7 Stats That Prove Email Marketing Works

In the age of social media, you may be asking, “Why is it important to use email marketing?”

The answer is email marketing works. Despite rumors about declining effectiveness, the numbers still show email marketing is one of the most important tools in your marketing strategy. These seven stats showcase exactly how and why email marketing still works for your business.

1. Email Marketing Works Because People Prefer It

There are so many statistics that prove the effectiveness of email marketing. Brands are more likely to get click-throughs on an email than a tweet, for example. Consumer preferences back this up. Almost 75 percent of Millennials, for example, say they prefer to receive branded communication through email.

2. (Almost) Everyone Uses Email

One of the reasons email marketing still works is because a high percentage of the population uses email. Statistics from the US show the majority of the adult population uses email. Even among younger demographics, email is still popular. Approximately 75 percent of American teenagers still use email, although they use a larger mix of social media platforms and communication channels.

3. Email Marketing Generates More Than Half of All Revenue

If you need proof email marketing works, how about the fact that segmented and targeted emails generate 58 percent of all revenue?

It doesn’t make sense to cut out more than half of your revenue generation. Email marketing tactics are changing, but that doesn’t mean email marketing is less effective. Much like other marketing strategies and tactics you use, email marketing needs to continue evolving.

4. Email Has a Higher ROI

Once upon a time, direct mailing campaigns had better response rates than email campaigns did. Part of that may have been better targeting with direct mailing campaigns. Since they can be so expensive, you need to be wise about whom you send your message to.

Email, by contrast, costs companies relatively little. In the past, this meant companies didn’t need to be nearly as selective about the addresses they were including on the mailing list. Today, email’s low cost still translates into a better ROI. With the introduction of more tailoring and segmenting in your mailing lists, there’s little doubt email’s ROI has continued to climb upwards.

5. Newsletters Have Very High ROI

Just how high is ROI for email marketing campaigns? One estimate suggests the old-school newsletter campaign has an ROI of about $38 for every $1 you spend. Translated, that’s a nearly 4,000-percent return on your investment.

Creating mailing lists is simple and easy, which is probably the reason most marketers still incorporate them into their marketing mix.

6. Email Converts Better Than Social Media

Social media is important for your marketing strategy, but you shouldn’t rely on it alone. You likely shouldn’t be prioritizing it over email marketing.

Why? Email marketing converts around 40 times better than Facebook or Twitter. This contributes to email’s high ROI. Since social media can also be low cost, however, you should really consider what you’re hoping to accomplish with any marketing campaign.

If your goal is conversion, then email is a better choice.

7. Email Marketing Works Better than Paid Search

Email marketing works, and it works better than many of the other marketing options out there. For example, a study of US marketers found that email marketing was up to four times more effective than paid search.

As already noted, email marketing also outperforms social media marketing and direct mail.

With this information in hand, it’s easy to see why email marketing works, even in 2018. The tactics and techniques may be changing, but the numbers still show that email marketing works and it works well.