7 Email Marketing Myths

Email marketing is a topic that is well studied, with many facts around what works and doesn’t work. The reality is, however, there are many popular myths and misconceptions in the marketing industry that are masquerading as email marketing facts. Here is a list of 7 email marketing myths and email marketing truths.

1. Images are preferable to text
A recent marketing report from HubSpot stated that 2 out of 3 users prefer image-based emails¹. However, this email fact may be misleading because it relies on the respondent to guess what will engage them and what drives them to respond. This email fact isn’t based on actual behavior. When looking at actual email performance, HubSpot found that the click-through rate of emails decreased as the number of images in the emails increased. Emails without any images had a click-through rate of 1% more than emails with just a single image. Additionally, there was a 1.5% drop when images were increased from 1 to 3.

2. The youngest generation is the biggest tablet users
There is a definite email marketing myth that the younger the user, the more likely they are to use a mobile device. According to HubSpot's Email Marketing Report, tablet usage is actually highest in the 30 to 44 age group. Furthermore, the Guardian reports that tablet usage jumped from 5% to 17% within a year for 65-year-olds to 74-year-olds². These email marketing facts demonstrate that tablet usage is growing across a number of demographic segments.

3. Email should be sent on a certain day
Many email marketing reports are consistent on which days of the week are the best for open rates and click-through rates. However, in discussions with marketers, some people say Tuesday, and others might indicate Saturday. Regardless of the specifics, many marketers swear that emails are most effective when sent on a particular day. Email statistics from Experian’s Benchmark Study, however, show a mixed picture in terms of the best day as it relates to open, click-through and conversion rates³. More people open emails on Saturday than Monday, but the difference is only a single percent; 17.8% versus 16.6%. Further, when analyzing average order, the average order amount is $195 on Thursday rather than $189 on Sunday. These email marketing facts demonstrate that multiple variables must be considered and prioritized to best determine the optimal day for your email marketing efforts.

4. Mobile is the most important platform
I wouldn’t even begin to try and argue that mobile email usage should be ignored. The reality is that emails still need to be considered from both a computer and mobile perspective. Although smartphones are certainly being used to access emails more often today than they were even a year ago, mobile devices still only account for 28% of the emails viewed⁴. Moreover, only 10% of mobile users actually click on emails compared to 27% of the emails opened on desktop computers. Don’t fall into the email marketing myth of thinking about email usage from only the mobile perspective.

5. Frequency is the main cause of unsubscribing
One of the biggest email marketing myths in existence is that frequent emails lead to unsubscribing. It isn’t that this email marketing fact isn’t true, but the reality is that email frequency isn't the only factor that leads to unsubscribing emails. According to a Constant Contact poll, 56% of users opted out of mailing lists because the content wasn’t relevant and 5% indicated they unsubscribed because the content wasn't what they expected⁵.

6. Unsubscribe rates are one of the most important metrics to measure
Another email marketing myth is that unsubscribe rates should be tracked closely and are a good barometer for an email marketing program’s value. Many users emotionally unsubscribe from a marketing list before they physically unsubscribe, meaning the user simply begins ignoring emails. The average unsubscribe rate for a company is a mere .27%⁶. With unsubscribe rates that low, the entire metric becomes negligible. The truth is that many users won't bother unsubscribing simply because it requires time and effort.

7. Email marketing isn't as profitable as social media marketing
One of the myths I’ve recently heard from marketers is that social media is basically free, therefore the ROI must be better. Email marketing statistics disprove this myth. The average ROI for social media is expected to increase slightly over $13 on the dollar by 2016⁷. While that sounds impressive, the average ROI for email marketing as of 2014 is almost $45 on the dollar, over three times as much as social media⁸. Email marketing still has a greater average ROI than both social media and a number of other online marketing tactics.

The world of email marketing is constantly changing. Many of the myths today may have actually been email marketing facts not too long ago. Email marketing is dynamic. Marketers need to continue to optimize their email marketing efforts if they are to achieve email marketing success. Do you believe your email marketing efforts are optimized to their potential?

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