Email marketing has been a mainstay for marketers for decades – and it‘s showing no signs of slowing down. Despite the rise of newer channels like social media and SMS, email continues to be one of the most effective ways to reach and engage audiences.
Consider this: there will be over 4.6 billion email users worldwide by 2024, accounting for more than half of the global population. The total number of emails sent and received each day is forecast to exceed 376 billion. And every dollar spent on email marketing generates an average ROI of $36, higher than any other digital marketing channel.
But while email is undeniably powerful, it‘s also evolving quickly. Shifting consumer behaviors, new technologies, and a dynamic privacy landscape are forcing email marketers to adapt and innovate.
To help you stay ahead of the curve, we‘ve compiled 40+ essential email marketing statistics for 2024. From global email usage trends to the tactics and strategies driving the best results, these benchmarks and insights can guide your email marketing planning for the year ahead.
Email Usage & Adoption
Let‘s start with some high-level stats that speak to the scale and reach of email:
- 4.6 billion email users worldwide by 2024. That‘s over half of the global population, and an increase of 400 million users from 2020. (Statista)
- 376 billion emails sent and received per day. This figure has grown steadily and is expected to reach 420 billion daily emails by 2028. (Statista)
- 99% of email users check their inbox every day, with some checking 20 times a day. (DMA Insights)
- 75% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email. (Hubspot)
- 43% of consumers say they prefer to hear from brands via email vs. other channels. (Litmus)
The takeaway is clear: email has unparalleled reach and engagement as a communication channel. For marketers, it remains an essential way to connect with customers and drive business results.
Source: Statista
Email Marketing Effectiveness & ROI
Of course, widespread usage alone doesn‘t make email an effective marketing channel. Let‘s look at some data points around email performance and ROI:
- Average email open rate of 24.1% across industries. While open rates vary widely by sector and audience, the overall average hovers around 24%. (Oracle)
- Average email click-through rate of 3.5%. Again, CTRs can range significantly, but the cross-industry average lands at 3.5%. (Oracle)
- Every $1 spent on email marketing yields $36 in ROI. This 36:1 return is higher than any other digital channel. (Litmus)
- 19% of marketing emails prompt a purchase, on average. For welcome emails, that figure jumps to 25%. (Litmus)
- Segmented email campaigns generate 77% higher average ROI than non-segmented campaigns. (DMA Insights)
By almost any measure, email outperforms other channels in terms of engagement, conversion, and return on investment. And tactics like segmentation and personalization can further amplify results.
Popular Email Marketing Strategies & Tactics
So which specific email marketing strategies are marketers using to drive these impressive results? Here are some key trends:
- 35% of organizations send 5+ marketing emails per month to their subscribers, while 33% send 2-4 emails per month. (Litmus)
- 78% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the past year. (Not Another State of Marketing Report)
- The #1 tactic used by email marketers to improve performance is personalization. (HubSpot)
- Emails with personalized subject lines are 37% more likely to be opened than those without. (Instapage)
- Automated email workflows generate 9x higher click rates compared to batch-and-blast emails. (GetResponse)
- Welcome emails have an average open rate of over 80% – making them one of the most engaging email types. (GetResponse)
- Abandoned cart emails have an average open rate of 45% and a conversion rate of 5%. (Moosend)
- Interactive email content increases the click-to-open rate by 73%. (Martech Advisor)
Source: HubSpot
The most successful email programs go beyond generic mass mailings. Marketers are using personalization, segmentation, automation, and interactive content to create emails that are timely, relevant, and engaging.
Email Marketing Challenges & Goals
While email is highly effective, marketers still face significant challenges. Here are the top issues and priorities email marketers are focused on:
- Lack of quality data is the #1 roadblock to email personalization. (Litmus)
- 51% of marketers say inbox competition is their biggest challenge. (Ascend2)
- 43% of email marketers struggle with lack of internal resources like time, staff, and budget. (Litmus)
- Improving email deliverability is a top-3 goal for 45% of marketers. (Validity)
- Increasing email engagement is the primary goal for 53% of marketers. (Ascend2)
- Only 50% of organizations rate their email marketing capabilities as advanced or best-in-class. (Infogroup)
To overcome these hurdles and reach their goals, marketers need the right strategies, tools, and resources. Investing in reliable data, engaging content, and deliverability best practices can help email programs thrive in today‘s crowded inbox environment.
