How to approach email marketing in 2024

In the previous article we talked about how to use email marketing effectively. In this area too you have to jump on the moving train and adapt your strategy to new trends. 2024 will markedly change the approach to email marketing so far. The reason will be mandatory changes at the mailing services, but also the use of artificial intelligence in creating newsletters and managing data. 

Find out which trends and changes you have to turn your attention to in 2024. 

The bogeymen called Gmail and Yahoo 

The largest email services Gmail and Yahoo have issued several strict requirements effective from February 2024. The aim of these changes is to reduce the rate of fraudulent emails and improve recipients' inbox experience. These requirements have been out for several months and have caused chaos among email senders. Several senders took fright at the new names, but in fact there is nothing to fear. 

What matters is meeting these steps:

• SPF and DKIM authentication - Senders have to set up SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) for their sending domains. These protocols are the foundation of email authentication and proof that emails are sent from a legitimate source​​. 

• Setting up DMARC - Domain-based message authentication to protect against phishing and domain misuse​. This setting is needed for all senders of 5,000+ emails a day. Read how to set up DMARC.

• Sending domain alignment - The domain in the sender's "From" header must match the SPF or DKIM domain, ensuring the consistency and reliability of the sender's identity​​.  

• One-click unsubscribe - Another change Gmail and Yahoo will be watching from June is unsubscribing with one click directly in the body of the email. So it is not the classic unsubscribe via the footer. 

An example of what unsubscribing should look like in practice:

• Keeping the spam rate low - Gmail and Yahoo have also set a spam rate limit that must not exceed 0.3%. The optimal limit, though, is considered to be 0.1%.

The AI helper in newsletters too 

Some form of artificial intelligence is gradually being introduced into every area of our lives, and email marketing is no exception. Popular mailing platforms such as MailerLite, Brevo, Mailchimp and the Czech Ecomail have built AI features into newsletter creation. 

Cannot think of an apt subject line? Never mind. All you have to do is enter a keyword in Brevo, "Valentine's discount" for instance, and AI will create several decent suggestions you can then edit.

An example of how AI can be used in Brevo when creating a newsletter subject line:

We tried this feature too and even used one suggestion in full. 

Another AI feature is send-time optimisation, which can predict the best time to send a campaign for a particular recipient. I have even seen a tool that builds the complete content of a whole email from your materials.

Artificial intelligence is used in email marketing not only on the content side. AI can help you with cleaning your database or analysing customer data, thanks to which you will be able to adapt content to your subscribers better. Mailchimp now uses predictive analytics, which can estimate your subscribers' future behaviour. With it you can predict which subscribers will make a purchase or unsubscribe.

Do not send emails to people who do not want them

One of the new things we talked about above is keeping the spam rate at 0.1%. That means in 2024 you should take even greater care not to bother anyone with your emails. And anyway. Does it make sense to keep in touch with someone who does not want it? Databases of 10,000 with a low engagement rate have long since stopped being something to boast about. 

Rather do not send campaigns to inactive recipients. You do not have to delete them from the database at once, but create a separate segment of inactive users and try thinking about a reactivation campaign. You can try a different way of communicating. Ask them directly what content would interest them, or ask them outright whether they want to stay in your database or not. Do not take unsubscribes personally. It is always better than them marking the newsletter as spam and thereby damaging your reputation. 

It is not quantum physics - focus on value 

Sometimes we mistakenly think a newsletter has to be crammed with information from top to bottom. What matters is the value you bring the customer. A piece of news that interests them or a guide that helps them. 

Nobody reads long newsletters today. The recommended length is 3-4 screen scrolls. Sometimes it is enough to share 2-3 tips a week with your readers. You do not have to spend 10 hours a day on content. What matters is persistence and regular sending.

The American copywriter Neville Medhora sends his subscribers the S.W.I.P.E.S. newsletter every Friday. However much work he has, he always finds 2 hours to send it. He saves everything interesting he wants to share into a separate folder over several weeks and on Friday creates content from it. The point is that every Friday I wait and look forward to this newsletter landing in my inbox. Yes, I subscribe to it myself :) This example cannot be applied to everything, but being able to judge what is valuable and prepare it appropriately for the customer is far more demanding than it seems.

The open rate metric is losing relevance

The trend of recent years is not to focus all your attention on the open rate. Apple introduced a new privacy protection feature that blocks email marketing tools from tracking information about users, such as location, the time an email was opened or the device they use. That is why the click-through rate metric is currently considered more important. 

Interactive elements without drowning in images

A visually attractive newsletter can engage subscribers, but it is worse when it does not display in the inbox because of the large amount of graphical material. Now more text than images is even the trend. A text email is a little "old school", but it feels more personal, like a letter.

Okay. What about those interactive elements? Despite what we said above, one or two interactive elements can set your email apart from the rest.

• GIFs
• polls
• questionnaires
• quizzes
• gamification
• changing CTA buttons 

UGC to raise credibility

The rising popularity of user-generated content has reached email marketing too. These are reviews, case studies or photographs in which customers use your products. If you have their permission, use this authentic content in your newsletter. 

Optimising the template for dark mode

According to Backlinko, 49% of all emails are opened on a mobile device. EarthWeb reports that as many as 81.9% of users have dark mode set on their smartphone. When optimising your email template, use a transparent logo in PNG format. Sometimes you will have to add a white underline or another effect that makes the logo stand out against a dark background. Another variant is to optimise your email for dark mode through the code itself. 

Do not be afraid to talk to your subscribers as people

Email marketing is one of the most personal marketing channels. We can address subscribers by name and send them personalised offers. Behind every email address is a person of flesh and blood - your customer. Talk to them as you would in person. When you change your communication strategy, the newsletter's design or start addressing them by name, do not be afraid to ask whether they like the change or what their preferences are. 

Setting up BIMI to improve credibility 

One of the newest trends is showing a logo with a sent email. If a recipient does not remember your company's name, they may recognise you visually by the logo. That raises not only visibility but the brand's credibility too. Together with DMARC, DKIM and SPF, the BIMI protocol serves to verify the sender. Recipients then have the assurance that it is not a fraudulent email. You can learn how to set up BIMI in SmartEmailing's guide.

An example of what the BIMI feature looks like in practice:

Some trends change over time, others stay relevant for several years. What matters is staying in the picture and adapting your strategy suitably for your business. You will see — some trends may help you achieve better results. If you need help creating newsletters, do not hesitate to get in touch.