It’s easy to get caught up in the new, flashy forms of marketing. Going viral, influencer sponsors, experiential marketing. The list goes on. But in many ways, you can’t beat the power of email campaigns, especially when you’ve got the right tools at your disposal.
If you’re under the impression that email marketing is on it’s way out, then it’s time to rethink all that email has to offer. There are currently 3.9 billion email users, and that number is expected to grow to over 4 billion by 2023. That means that right now, 50% of the human population uses email. That reach is impossible to ignore.
Today’s version of email marketing looks drastically different from its origins. Gone are the days of never-ending blocks of monotonous words and zero visual appeal. Today’s audience demands to be visually pleased, and their email inboxes are no exception. In addition to visual upgrades, technological advances have made it easier than ever to segment your campaigns. Segmentation ensures your content gets to the right people at the right time. Personalization tactics also make it easier to form a connection and make the reader feel like more than just a number in an email list.
In 2019 alone, the number of emails that were sent and received each day reached almost 300 billion, which isn’t a surprise, as everyone can probably picture the pages and pages of clutter that’s piled up in their inbox as we speak. So it’s no debate that emails are a crowded platform. But when your content and your audience match up just right, your emails can grow a loyal following.
As we mentioned before, visuals are key. No matter what industry you’re in, no matter what your product is. Blocks of words are not going to excite your audience. Period. You’ve got to *show*, not tell. In a recent study, Martech Advisers determined that adding videos into your email can increase click rates by 300%. Why? Because when people are checking their email, they don’t want to sit down for a 30-minute read. Videos provide a straightforward and entertaining way to get information across without requiring too much from the viewer.
Brand overviews, testimonials, client stories; the sky’s the limit. Honestly. The more creative, the better. Need inspiration? We’ve put together a list of 10 types of videos each business needs. Any of these videos will keep your audience entertained, informed, and engaged and looking forward to seeing your name in their inbox.
If you think it’s not worth it to create video content only for emails, you’re both right and wrong. Right because those videos you create won’t just be going out in emails. Every piece of branded video content you make can be stretched and recycled over and over again to ensure that each dollar you spend is used wisely. Creating a high-quality piece of content just to be used in one email and then never touched again would certainly be a waste.
You’d be wrong, however, in thinking that investing in email marketing wouldn’t be worth it. According to the DMA, email generates $38 for every $1, resulting in an incredible 3,800% ROI. So add that ROI percentage with the power of adding video into your emails, and suddenly the thought of increasing your email content marketing budget doesn’t seem so meritless after all.