Email won’t die in 2008, but unfortunately neither will spam. Marketers will make use of the medium in the new year as they have before, and a couple of industry observers have thoughts on that usage.
Email marketing firm Return Path CEO and chairman Matt Blumberg listed several predictions of events he believes won’t happen in the world of email advertising this year.
For one, email won’t die in 2008, despite what he feels will be plenty of suggestions to the contrary this year. Big email marketers won’t send out more mail this year than last year, as the need for targeted email becomes more important.
Blumberg invoked the name of the search advertising giant in his predictions. Citing the assortment of rumors around Google and email advertising, he thinks “the channel is too quirky, and that the impressions are too few and too different, for them to jump in with both feet.”
Small and medium sized businesses should take care with their email advertising efforts this year. Stefan Pollard, Director of Consulting Services, EmailLabs, said on The Email Wars blog that pitfalls await the careless.
“Challenges come from the pressure to grow quickly – usually forcing mistakes by assuming permission, purchasing lists, bad co-registration partners, etc,” said Pollard.
He also sees issues with major brands, who may opt for reach and quantity over segmentation and quality. In Pollard’s view, consumers are getting tired of all too regular mass-mailed specials, and engagement will suffer as a result.
In other words, it’s nice to have a special to offer the list, but a more personalized mailing based on a sophisticated look at the recipient’s interests and recent visits to a brand site will be more effective for advertisers.
Both Pollard and Blumberg agree on one technology that they think will complement email in 2008. Mobile devices, offering email advertisers the ability to reach customers via SMS, should draw more attention this year.
