Nowadays, most companies utilize digital marketing methods because it's an easier way to connect with their audience. Additionally, their websites are the primary starting point for this because they are often the first to be seen by the customer. There are many new digital marketing methods building on top of established ones, but one that’s actually not going anywhere yet is email marketing.
There are people who are skeptical of the practice in favor of these new digital platforms feeling that email marketing is going the way of the mailed flier (we’re still getting those though…). While the open rates of email are low, it’s not a waste of time to put your marketing efforts into email so if you’re on the fence, we'll debunk some of the most common myths that plague email marketing:
#1 - It’s an Outdated Practice
The idea that email marketing is outdated is true to some extent. Email marketing is no longer as effective as it used to be, but only because of how it’s done. Too much irrelevant content, too many promotional offers, and not enough value make people unsubscribe from your list, not because the platform of email is outdated.
#2 - Inactive Users Are Invalid
How many brands do you follow on social media but never open their email campaigns? Maybe they haven’t hit the right messaging for you to engage with them on that channel.
It may sound strange, but there are cases where people who haven't opened or clicked your emails in a while are engaged on other platforms. They are not active users, but they can still be hungry for information. You can maximize the use of inactive users to tap into their potential by segmenting and retargeting them.
#3 - It’s Invasive to your Audience
Many people have concerns about the privacy of their customers, especially when it comes to email marketing. Fortunately, email marketing is based on permission, and it’s widely recognized as a safe marketing medium. As long as you're not spamming and you keep the content relevant and valuable, you won't run the risk of alienating your audience. This ties back to the first myth which is to say that if the content is valuable then it’s not invasive.
#4 - Short-Form Emails Are the Best
Many marketers believe that short emails are better than long ones, but this is not supported by data. In reality, the length of your emails doesn’t have a significant impact on the number of clicks and opens. There is no set length for an email, but that doesn't mean you can send them without thinking about why your email is short or long. The length of your emails depends on the content you're offering and how you wish to position your brand.
#5 - You Should Always Be Formal
Most of us do not enjoy reading formal emails, we get enough of those from work. Moreover, you should avoid using formal language and tone when sending emails because it will likely make them skip through the content and maybe never engage with the call to action and make them less likely to open your next campaign. Keeping everything casual and genuine matters because the more personal you are, the more your audience will feel comfortable with your brand and feel the identity you are trying to create with that brand.
#6 - Everybody Unsubscribes, Sooner or Later
While this is true for some people, it's not for most. Think about thatfolder in your email piled with promotions or updates from companies you gave your email to. Many people subscribe to your list despite the number of emails you send. It's a myth that people unsubscribe from your list because the emails are too frequent. In most cases, people unsubscribe because the content is irrelevant and uninteresting or they are one of those rare people who actually look at every email they get (is that even possible?).
#7 - It’s Best to Send Out Emails on a Thursday
There’s data to suggest the day and time you send an email will predict its open and engagement rate but in general, you shouldn’t get hung up on this. When you have content that’s valuable to customers, send it. If you can come up with a schedule, your audience will expect it at that time and that can lead to sustained engagement but the factors involved to predict when your audience will more likely open an email from you are so far ranging from industry to industry, product to product, your best bet is to use your own data as a benchmark. Based on your customer research, try days and times you think will work best and track the data. Then switch it up and see if anything changes. Again, don’t go chasing this data around too much, your time is better spent on creating valuable content.
Conclusion
Many marketers and businesses have embraced social media marketing because of its advantages, but emails are still needed and should not be dismissed just yet. Email marketing is still a viable marketing method, despite its low open rates. The best way to avoid wasting your time on this platform is to keep the audience at the center of your strategy and bring them content that helps them.
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