Today, March 5th, 2021, marks the fifth anniversary of the death of email creator Ray Tomlinson – but email is more alive than ever. Current market research and studies show exciting results on the development of this proven digital communication channel – especially in comparison to hyped messengers and social media. […]
The new “E-Mail Statistics Report, 2021-2025“Of the tech market research institute The Radicati Group predicts, among other things, that by the end of 2025 a total of 376 billion e-mails will be sent and received – every day! For comparison: in 2015 there were still 205 billion messages per day. Currently, 50 years after the American computer science pioneer Tomlinson sent the very first electronic letter in 1971, more than half of the world’s population uses e-mail. The number of users is expected to grow to 4.5 billion by the end of 2025. It proves that this digital means of communication will remain one of the most important in both private and business areas.
The basis of all digital communication
What is the reason for its unbroken popularity? After the emergence of social networks and messenger services, countless swan songs have already been written on the e-mail. But: those who have been told dead live longer, as is well known. After all, the private e-mail address is the digital equivalent of the private postal address and a unique identification of the individual. From login data on social networks and streaming services to shipping notifications from online shops to receiving invoices from electricity or telecommunications providers, users around the world rely almost exclusively on e-mail. In private, users also appreciate not submitting to the dubious filters and rules of Facebook, Instagram and Co. in their email communication, where images of naked statues from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome are sometimes classified as immoral and blocked . This channel is not subject to the arbitrariness or censorship of a company, but is an open standard that is independent worldwide. The last United Internet Media study “Email for you 2.0“Has shown that e-mail is perceived by 76.1 percent of those surveyed in the DACH region as a trustworthy channel, while significantly fewer said this via WhatsApp and social networks. Data protection and privacy also speak in favor of using e-mail as a communication channel – think, for example, of the criticism of the planned data exchange between Whatsapp and Facebook. Or the booming live audio app Clubhouse, which requires access to all contacts stored in the user’s phone book.
In addition, the rise of online trading has led to the number of so-called transactional mails – such as automatic order confirmations, pick-up notifications, delivery notes, invoices or reminders of incomplete shopping carts – increasing. E-mail is increasingly becoming an “in-time medium”. Have you forgotten your password or has someone tried to log into your online shop account using a third-party device? No problem, the links and details can be found in your inbox.
Demands on e-mail newsletters are increasing
E-mails and newsletters have a high standing, especially in everyday professional life and in corporate communication using e-mail marketing. According to a current study by the German specialist medium OnetoOne and the market research institute Splendid-Research, more than 86 percent of those surveyed consider e-mails and newsletters from companies to be a positively accepted form of contact. So only a minority shows rejection. What the representative survey also showed, however: the recipients have become more demanding compared to the last survey in 2018. You no longer expect newsletters only to provide information on new products, but to provide real added value. According to the study, pecuniary benefits in the form of discounts or voucher codes are still the most popular. But: A personalized address, for example in the form of birthday wishes, or storytelling about products and services are also gaining in importance in newsletters.
Trend towards automation and predictive analytics
In addition, the study also confirms the trends of recent years that e-mail newsletters from companies must be present at the right time – with the success factors of added value, the right question and good messages. Today, this essentially works through analysis and automation. It is important to correctly record the behavior and interests of subscribers and to use algorithms to address customers precisely. That means: Predictive analytics and artificial intelligence are driving forces in digital dialogue marketing. Predictive analytics uses machine learning or statistics to predict the future from sales trends to patterns of customer loyalty. In marketing, it can be applied to various customer touchpoints, from initial brand awareness gains to post-purchase activities. It can help keep behavior along the way Customer Journey predict more precisely in order to bring together the preferences of customers and the offers of companies even more efficiently.
The email is already celebrating its 50th birthday this year. However, even in times of messenger services and social networks, it does not belong to the “old iron” and will enjoy a high level of acceptance in both private and corporate communication for a long time to come.
* Niklas Lenz is the managing director of the email marketing specialist eyepin.
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