Email Performance Benchmarks by Industry
Email marketing metrics can vary significantly by industry, so it‘s helpful to benchmark against sector-specific averages. Here are some key email performance indicators broken down by industry:
| Industry | Avg. Open Rate | Avg. Click Rate | Avg. Unsubscribe Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 28% | 3.8% | 0.3% |
| Education | 31% | 4.2% | 0.2% |
| Financial Services | 28% | 3.1% | 0.3% |
| Healthcare | 24% | 4.0% | 0.4% |
| Manufacturing | 22% | 2.1% | 0.2% |
| Media & Entertainment | 22% | 4.6% | 0.2% |
| Nonprofit | 28% | 3.0% | 0.2% |
| Real Estate | 25% | 2.6% | 0.2% |
| Retail | 19% | 2.2% | 0.1% |
| Technology | 20% | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Travel & Hospitality | 21% | 2.3% | 0.2% |
Source: Oracle & Mailchimp
Remember, the most meaningful comparisons are to your own past performance. Use these benchmarks as a general gauge, but focus on continually improving your own email metrics over time.
Email Design & Deliverability Best Practices
What specific tactics can marketers use to improve email performance and overcome common challenges? Here are some proven best practices:
- Optimize for mobile: Nearly 50% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Use a responsive email template that looks great on any screen size.
- Personalize subject lines: Emails with personalized subject lines have a 50% higher open rate than those without. Use merge tags to dynamically insert subscriber names or other personal details.
- Keep subject lines short: Subject lines with fewer than 50 characters have a 40% higher open rate than longer ones. Be clear and concise!
- Segment your lists: Segmented campaigns generate a 30% higher open rate than unsegmented ones. Group subscribers by demographics, behavior, or preferences to send more targeted content.
- Clean your lists regularly: An engaged list is a high-performing list. Remove inactive subscribers and bounced emails to maintain good deliverability.
- Avoid spam triggers: Using all caps, too many exclamation points, and phrases like "free" or "act now" can land your emails in the spam folder. Keep your subject lines and content polished and professional.
- Set expectations upfront: Tell subscribers what content you‘ll send and how often right when they sign up. Then stick to those promises to build trust and engagement.
- Test, test, test: Always be A/B testing different subject lines, content, CTAs, and designs to see what resonates best with your audience.
By following these email marketing best practices, you can craft high-performing campaigns that reach the inbox and inspire action.
The Future of Email
So what does the future hold for email marketing? Here are some key trends and predictions to watch:
- AMP for Email will bring interactive, app-like experiences to the inbox. This emerging technology allows recipients to take actions like filling out forms or browsing content without leaving their email client.
- BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) will help brands stand out in the inbox. By implementing this email authentication protocol, marketers can display their logo next to their email sender name – boosting recognition and trust.
- Machine learning and predictive analytics will personalize email content in real-time. Expect to see more emails that adapt their content and offers based on an individual subscriber‘s behavior and preferences.
- Omnichannel campaigns will create seamless customer journeys across email, SMS, web, and more. Email will remain at the center of the digital marketing ecosystem, but it will be more connected and integrated with other channels.
- Data privacy will continue to be a major focus and challenge for email marketers. With regulations like GDPR and CCPA in play, maintaining compliant and permission-based email lists will be more critical than ever.
The email landscape is evolving quickly, but its future is bright. By staying on top of these developments and prioritizing the customer experience, email marketers can continue to drive outsized business results for years to come.
Conclusion
Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools in the digital marketer‘s toolbox. With a massive global audience, strong engagement metrics, and impressive ROI, email should be a core pillar of any marketing strategy.
But email success is not guaranteed. To stand out in crowded inboxes and drive meaningful business outcomes, marketers need the right data, strategies, and tactics.
By leveraging the email marketing statistics and best practices we‘ve covered here, you can benchmark your performance, identify areas for improvement, and optimize your email campaigns for maximum results.
The future of email is bright – and armed with these insights, you‘re well positioned to make the most of this dynamic channel in 2024 and beyond. For more email marketing tips and tricks, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter below!
