Email marketing is a digital communications strategy for sending messages to customers or prospects via email. While this includes direct sales or marketing communications, email marketing encompasses a broad range of messaging. Examples include customer service updates, company events, topical news, and useful tips for getting the most out of a product.

An effective email marketing strategy is usually highly programmatic. This means that the sender has developed a long-term plan and schedule for their email campaigns and audiences, as well as their corresponding goals. This strategy includes mechanisms for both pre-planned and automated emails, such as drip marketing and one-time messages like an important service update.

Businesses usually send email advertising and other communications on an opt-in basis, meaning the recipients have chosen to receive messages from that sender. Email marketing is measured by a variety of performance indicators, including open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates.

Email marketing is an important, time-tested component of an overall online marketing strategy. Benefits to email marketing include:

• Control: Unlike some other forms of digital marketing (such as social), a business retains complete control of the messaging and design of its email campaigns.
• Engagement: When people subscribe or otherwise opt in to receive messages from your company, they’re more likely to actually read them.
• Data: Email campaigns generate rich data for broader marketing analytics purposes.
• Optimization: A long-term email marketing strategy offers regular opportunities for testing (including A/B campaigns) and optimization to improve results.