Many argue that email is dead. Would you agree?
An email marketing plan is old-fashioned and not as effective as its contemporary siblings, mobile marketing and social media.
Sure, people are on their phones for social media—the global average was 62.3%— and while these prove to have some merit, is email completely gone?
I, for one, check my inbox daily, but it’s usually out of habit. Mindless scrolling through the mishmash of emails from banks, subscriptions, and social media updates.
But occasionally, I’d find myself reading email headings that read, “We slept in the woods for 5 days…” or “I’m giving away my house.”
Of course, initially, I’d get hooked and ask myself, “When did I ever sign up for real estate newsletters?” only to check the email and see that they were actually from Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo at AppSumo.
Kagan helps businesses launch by providing business-to-business email marketing and real-life advice that they can use.
This technique of staying personal and relevant turned what was once mindless scrolling into a weekly thing I looked forward to.
With these simple yet revolutionary marketing methods working to a high degree, more than 347 billion emails are sent, reaffirming the enduring strength of email marketing strategies for digital marketers.
Here are 30 incredible statistics to demonstrate why email should remain a cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy. Ready? Let’s dive in.
30 Insane Email Marketing Statistics That Prove the Enduring Power of the Marketing Channel
1. There are over 4.2 billion email users worldwide. (Source: Statista)
As it currently stands, there are over 4.2 billion current email users, which means that over 50% of the world’s population is reachable via email. However, this doesn’t mean you should ditch your social media and SEO campaigns to focus on email marketing alone.
Social media and email success require distinct strategies, yet excelling in both can significantly propel your business.
The sheer volume of email users underscores its enduring effectiveness, highlighting its often underestimated importance as a marketing channel.
2. Email’s return on investment is 3600%. (Source: Constant Contact)
Compared to traditional marketing efforts, email has a reputation for being a money pit in business because marketers can’t see leads and conversions instantly. However, the average ROI in email marketing can potentially be 36$.
Compared to other customer acquisition channels, such as PPC, which returns $2 for every $1 invested, email boasts one of the most significant ROI.
3. Email reigns supreme as the most utilized smartphone feature, commanding over 50% of usage. (Source: Oberlo)
Now that the world is fast-paced and people are always on the go, around half of all emails are opened on mobile devices. Just like any social platform, messaging app, or streaming service, having an email client on a smartphone plays a significant role in the average person’s digital lifestyle.
With over 4.2 billion smartphone users in 2023, this statistic shows that email will continue to be a vital tool for both marketers and consumers.
4. 86% of customers would participate in specific perks and activities offered by a business. (Source: Square)
Contrary to the assumption that people don’t like getting promotional emails, 80% of surveyed customers show interest in exploring a new offering from a business known for its other strengths. A staggering 86% of customers are inclined to engage with unique perks, activities, or events offered by companies.
However, make sure that you don’t stay anonymous.
Consumers don’t like messages that take up space on their feeds. What you want to do is ensure that your recipients know who you are and that you have acquired their contact information ethically.
Also Read: The Ultimate Email Marketing Trends in 2023
5. 23% of marketers say that the biggest change in email has to do with integrating personalized experiences. (Source: HubSpot)
Email remains a robust marketing and communication tool, ranking second for the highest ROI among channels. Currently, 33% of marketers employ email, with 87% planning to maintain or increase investments in 2024.
Additionally, 23% of marketers cite that changes in email strategies revolve around creating personalized experiences.
Adaptability is key; email marketers must embrace AI for email marketing, for tailored experiences, and be agile in responding to unforeseen events.
6. 41.5% of businesses use email to know their customers better. (Source: ZipDo)
According to a study, 41.5% of companies extract data from their email marketing campaigns to gain insights.
Apart from the data customers provide willingly, such as name, birthday, age, Information such as gender, email activity, engagement, and behavior you gain from emails offer valuable insights into understanding your customers better.
Product reviews and email surveys are also great ways to gather Information. Complete the action by following up with offering incentives to boost your conversion rate.
7. There’s a 70.5% increase in open rates and a 152% surge in click-through rates when using automated emails. (Source: Constant Contact)
Marketers love automated emails because they set them up once and then automatically send them out based on specific triggers. Apparently, recipients like them, too.
Automated email messages boast a 70.5% increase in open rates and a staggering 152% surge in click-through rates compared to standard marketing messages.
Additionally, transactional emails triggered by user purchase behavior see 8x more opens and clicks, leading to 6 times more revenue generation.
Not bad at all—especially from something that doesn’t require so much effort.
8. 79% of Millennials actually like emails. (Source: Statista)
An email segmentation strategy can make the difference between your business’ success and failure.
Millennials are known to be heavy users of social media and messaging apps, as they were born and raised during a time when the world birthed the internet, but that doesn’t mean this is the best way to reach them.
They may be available on different platforms, but when it comes to business and other related transactions, 79% of millennials prefer email as their primary business communication channel.
9. Over 20% of Millennials favor email marketing—topping all digital channels in sales driving. (Source: Tidio)
There is a never-ending argument regarding what strategy is more effective: segmented email campaigns or social media. Well, it depends!
According to studies, 20% more millennials prefer updates and promotions via email than on social media. As such, it might be a good idea to keep your inbox open.
10. 81% of retailers heavily rely on email as their top marketing channel. (Source: Emarsys)
Email marketing for retail is becoming increasingly popular. Professionals perceive email marketing as the best strategy for customer acquisition and retention.
