Is Email Marketing Dead? How AI is Revolutionizing Multi-Channel Marketing

Email marketing is still important according to blog articles I’ve read by sources such as porchgroupmedia.com, mailmunch.com, and Hubspot.com. Today, AI is integrated into almost every platform, changing how we create and share content across multiple platforms. Multi-channel marketing as it’s called, is an important trend in today’s marketing strategy. That means sharing content you create on social posts as emails, videos, blog posts, articles, text messages, and where appropriate, website updates. Like the traditional marketing media of radio, TV, print, and direct mail, it’s important to distribute your marketing message across multiple channels. That way you have a higher likelihood of reaching your target customer so they read it, watch it, or hear it when they are ready to take action.

The reality is your email list is like GOLD in your business. People who join your list are those who are interested in what you have to say and share. They are your best prospects. Segmenting your list and sharing relevant content is the best way to eventually convert them into customers.

Many of my clients still focus exclusively on social media for marketing. If they use an email platform like Constant Contact, MailChimp, Campaigner, or Hubspot, it’s often to send a monthly newsletter and periodic email messages. Frequently, that content isn’t even shared on social media or in blog posts. Some use only Gmail, Yahoo, or another email provider for their customer communication. Those aren’t designed to send mass emails to hundreds or thousands of recipients.

Still on the Fence? These Stats Might Change Your Mind

If you’ve been on the fence about using an email marketing platform like Constant Contact for marketing, these statistics I found on the porchgroupmedia.com blog may be informative:

• 99% of email users check their email every day, some as much as 20 times a day.
• 89.45% of Americans over the age of 15 use email. Ninety percent of users aged 15 to 24 use email, as do 93.6% of those aged 25 to 44. At age 45 to 64, usage drops back to 90% (still by far the vast majority of U.S. adults), and at over 65, the email use rate is 84.1%.
• 59% of Millennials primarily use their smartphone to check email, while 67% of Generation Z scans their inbox on mobile.
• 74% of Baby Boomers think email is the most personal channel to receive communications from brands, followed by 72% of Gen X, 64% of Millennials, and 60% of Gen Z.
• 91% of women in the US use email, compared to 89% of men.

According to the blog article, email ROI (Return on Investment) is higher than any other channel (statistics I’ve read elsewhere):

• The average expected ROI is $42 for every $1 you spend on email marketing.
• According to Omnisend, the average ROI is $40 for every $1 of spend.
• A survey from eMarketer reveals that email marketing drives 25% of the overall revenues from those companies surveyed.
• Also, according to an eMarketer study, the median email marketing ROI is 122%.  That is four times higher than any other digital marketing channel.
• Marketers who segment email lists increase email marketing revenue by 760%.
• Email is 40x more effective than social media for customer acquisition.
• 4.24% of email traffic leads to purchases, whereas only 2.49% of search traffic and 0.59% of social traffic does the same.”

There are even more statistics quoted in the blog article and I recommend you read through it. At the bottom of the blog post are some fun facts that may make you laugh. For example, did you know that ….

In 1991, there was an email received from space sent by the crew of the STS-43 Atlantis. The message read: Hello Earth! Greetings from the STS-43 Crew. This is the first AppleLink from space. Having a GREAT time, wish you were here,…send cryo and RCS! Hasta la vista, baby,…we’ll be back!

source: porchgroupmedia.com

During my career, I’ve used a variety of email marketing platforms, including MailChimp, MailerLite, and Constant Contact. I’ve seen them grow and evolve and have been so impressed with the evolution of Constant Contact that I became a certified partner in 2023. Recently, they announced further improvements that are being rolled out over the next few months which are truly exciting. I can’t share them yet, but will do so as they become standard across the platform.

Two key features that have been available at all plan levels are the integration of AI to help you write your emails and the ability to integrate Canva as a design tool. I know both writing and designing can be challenging for some clients and having these capabilities as part of the tool makes it easier to create professional content. They have hundreds of templates that are mobile responsive and easy to edit and customize.

If you’re considering Constant Contact, use this link to try it free for 30 days. Then choose the plan level that fits your needs. I’m happy to help guide you if you have questions.