6 Myths About Email Marketing You Should Ignore

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6 Myths About Email Marketing You Should Ignore

More than 294 billion emails are sent on a daily basis and each year the number grows. Email marketing has become a staple of business, but there are still mixed messages on how to do it right. What works for you may not necessarily work for others. It’s important to be aware of what facts and myths are out there in order to make the right decisions for your marketing strategy. Social Spice Media debunks 6 popular email marketing myths:

Do Not Use A Long Subject Line

Marketers have been told to use short subject lines for years. The theory is that the entire subject line shows in an inbox, therefore a person would be more likely to read the entire line and open them. However, studies have shown that there are more important factors than the word count. Oberlo says that emails with a personalized subject line generate a 50% higher open rate. As long as your subject line is eye-catching it can be as short or long as you need it to be.  

Unsubscribes Are Bad For Business

Some email marketers love to brag about their low unsubscribe rates. But in reality, it is only a metric and has nothing to do with your business’ bottom line. If a reader unsubscribes, they are helping you cleanse your database. There is no reason to spend money sending content to people who do not wish to receive emails. Not only will you save money and time, but you also make progress in targeting only potential buyers.  

Some Words Cause Your Email to Go Straight to Spam

There is no such thing as subject line “spam words” when it comes to how internet service providers categorize emails. You may have been told that keywords like free, save, and discount would send your emails straight to the spam folder. While this may have been the case several years ago, filters have become more sophisticated in identifying spam. Whether your email goes to someone’s inbox is based on new criteria like reputation. In other words, if you have something free to offer, be sure to let your email list know!  

Don’t Send the Same Email Twice

Many marketers believe that sending the same email twice can be annoying, causing spam filters to activate or people to unsubscribe. However, there are many reasons why an email campaign may not perform as well as predicted and call for a second send. Some people might have been too busy to read it at the time, the emails may have bounced, or they may have been deleted by accident. It is completely fine to send out the same email as long as you change the subject line, wait 72 hours, and send it to the subscribers who did not open the first email. By using this tactic, you avoid annoying subscribers and give those who missed the first email a second chance at reading it.  

Tuesday Will Result In More Read Rates

Weekends are off limits, people seem lazier on Monday and Friday, and Wednesday and Thursday are extremely busy. That is the logic of marketers who insist Tuesday is the best day to send out emails. But there is no universal best day to send out an email, since every business is different. This myth is based on analysis of millions of emails sent across all industries. Some industries get the best results during the work day, while an ecommerce store may get the best results on the weekend, when people are more inclined to make a purchase. Test different times and days to see which slot works the best for your business. You may find that your analytics gravitate towards a different day that is typically best to send out emails, and it may vary depending on your audience, industry, and topic.  

Email Marketing is Dying

While you may have heard that email marketing is dying, nothing could be further from the truth. We are still sending 102.6 trillion emails in the United States every year. And the numbers keep going up, with 126.7 trillion expected to be sent by 2022. No matter what age group you are targeting or where they are located, email remains a great way to reach your audience. Get in touch with Social Spice Media to learn more about creating a marketing plan for your business and how you can effectively spend your marketing dollars. Our team pays attention to your goals and creates a custom strategy that delivers results. Do you know someone who could benefit from our services? Refer them to us today! Our team is eager to connect with businesses in any industry. We serve the local needs of Ventura County and Santa Barbara as well as anywhere in the United States.