers, but increasing the average size of shopping carts. What would your business revenue look like if your current customers spent more per transaction? It’s a possibility that people spend more after you’ve emailed them because you’re more familiar and your business has established some sort of trust.

Many business owners and marketers have worked to figure out what exactly will result in higher sales. The lesson here is to grow your email list so that you’re able to send more offers, resulting in higher amounts spent per transaction.

Most people check their email multiple times per day, offering you ample opportunity to get your offers seen.

12. Subscribers are two times as likely to opt into your email list as they are to interact with you on Facebook. (Source: Forrester)

This is not to discredit the power of Facebook in any way. Facebook is and will likely continue to pull weight in the social media world. Platforms are rising up to compete with Facebook, whose ads are still a formidable force. Regarding interaction and engagement, email is a more effective way to go. There are a lot of companies on Facebook vying for attention. Users are inundated daily with options on who to follow.

On the other hand, you have an email which offers something to the user in exchange for their email address. Customers give their email address because they’re getting value. There is not always a value exchange when someone clicks ‘Like’ on your business’ Facebook page.

Forrester’s report serves to prove that companies have to develop a smart strategy to build a relationship. Marketers know It’s getting more difficult to reach clients organically on Facebook. This forces you to advertise which is effective, but emails build trust and increase engagement. Forrester’s report shows that email is an effective way to reach and engage.

13. Personalized emails have a transaction rate six times higher than non-personalized. (Source: Experian)

If you want more click-throughs on your emails (as everyone does), use personalized subject lines.

It is a person’s natural inclination to respond positively to their own name. Plus, you feel that the email contains information that’s tailored specifically to you as opposed to speaking to a crowd. Aim for the appropriate level of personalization, add dynamic content based on geography and the person’s name. Adding personalization to your emails makes them seem more authentic.

A good example of email personalization is a theatre that sends out an email offering promotional merch items based on the tickets you purchased. Dynamic personalized content would be an embedded map of the theatre you bought tickets for. Displaying your customer’s membership information within the email is another way to make your email personalized. Referencing an information request or a previous purchase is another excellent way to make your emails personalized. Send emails based on location or affiliation with an organization. Don’t get too personal with your emails and mention subjects such as health or financial status.

People are more likely to share and engage with messages that have been customized.

To thrive in a rapidly expanding digital environment, you’ll need to personalize each message to a specific buyer persona. Use your best customers or clients as buyer personas. If you have a new business, include the traits of your ideal customer. Are they a homeowner with several children or are they renting a high-rise apartment with limited space for a family? Think about what the typical day looks like for your best customer and integrate this data into your marketing campaigns.

Remember that it’s significantly more likely for a personalized email to be opened. Converting to personalized emails increases the click-through rate by an average of 14%.

Your messages are not one-size-fits-all.

14. 61% of consumers would like to receive weekly promotional emails with 28% wanting even more frequent emails. (Source: MarketingSherpa)

For many, email is still the preferred method of communication and receiving information. If you think you’re getting on the nerves of your audience by sending frequent emails, think again. Research has proven that many people actually enjoy promotional emails and appreciate a weekly schedule. Some would like to hear from you throughout the week!

Come up with valuable email campaigns that your audience will enjoy. Seven out of ten adults in the United States have indicated that they would prefer for companies to communicate by email. As the saying goes, “It’s cheaper to keep her.” It costs far less to market to and converts your existing audience through email than to acquire a new customer. Even when it comes to customer acquisition, email outperforms. It’s easier to convert a prospect on your email list than obtain a new one on Twitter or Facebook.

15. Email subscribers are three times more likely to share your content on social media. (Source: Quicksprout)

You want your content to be shared. Reports have shown that you can get more email subscribers sharing your content than social media followers. Visitors that come from your email are ready to engage. Take this information and use it to power your social media marketing strategy. When you’re running campaigns on social, remember how important it is for you to share the content with your email subscribers.

Letting your email subscribers do the sharing for you is a form of social proof. What better way to show your target audience on social that your offer is already appreciated? Shares from happy customers and clients are one of the best forms of advertising. Want to see more traffic on your blog? Encouraging your email subscribers to share more also benefits your blogging efforts. Continue to use social sites for sharing while making an effort to get your email subscribers to share

16. Internet users’ biggest email complaint is inbox overload (Source: The Relevancy Group)

According to The Relevancy Group, 44% say inbox overload is their biggest email annoyance. 

