2021 is when the world slowly recovers from the damage done by COVID-19. Businesses that have been affected by the lockdowns and changed scenarios need to refocus on marketing. With more people working from home, digital forms of marketing are more likely to succeed. One of the trusted ways of online marketing, namely email marketing is likely to be used more often.

There would be more than 4 billion email users by the end of this year. Reaching out to them through email is a great way for marketers to try to boost business.

The article tells you the trends in email marketing that we are likely to see this year. You can plan strategies keeping these trends in mind so you are ready to get the best results from email marketing in 2021.

1. Plain text emails

Plain text emails are likely to be the trend this year as compared to mail with HTML. It is estimated that a mail with plain text is likely to get a better user response.

With no graphics, buttons, or other distracting elements, plain text takes the recipient to the point. This allows the message to be delivered more successfully. Plain text also ensures that broken links or blocked images don’t distract the user.

2. Using send time optimization

Sending emails at a time suitable for the sender is no longer going to be the norm. Emails need to be sent at the time when the user would be most likely to open it.

Send time optimization is an emerging technique made effective through machine learning. It allows marketers to analyze customer behavior and predict when emails are likely to be viewed and opened. Sending an email at such a time would ensure a better response from customers. Tools and services are available in the market to help marketers implement this effectively. Thanks to the myriad of options available, you can consider choices between email marketing services and see which one that can answer your needs the best.

3. Sending engaging content

A potential customer receives marketing emails from many companies. He would open an email only if it attracts him and is engaging. The secret to success is creating content that is engaging. The content in the email must offer value. It must interest the customer to make him read it and click on the mail.

Authenticity is another key factor that can make engaging content more valuable.

4. Personalization is the key

The days of bulk email are gone. Today marketing messages need to be personalized. A customer may not find a bulk email interesting to open. If the email is personalized (for eg: carrying the customer’s name/company name/details of transactions done, etc.) then it is more likely to attract attention.

It is important to establish a connection with a customer. That can happen effectively by personalizing email sent. Understanding customer behavior and sending emails that are personalized will help in greater success.

Nowadays, various tools and services will help you improve email campaign sending results with complete email validation.

5. Mobile-friendly

It is estimated that nearly 80% of people use mobile internet. When you send an email, the chances of it being opened on the mobile phone are high. The email content needs to be mobile-friendly. It should display properly and be simple, so it can be effective. The size of the font, size of the buttons, length of a page, time to load the content are all key factors. Breaking content into small paragraphs or bullet points makes it easy to read on a mobile device.

One important key: From your email, your customer is likely to visit your website. So, ensure that the website is tested so it is mobile-friendly.

6. Creating a great UX

UX or user experience is the key to success in the digital world. The user should have a great experience while interacting with you or with the email you send. As mentioned earlier, a personalized email is more likely to create a better user experience for your customer.

The strategy you use needs to be focused on the customer. Your email should keep in mind the needs of the customers and address those needs.

Helpfulness is another key aspect in creating a great user experience. Email marketing is not just about sending emails but using email to engage with the client. You need to be prompt in replying to your customer and be helpful while providing information.

All of those ensure a great user experience.

7. Newsletters can produce results

Newsletters can be a great way to get results from marketing. A newsletter is nothing but a compilation of news and information within an email. You can provide headlines or titles with summarized information in the newsletter. The recipient can click on the newsletter to visit your website to get more information. Not only that, but the newsletters can also be used to get business.

Paid newsletters are becoming popular. Whether it is for news, healthcare, entertainment, or sports, paid newsletters allow consumers to get more useful content. Revenue from ads also presents a lucrative opportunity.

8. Focusing on the message

While devising strategies for email marketing, sometimes the message may get lost. The focus on any marketing activity is the message. The message must be clear, concise, and coherent. It is also very important that your messages use emotion.

While devising your strategies, empathy is a key consideration. Create content and an experience that creates positive emotions. This can help build a relationship with your customer.

9. No code tools

Marketers may not be technical people. They may not want to learn technical stuff to make email marketing effective. Fortunately, there’s a solution to that problem: No code tools. These tools can be used even if you do not have technical skills. They are simple to use and user-friendly.

You don’t need coding and yet can create web apps easily. This will help make your email marketing effective.

10. Segment your customer

When you send emails, you need to send emails relevant to the customer. Segmenting your customer based on their loyalty, benefits sought, buying behavior, etc. can be helpful. This will help you send an email that is relevant to your customer. This is better than sending the same email to everyone.

Once you segment a customer, you can send content relevant to the customer. This will help make your email marketing strategy more effective.

Conclusion

Email marketing remains an important digital marketing strategy – especially during the pandemic. Smart businesses know that they need to scale up their email marketing game, yesterday. Fortunately, when it comes to email marketing, it’s better late than never. So, jump on the bandwagon today and strategize on how to implement the trends mentioned above for business success.