Identity & Activity

Although identity and activity are considered two different characteristics, the two can be defined as the same in the world of marketing. Personalization is key to retaining subscribers, and understanding that a big part of what your target audience is includes what they do. Personalization has evolved to a deeper level, in which marketers are showing genuine interest in what their customers have to say. For example, Starbucks incorporated image personalization in this email to add the store experience into its email experience.

Time

Marketers can globally optimize their send time of emails so they pop into subscribers’ inbox at a time when subscribers are most likely to engage and respond to them. They also might make the send time of their emails uniform across time zones so the email arrives right before lunchtime. Beyond manipulating the time of arrival, marketers can also change the content of the email after it is opened by updating image files post-send.

Location

Location is an important aspect to messages, from region to zip code. You can use geo-location to personalize or segment emails. On a much more localized level, geo-fences and beacons allows marketers to message subscribers who are in the immediate area of one of your brand’s locations.

Device and Email Content

Lastly, emails allow marketers to target users by device and email client. A great example of this is the concept of responsive design. This approach adjusts the layout and contents of an email to specific screen sizes. AT&T has taken full advantage of responsive design by turning a phone number linked in an email into a tap-to-call button. Marketers should also be aware that a significant number of email clients block images by default. In order to get around this issue, use HTML text and alt text to help convey certain messages when images are disabled.

Businesses interested in creating relevant and successful email campaigns should focus on these four characteristics. Contact us at OnCampus Advertising to start your email marketing campaign today.