In the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, the allure of the “new” often captivates our attention. Whether it’s the latest social media platform, innovative marketing tool, or emerging tactic, the quest for what’s novel can sometimes overshadow the tried-and-true methods that lie right before us.
Email: The Timeless Champion
Despite the influx of new channels and tactics, studies consistently affirm that email offers the highest ROI of any outreach strategy with an average return on investment (ROI) of 36:1.
The true power of email marketing lies in its reach and ability to be refined and optimized through testing.
Once you’ve mastered the basics of segmentation and personalization —a crucial starting point given segmented emails consistently outperform unsegmented ones, driving 30% more opens and 50% more click-throughs—you’re ready to explore new avenues of testing.
Here are four approaches to invigorate your email marketing strategy in 2024.
AI Insights: Testing for Genuine Connections
Leveraging AI for content generation has garnered significant attention in recent years. A/B testing can inform the efficacy of AI-generated copy for specific audiences, ensuring authentic alignment with audience needs and preferences and making sure you connect in meaningful ways that drive conversions.
Take this nonprofit’s experience with copy testing, for example. They tested shorter value proposition copy at the footer of their emails, expecting increased conversions. In practice, however, they found that the full articulation of their mission was more effective, driving 16% more clicks. This further proves you can’t be sure what will work for your audience until you test it.
Video’s Value: Measuring Impact Beyond Views
Video content has emerged as a potent marketing tool, with 82% of people being convinced to purchase a product or service after watching a video. Despite its potential, video can be a high-cost investment, making it essential to understand its ROI. Testing video inclusion in emails and on critical landing pages can provide valuable insights into its impact and effectiveness.
We recently saw video drive a 5.1% increase in revenue and a boost in revenue per visitor and conversion. Notably, this test discovered that the new user segment exhibited an even higher revenue lift of 7.9%, emphasizing the importance of ongoing video production to enhance new users’ experience with the brand.
Strategic Promotions: Finding the Sweet Spot for Discounts
Determining the optimal discount percentage for audience engagement is crucial for maximizing ROI. A/B testing of varying promotions through email can help identify the most compelling offers and their impact on customer behavior.
This e-commerce brand leveraged testing via email, pop-up offers, and organic audiences to determine their most effective promo value. They found that setting a higher order threshold for discounts + free shipping during a promotion drove a 13.1% increase in average order value without negatively impacting conversion metrics.
CTA Optimization: The Dramatic Effects of Placement Testing
The call-to-action within your emails is doing heavy lifting. It moves your audience from the inbox to your site, their cart and on to driving revenue. If you’re not testing and learning as much as you can about how to make that CTA as effective as possible, you’re leaving dollars on the table.
And don’t be afraid to experiment–that’s why we test! This non-profit organization learned that lesson when it tested moving the placement of its primary CTA. By moving the CTA to the very top of the email, they saw an 18% increase in clicks, a 73% increase in donations, and a 147% increase in revenue.
Through embracing practices like email testing, segmentation, personalization, and inventive strategies, we unlock the immense potential of this enduring medium. By leveraging these tools, we pave the way to achieving our objectives and driving our businesses to new heights in 2024 and beyond. Let’s not underestimate the influence of the unassuming email – for often, the most significant opportunities are already within arm’s reach.