Research states that over 81% of SMB owners rely on email marketing to optimize customer acquisition, and 80% rely on the method for their retention efforts.
Other customer acquisition tactics that retail professionals prefer are search engine marketing, content marketing, and social media. However, they only use email marketing as the best for both acquisition and retention, as well as ROI.
11. Marketers say there’s a 52% increase in conversions because of content personalization. (Source: HubSpot)
Gone are the days of just adding a first name to your subject line; it’s time to level up your game!
Brands are nailing dynamic content with AI-powered product suggestions, location-specific details, and personalized images to boost email marketing’s return on investment.
Prosperous email marketing ideas like content integration can boost conversions by 52%, and some companies see a whopping 44% increase in email-driven sales.
12. There was an 88% boost in open rates when emails included video content. (Source: Grow Me Organic)
Video in emails delivers a remarkable up to 88% increase in open rates—a stat that underscores its pivotal role in successful cold emails.
This powerful impact is not just about numbers but about videos’ ability to captivate attention, create engaging experiences, and forge stronger connections with customers.
By strategically leveraging videos, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts, drive conversions, and stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
13. Email usage is projected to reach an estimated 4.73 billion users globally in 2025. (Source: HubSpot)
Email usage is on the rise, with a projected 2.5% growth in users annually through 2024 and 2025—reaching 4.73 billion globally.
Personalization remains crucial in 2024, necessitating tools with advanced features like quick-start templates, dynamic content automation linked to CRM, and AI-driven product recommendations for successful campaigns.
14. 24% of marketers prioritize AI tools like chatbots and generative AI emails to improve customer service responses. (Source: HubSpot)
24% of marketers recognize the potential of email marketing best practices, such as using AI tools, chatbots, and generative AI emails, to revolutionize customer service responses.
This realization reflects a growing awareness among marketers of the efficiency and effectiveness that AI-driven solutions can bring to business operations, particularly in streamlining customer interactions and improving overall service quality.
15. 5.7% of respondents prefer AI-supported email marketing over traditional methods. (Source: Statista)
In a 2023 survey, 50.7% of email marketers from the US, UK, and Europe agreed that AI-backed email marketing outperformed traditional methods.
The results indicate a clear trend toward the adoption of AI in email marketing, reflecting the industry’s recognition of AI’s potential to enhance campaign effectiveness.
Over half of the respondents acknowledged the superiority of AI-supported strategies, indicating that marketers are increasingly embracing technology to optimize their email campaigns.
The fact that 33% of marketers already use AI or have plans to do so underscores the importance of staying ahead in leveraging advanced tools to drive better engagement, personalization, and overall performance in email marketing efforts.
Other Email Marketing Statistics
- As of December 2023, Apple dominates the email client market with a 58.07% share, making it the top choice for over half of the world’s email users (Source: Oberlo)
- The average unsubscribe rate across industries is 0.26%, with the architecture sector having the highest rate. (Source: HubSpot)
- 9 AM to 12 PM and 12 PM to 3 PM (EST) are the most preferred times professional marketers send their emails. (Source: HubSpot)
- Nearly 37% of companies intend to increase their investment in email overall. (Source: Litmus)
- Marketers send as many as 15 emails a month, on average. (Source: Litmus)
- 53.5% of people say that receiving too many emails is one of the top 3 reasons they unsubscribe from email blasts. (Source: Gartner)
- Marketers invested $629.9 million in email advertising in 2023. (Source: AirShip)
- Responsive email design delivers 15% higher click rates—especially on mobile. (Source: MailChimp)
- 41% identified email marketing as the most effective marketing channel, showcasing its dominance and effectiveness in driving results. (Source: Litmus)
- Image-based emails overall have a higher open rate of 30.27% compared to text-based emails with 21.9% (Source: GetResponse)
- 39% of marketers consider email marketing crucial to their company’s success. (Source: Litmus)
- 57% of consumers prefer to receive emails from their most favored brands just a few times a month. (Source: Gartner)
- 86% of consumers claim that they are willing to share their email addresses for personalized experiences and special incentives. (Source: AirShip)
- 51% of US digital shoppers prefer to receive discount offers by email—outpacing other methods such as in-app notifications, SMS, and push notifications. (Source: eMarketer)
- In email production cycles, the major bottleneck is feedback collection (35%). (Source: Litmus)
Achieve Conversions with Traditional Email Marketing Methods
Email serves as the vital link that connects each stage of the customer journey—ensuring seamless communication from sign-up to lead nurturing and eventual conversion.
It’s the lifeline that fosters lasting relationships between your company and your valued clients and prospects.
Reflecting on the missed opportunities resulting from overlooking email marketing, it becomes evident that there’s a wealth of untapped potential you and I haven’t harnessed.
Embracing a strategic email marketing approach can lead to increased engagement, conversions, and, ultimately, business growth. Who wouldn’t want that?
Prioritize email marketing and leverage its power to drive results. Whether optimizing email campaigns, personalizing content, or refining segmentation strategies, continual improvement is vital to staying ahead in today’s competitive landscape.
Email is the consistent line of communication between your business and prospects at every stage of the journey.
Contact Spiralytics for tailored guidance and expert support in B2B marketing funnel methods and email marketing in the Philippines.
We’re here to help you unlock the full potential of email marketing and effectively achieve your business objectives.
