Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective means to reach your target audiences.  As the popular digital communication tool continues to morph year-by-year, there are several techniques you should keep in mind in 2020 in order to keep up with the trends.

Take a look below to see some of the most impactful email marketing trends every business should leverage in 2020.

2020 email marketing trends

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a huge impact on email marketing and will even more so in 2020.  AI includes chatbots, personal assistants, automation, analytics and more.  For email marketing, it helps organizations automate drip campaigns that are unique to each customer based on where they are in their customer journey.  AI gathers information such as past purchases, browsing behaviors and interests to personalized drip campaigns for each potential lead.

Sending personalized and relevant content to your potential and existing customers is extremely easy with AI and will optimize your email marketing.

Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics uses historical data to identify possible future outcomes.  Using data collected on behaviors such as engagement and drop-off points can help determine what potential customers might do in the future and what you can improve on in future emails, driving the response that you desire.

Predictive analytics can help you identify quality leads and prioritize according to those that are most likely to convert.  It can help you stay competitive using data to your advantage.

Being human

Ironically, in an age where AI makes life easier for marketers, adding a human element to your emails will help you stand out against the competition in 2020.  Not sounding robotic and unattached will help your potential customers to think of you as more human and less faceless, helping them connect to you.

By adding their names, locations, past purchasing history information or interests, you will be able to add this human touch while utilizing your AI technologies instead of your human staff, saving everyone time and eventually increasing sales.

Visually responsive

Responsive emails are those that will change their format based on the device it is viewed on.  A mobile-friendly email will no longer be optional in 2020, even for small and startup companies.  Most people check their email on their phones these days and viewers will delete or ignore the email immediately if it is in a desktop version on their mobile device.

Utilizing the templates on your email marketing software that has one column, larger font, smaller images, short subject lines and a clear call-to-action (CTA) are all ways to ensure your mobile audience will be more willing to check out your emails.

Instant gratification

In today’s society, especially among the younger generations, there is an expectation of instant gratification.  In terms of email marketing in 2020, the gratification of the reader can come from receiving content that is instantly usable.  A tip or trick based on your industry could do it.  An easy recipe or “life hack” might do the trick as well.  Even a joke, meme or fun video will give them something they can use right now.

Content that is concise or a visual that is interesting can all be consumed in a very short amount of time, appeasing our instant gratification society.  This will help get people to want to open your emails now and in the future.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing has been steadily on the rise for the past couple of years and will be sure to continue on this trend for 2020.  If you want to step up your game for 2020, find someone on your social media platforms that already has a great deal of influence such as a celebrity or YouTuber that can use or mention your products. Their large fanbases will find that to be a credible endorsement.

Putting these influencers front and center on your marketing emails can get you even more attention on each of your emails going forward.

Protect data

Unprotected data will be a huge faux pas in 2020 and beyond. It is essential that you have the capabilities to maintain confidentiality with your customer data so that your existing customers don’t lose trust in your company and potential customers don’t turn away.

If you intend to sell your customers’ data, let them know that in your terms and conditions and be very careful who you sell the data to.  Make sure you only send marketing emails to those that consented to receive them.  Be upfront with your customers and always let them know that you do value their privacy.

Tell a story

Instead of simply throwing information at your email subscribers, tell them a story.  Pick a customer success story for each email, for instance.  Or tell them the story behind your organization or specific products or services that you offer.

Having a narrative helps your readers feel more involved in your story.  Keep in mind that this story can be visual, as in a carousel of images, and it can be long-standing, with the same character using your product week after week, featuring different ways it can help them.

Interactive content

In 2020, it will be a good move to start using interactive content, if you haven’t already.  Anything prompting the user to take action and is controlled by the user can be considered interactive.  For instance, CTAs, surveys and polls are all ways to include interactive content.  Image carousels that showcase several products that can be thumbed through by the user is another effective means of including interactive content.

User-generated content

Any content that is included within your email marketing that is contributed by your customers helps gain a great deal of credibility and authenticity to your products.  Encouraging customers to provide product reviews, photos or videos featuring your product or testimonials promotes your business on a new level, increasing your conversion rate.

Also To boost click-through rates you can Incorporate Short URL Generator  in your email marketing campaigns . can help Shorter, cleaner URLs are visually appealing and can instill trust in your audience, leading to higher engagement with your email content.

A final word

Email marketing in 2020 has some new and interesting trends as outlined here.  Finding a way to implement these along with all of your other marketing initiatives may seem daunting.  However, using a functional and effective email marketing tool can help. Agile CRM has such a tool with features including templates, targeted messaging, lead scoring, tracking and metrics, A/B testing, simple email builders, social media sharing, autoresponders, real-time alerts and more.  Its email marketing tool is just one of many sales and marketing tools available through the software.

Always knowing the latest trends can be difficult.  However, keeping these trends in mind as we enter 2020 will give you a good start into the new year with your email marketing campaigns.  If you would like to see if Agile CRM is right for your marketing team, give it a try for free for 30 days.