Today’s business community uses a wide variety of communication platforms, from chat to Microsoft Teams and social media. However, email use continues to climb. Email delivers convenience, provides an information trail, and gives users control over their messages. The future of email appears bright. But as email evolves, businesses need to adapt.
Email Challenges
When email arrived on the scene in the 1970s, developers could only begin to imagine how the tool would change over time. 25 MB size limitations seemed impossibly large when the average computer drive held less than 200 MB. Now, users who need to send a video file must look for other options outside of email.
At the same time, email bloat has become a significant problem. Clogged with thousands of emails and attachments, inboxes grow to unwieldy sizes. To compound the problem, 45 percent of email traffic involves spam messages. For legitimate email marketers, this makes reaching their intended targets even more difficult.
IT departments tasked with supporting sprawling email systems often lack the necessary expertise and time. Maintaining servers, staying on top of email security, and managing regulatory compliance grow more complicated each year.
Fortunately, tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can help organizations meet these challenges. And as both businesses and users adapt, email will continue to drive business communication.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Email
AI conjures up images of robots. But it already plays a significant role in email, as well. For instance, many email programs will pop up a reminder if a user tries to send an email without attaching a needed file. They also provide instantaneous email editing and wording suggestions. And email filters use AI and machine learning to analyze patterns that indicate spam.
Moving forward, expect AI to play a more significant role in email. For individuals, AI will prove key in decluttering inboxes by categorizing and organizing emails and even automating appropriate responses. And for email marketers, AI plays a critical role in creating personalized content, scrubbing email lists, and sending the right messages at the right times.
Automation Makes Email More Efficient and Effective
AI proves critical in automating routine tasks to improve email efficiency and compliance. Smart marketing departments already automate personalized campaigns, and that trend will only grow. For example, when subscribers take specific actions, such as making a purchase or reaching a rewards program milestone, those actions can trigger a highly-personalized email.
Automation proves essential to email security and regulatory compliance, as well. For instance, administrators increasingly depend on carefully defined email policies to automatically enforce retention policies. Policies can also prohibit inappropriate sharing of sensitive information.
Email Still Essential Marketing Tool, But Marketers Need to Adapt
According to a recent report, email marketing continues to deliver a hefty average ROI of 3800 percent. But to get the most out of email, marketing strategies need to grow with the technology. For instance, customers expect personalized content and respond to it with greater conversion rates. Interactive elements and video content also boost engagement.
At the same time, marketers need to remember that over half the time, users access the internet and email on their smartphones. This means that marketing emails must be optimized for mobile access. Shorter subject lines (less than 41 characters) and concise, impactful messaging prove essential.
Know When to Use Email and When to Use Other Tools
Moving forward, even as more communication platforms enter the scene, email appears poised to continue its pivotal role in making critical connections. Users may spend more time on social media and may turn to video conferencing for the impact of face-to-face meetings. However, each platform has its place and smart users learn when to use each tool to greatest effect.
For example, social media can be a powerful tool for increasing brand recognition. But personalized emails drive sales and conversions. Chat provides instantaneous, casual communication. But email generally works better for sharing content, communicating official news, or explaining complex topics.
Optimize the Future of Email with Essential Partnerships
Organizations that manage email well harness its power to drive business communication and marketing. The email experts at Messaging Architects have the tools and experience to help make that happen. Contact us today to learn more about strengthening email policies, optimizing email administration and automating regulatory compliance and email security.
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