The question is: what can you do in 2022 to make your email newsletter strategy even better?
We’re unpacking the top email trends for 2022 so you can start applying them to your email strategy today.
In 2020, four out of five marketers said they’d rather stop using social media than email, and over one-third of B2B marketers said that email newsletters are the best way to nurture leads. Even more, telling is the sheer number of email users – there are 4 billion daily email users in 2021. That number is expected to reach 4.6 billion by 2025.
The bottom line is, email continues to be one of the best ways to engage audiences. However, there are also challenges. With an average of 200 emails in every inbox, it’s getting harder to stand out.
To ensure your subscribers are continuing to open your newsletters, you’ll have to up your game.
So here are the 7 most important email trends for 2022:
Trend 1 – High-level personalization for your email newsletters
In 2022, take your personalization strategy up a notch. You are probably already using subscriber names and segmenting your email list by target audience groups. In 2022, the goal is to better personalize your email newsletter so your audience has a feel of exclusivity.
One way you can do this is with machine learning technology and automation. AI-powered platforms that customize the content based on the subscriber will give your readers the impression that each email newsletter they open was created just for them.
Trend 2 – Email newsletters content that really matters
The truth is, your subscribers see a lot of emails every day. In fact, some people have more than one email account, which means they’re juggling even more content. The average number of email accounts per user is 1.75 and rising.
To ensure your email newsletter recipients open your email every time, your content has to be worthwhile. This doesn’t mean each email should contain a special offer or an incentive. What it does mean is that your email newsletters should incorporate depth and value to the reader. You should also put the customer first.
Basically, every email newsletter you send is your next golden opportunity to impress your audience and convey the message that they should look forward to your next email because what you sent was so insightful, thought-provoking, or helpful this time around.
To make this happen, use storytelling elements. Make your audience the hero and your product or service the tool they need to solve their problems. Also, include visual storytelling to appeal to all the visual learners on your subscriber list.
In 2022, customer experience (CX) will continue to be a business priority, so it’s critical to put your reader first when thinking about design and written content.
Trend 3 – Clean email newsletter design
Another essential for 2022 will be a clean email newsletter design. Knowing that your subscribers are sifting through several emails a day, look at what you can do to make your email newsletter more visually friendly.
- Use thoughtful design elements including optimized images and web-safe fonts to make your email newsletters more visually appealing.
- Keep your newsletters short, sweet, and to the point. Convey the purpose of the email, let the reader know why it’s relevant to them, and finish with a clear call to action.
- For email monetization, opt for programmatic native ads, which appear to fit naturally within the content rather than distracting display ads.
Trend 4 – Micro segments
Email segmentation has been around for some time, and it’s one of the most useful tools email publishers have for improving engagement.
The problem is, audience needs and wants can change over time. Also, some of your subscribers may be more or less interested in what your brand offers, which means they could be a better fit for a different target segment.
To solve this problem and ensure your segmentation is working for your goals, clean up your groupings. You can do this by including a survey in your email to gauge sentiment, preferences, and needs.
Email segmentation can increase your email open rates by as much as 203%, so this is one marketing tactic you want to get right. You might also want to consider creating more granular target groups, also known as micro-segments, using characteristics such as buying history and location, as well as essentials such as job role (for B2B marketing) and buyer journey stage.
Trend 5 – Gen Z engagement
In 2022, the oldest Gen Zers will be teenagers (time is flying!). That means it’s time to start thinking about appealing to this generation and their needs if young adults are part of your target audience.
What matters most to the generation that will be carrying the torch over the next decade?
- Mental health – According to the American Psychological Association, this generation is the least likely to experience fair to excellent mental health. Including positive and supportive messaging in your content can strike a chord with these individuals.
- Economic security – Coming of age in the current economy with sky-high college tuition and inflation is a bit stressful. Think budget-friendly and practical when trying to engage Gen Z.
- The environment – 87% of Gen Zers say they are worried about the environment and the planet’s future. Finding ways to support sustainability and eco-friendly movements and organizations will pique this age group’s interest.
Trend 6 – Interactive email newsletter content
Most of your subscribers are likely digital natives at this point, so you can use more interactivity to improve the user-friendliness of your email newsletters. This can include features such as animated buttons and calls to action, interactive product carousels controlled by users, user-generated interactive content, and rollover effects to showcase offerings.
Trend 7 – Paid email newsletters
In 2022, expect to see more paid email newsletters, where people pay a monthly subscription to read the newsletter, and native ads in email newsletters, including programmatic advertising. As publishers create better email newsletter strategies – and offer more value – subscribers are more willing to pay for that content.
And, with programmatic native advertising, you can also offer better personalization, improve CX, ensure a clean design, and deliver a more engaging, interactive reading experience. With native, programmatic advertising, AI algorithms ensure the right ads get to the right people.
Find out more about how native ads can improve email newsletters by reading inboxAds case studies today.
This article was honorably included in the famous future of email marketing trends post the 2022 edition at emailmonday. Definitely worth checking out if you are a trend-hungry email marketer, looking for predictions from more industry experts.
