Although many online retailers have recently shifted their focus towards newer digital marketing options such as mobile ads and social media, e-mail marketing continues to evolve and be a core component of any digital marketing strategy. Despite being around for over a decade, e-mail marketing continues to be an essential digital marketing tactic even as the industry is in a constant state of change.
So what should online retailers know about the current state of e-mail marketing? Here are 5 things…
1) E-mails sent late at night are successful for many online retailers – In a recent study done by Experian it was shown that open and click-through rates were the highest for many online retailers between the hours of 8PM and 12AM. Consumers not only converted at a higher rate during these evening hours but they also spent approximately $50 more per order.
2) E-mails sent on weekends had a higher click-through rate than weekdays for many online retailers – E-mail engagement rates actually peaked on Saturday and Sunday for many online retailers and, according to several online retailers, consumers are actually the most likely to complete a purchase on Saturday than any other day of the week.
3) For many online retailers, e-mail marketing continues to drive larger average order values – According to Experian, the average order value of orders driven via e-mail marketing has increased year-over-year by 12% from $161 to $180. Bounce rates have also decreased 28% over this same period of time, possibly indicating that when consumers click through e-mails that the evolved online shopping experience has improved in holding their attention.
4) E-mail subscription is becoming less of an on-site initiative – Although most consumers still sign-up for e-mail marketing directly on an eCommerce site, many consumers have joined e-mail marketing campaigns in other ways. For example, employees of physical brick-and-mortar stores for multi-channel retailers now look to capture e-mail addresses. Mobile and social also play a role in e-mail marketing, with several U.S. e-mail users saying they have subscribed to e-mail marketing through these methods.
5) Mobile and tablet optimization is now crucial to the success of e-mail marketing campaigns – With the exponential growth of smartphone and tablet usage in the U.S., the emphasis to perfect e-mails on these devices has become even more important. A recent study by BlueHornet indicated that over 80% of U.S. mobile and tablet e-mail users will delete an e-mail if it doesn’t look good on their mobile or tablet device. Even worse, over 30% will look to unsubscribe from a list if an e-mail looks bad on their mobile or tablet device.
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In short, e-mail marketing has continued to evolve as the way consumers engage with e-mails has changed. With a greater percentage of e-mails now being opened on mobile and tablet devices each year and social networks changing the way people interact, allowing e-mail marketing to stand on its own is no longer a viable solution. Online retailers should consider exploring options to integrate e-mail marketing into their entire marketing strategy, including mobile and social, to maximize the efforts of their e-mail initiatives.