This information is useful for businesses figuring out the optimum frequency for sending emails. You want to keep in touch with customers, promote new products, and engage in conversation. But you don’t want to bombard with a billion emails.

If you send out too many emails, there is a risk of ending up on the deleted folder. You could even face the dreaded block sender button.

17. 50% of email recipients mark emails as spam because they cannot find an easy way to unsubscribe (Source: Litmus)

Half of those surveyed resorted to using the mark as spam feature because they couldn’t figure out how to unsubscribe. Fifty percent of adults also marked emails as spam because they weren’t aware that they had subscribed to the mailing list.

As a marketer, you don’t want your customer to mark your messages as spam. Take care to provide subscription options. It should be as easy to unsubscribe from a specific brand as it is to subscribe.

Include a simple message at the top of the email. This will point consumers in the right direction and enable them to stop receiving mail without blocking all further contact.

18. 83% in B2B marketing use email newsletters. (Source: Campaign Monitor)

Business executives want to stay abreast of industry news and don’t want to be left out of pertinent new information. Many executives use newsletters as a way to keep in touch with their B2B market. Newsletters are a great way for executives to share industry information.
While B2B newsletters aren’t meant for direct selling, they do tend to move decision-making in favor of your company. Newsletters also provide information; businesses often require a significant amount of data from your company to make a purchase decision. It may take longer to convert a B2B lead, but they tend to spend more than B2C per transaction. Your emails to business executives should aim to provide education rather than land the sale right then and there.

19. Email marketing Campaigns ROI ranges between $38-$44.25 per $1 spent. (Source: Campaign Monitor)

Compared to other forms of marketing, email is gold when it comes to cost-effectiveness.

Whether you’re a startup or an existing company, reducing expenses is highly valuable. Imagine spending less on your marketing efforts and making greater revenues simply because you’ve emphasized email marketing. Plus, email supports your other marketing efforts, even if you have a physical store. Engagement is key.

You could have a massive audience with low engagement. To avoid this, aim to continue activities that drive clicks and shares. Make your emails personal and inviting to increase click-throughs and sales. Mobile devices and email are here to stay.

20. 33.8% of adults check their email throughout the day (Source: Bluehornet )

More than a third of adults check their emails throughout the day. Just 1.6% of web users never check their email.

As a marketer, you want your email opened. To increase your chances of success:

  • Target those who use their accounts frequently
  • Look at peak usage times
  • Use a catchy subject line

Many like to check their email accounts no matter where they are or what they’re doing. Your email campaign should aim to capitalize on this level of interest.

21. 44% of millennials reach for their phones to check email as soon as they’ve turned off their morning alarm.

This statistic underlines the impact of email marketing in the modern age.

Around half of the millennials check their phones before they get dressed, shower or eat breakfast. For many, their phone is the first point of contact every day.

So many people reach for the phone and scouring their inbox first thing. This means that sending emails in the morning is an effective ploy. Mobile phones are usually to hand, and people tend to browse emails over a coffee or on the morning commute. This suggests that mobile optimization is critical.

If emails aren’t suitable for a mobile device, you could lose out on a lucrative market. Take a look at your mobile email conversion rates, and see if there is room for improvement.

22. Over 3 billion people will use email by the year 2020. That’s almost half of the world’s population. (Source: Radicati)

Additionally, it is expected that around 246 billion emails will be sent around the world by the end of 2019.

Despite the new technologies, social media, and other means of communication, email is still the most widely used form of online communication.

24. Personalized video led to a 600% increase in email open rates in one study. (Source: Cetera Financial Group)

25. Personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates, yet 70% of brands still do not use them. (Source: Experian.com)

26. Google reports that mobile users check their emails up to 3 times more often than desktop users. (Source: Google Study)

Bottom line: Email Marketing Stats and Trends Don’t Lie

As target audiences become more technologically enabled, email continues to hold its value like fine art.

Email is here to stay. Building your email list gives unparalleled growth potential to your company.