Following are the Five trends that are worth noting for excellent email marketing, compiled from some of the best email marketing campaigns across different industry verticals.
1. User Generated Content:
According to Forrester Research, almost half of US online adults read ratings and reviews at least once a month, and 19% post them. That means that nearly twice as many read reviews compared with 2007. Two of the five best-of-breed emails leverage user-generated content, and we expect to see continued adoption throughout 2009.
2. Forward to a Friend Meets Social Media:
This controversial feature is a great fit for email marketers with the appropriate audience and content. Two of the five winners leverage this functionality to help fans spread the word about their favorite articles and topics. We expect that email marketers will take this to the next level and begin to integrate social media into their campaigns throughout 2009.
3. Integrating Website Navigation:
Not every recipient is going to be interested in your primary offer, but they may still want to engage with your brand. 4 out of 5 best-of-breed emails included some form of website navigation in their email, making it easy for the recipient to access the information most relevant to them.
4. Focused, Clear, Compelling Messages:
The fundamentals of email marketing dictate that you should keep your primary offer crisp and focused. All 5 winners featured a central, clear and compelling message to entice the recipient to click through.
5. CAN-SPAM Compliant Footers:
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 requires that all companies include a footer that contains the company's mailing address and an unsubscribe mechanism. All 5 winners had clear CAN-SPAM compliant footers with simple, easy-to-use unsubscribe functionality.
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