E-commerce: email marketing is essential in 2024

In 2024, email marketing will still be a key acquisition and conversion tool for e-commerce managers. This strategy allows you to reach your audience via an intimate, personalised channel. But its effectiveness is dependent on different factors: target segmentation, a clear framework, enriching content and well-practised implementation. Here’s how to make the most of the benefits of email marketing for your e-commerce business.
 

What is email marketing? The definition

Sending marketing emails is like having a direct conversation with your clients or prospects, but in writing. It’s a way to catch your target market’s attention by sending promotional offers, news or interesting information, directly to their inbox.

Here are the different types of email marketing content that you might send to your target market, depending on their needs:

• newsletters
• promotional emails
• transactional emails
• welcome emails
• reminder emails
• abandoned cart emails
• customer satisfaction surveys

The aim of these types of communication is to ensure a strong link with your clients and support them towards their purchases.
 

Email marketing: how do I implement it in my e-commerce business?

1. Spend time creating your emails

To ensure your newsletter appeals to a wide audience, you must choose the email subject line carefully. It must arouse your readers’ curiosity and make them open your newsletter.

For example, for a newsletter on the subject of printed goods, it would be better to use: “Hot off the press” rather than “a newsletter about printed goods”. The first subject is cleverer and more intriguing than the second.

Have you found an email subject that will arouse your subscribers’ curiosity? The battle is still far from won.

As your newsletter progresses, you’ll need to engage your readership, make them want to read your message to the end and add call-to-actions to finish on a high note. CTAs will encourage readers to carry out one or more actions by the time they finish reading (e.g. discover a new product).

2. Alternate between several types of marketing email

As an e-commerce manager, you will need to be proficient in three types of emails:

• marketing emails
• transactional emails
• automated emails.

Marketing emails

Marketing emails allow you to keep your clients informed of your industry news, new products and offers. These emails are sent to all those who have subscribed to your newsletter, except if you split your email list into sub-segments to improve engagement and conversion.

Transactional emails

Transactional emails are sent when web users perform an action on your site. For example, when someone orders a new computer from an online store, they will receive an order confirmation. This email will include the following information:

• information about the company
• information about the client (full name, address)
• the order number
• the order date
• the expected delivery date
• product description and photo
• quantity and price
• payment conditions
• delivery costs
• a link to the seller’s terms and conditions of sale.

Automated emails

Automated emails are sent on various occasions, often when a marketing opportunity arises. This could be to attract traffic at Christmas to showcase your gift suggestions, or on the customer’s birthday (to celebrate with a 20% discount, for example) or on other events (e.g. Mother’s Day).

3. Carrying out A/B testing

To implement a successful email strategy for your e-commerce store, it is essential to minimise the risk of errors. This is why we encourage you to send a test email before sending to all your contacts. This allows you to easily detect bugs, typos and other visual problems.

A/B Testing is another strategy that allows you to maximise your marketing efforts.  This is a very simple method to implement. For the same subject, you’ll need to make two different versions of an email (email subject, design, call-to-action, etc.) and send it to a different sample of your contact list. Depending on the open rate and the number of clicks in each version, you’ll find out which one appeals most to your audience.

4. Encourage web users to subscribe to your newsletter

In accordance with GDPR, the European Data Protection Regulation, each subscriber must provide consent before receiving marketing emails. This can be done in several ways:

• subscribe directly to your newsletter via a pop-up
• sign up to your list from your home page
• download your white paper and check a box to agree to receive emails from you

⚠️ Every email communication must include an unsubscribe link.

5. use an email tool to increase your efficiency

To segment your subscriber list or personalise your content simply, an email tool may be useful.

A tool will give you access to key metrics:

• your email open rate
• click rate for each email
• unsubscribe rate

The most popular tools for creating your newsletters and tracking their performance are Mailjet, Sendinblue and MailChimp. We advise you to compare solutions in order to choose the one that best suits your context and we wish you well with implementing your email strategy.
 

Email marketing & e-commerce in 2024: recap

Email marketing is a real driver for customer acquisition and retention in 2024.

But to make the most of it, it is essential to:

• spend time drafting your emails and the email subjects
• alternate between several types of marketing email
• use A/B testing
• encourage web users to subscribe to your newsletter (obtain their consent)
• use an email tool to increase your efficiency

To go even further, here are 8 strategies for client loyalty in e-commerce.

Do you want to translate your newsletters for your international clients? TextMaster’s translators are ready to help.