According to The Inbox Report 2016 by Fluent, LLC, Americans are addicted to email, yet email marketers should be wary of overwhelming consumers with too many messages, and inundating recipients with too many irrelevant offers. Based on a survey of over 1,900 Americans, the study examined consumers’ perceptions of email marketing to help marketers better understand how Americans view and interact with their emails.
Over 4 in 5 Americans check their email at least once per day, 2 in 3 check their email more than once per day, and over 1 in 5 use notifications to check their emails as they arrive. All of this connectivity shows how ubiquitous email has become, says the report.
How Often Is Email Checked (% of Respondents)
63% say they have only one email address so marketers have less to worry about in terms of being provided with a secondary address for receiving promotional communications, notes the report, increasing the likelihood that their messages will be viewed and acted upon in a timely manner. Smartphones dominate other devices for email, with 2 in 3 Americans saying it’s how they most often check their messages.
Device Most Used To Check Emails
Smartphone-first consumers can be reached more readily than other consumers because they check their email more frequently than those who primarily use other devices. 73% of these consumers who most often use smartphones to check their email do so more than once a day, 19% higher than those who primarily check on another device, says the report.
When email campaigns are most effective, consumers say they are likely to visit the brand’s website (42%) or make a purchase (38%). Only 1 in 5 respondents say they only click on an email link without taking any further action, after reading an interesting email. 47% of consumers have made purchases spurred by email on websites, and 45% in stores, while 38% make mobile purchases, says the report.
For a boost in sales attributed to email, reaching 18 to 29 year olds is key, according to the study. Those in this young adult demographic are more likely to immediately make an email-prompted purchase.
Activity Done Most Often After Reading An Interesting Marketing Email | ||||
Group | Visit website | Click on email link | Purchase in store | Purchase online |
All | 34% | 29% | 22% | 15% |
Age 18-29 | 31 | 34 | 23 | 13 |
Age 30+ | 37 | 25 | 22 | 16 |
Source: Fluent, November 2016 |
Purchased A Product After Receiving An Email About It | ||
| Yes | No |
On a Website | 47% | 53% |
In a Physical Retail Store | 45% | 55% |
Using Your Mobile Phone | 38% | 62% |
Source: Fluent, November 2016 |
Only 15% of Americans find the marketing emails they receive to be useful, says the report. Marketers should opt for quality over quantity as a way to keep subscribers happy and engaged with their brands.
Percent Finding Marketing Emails Received From Companies Useful | |||||
Group | Always | Frequently | Sometimes | Rarely | Never |
All | 7% | 8% | 29% | 33% | 24% |
Ages 18-29 | 12 | 13 | 30 | 19 | 26 |
Age 30+ | 6 | 7 | 28 | 36 | 23 |
Source: Fluent, November 2016 |
56% of Americans say they get way too many marketing emails. Half of Americans say they rarely, or never, open marketing emails, and 3 in 5 prefer to receive marketing emails once a month or less, says the report.
More often than not, consumers expect something in return for signing up for email lists. Typically, this includes special offers or discounts. Those with higher incomes are more likely to be enticed by special offers, while discounts are of greater interest to those with lower incomes.
Main Reason For Subscribing To Email Lists | |||
Reason | All | <$50K Income | >$50K Income |
Special offers | 34% | 31% | 37% |
Discounts | 29 | 34 | 25 |
Learn about products | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Like the brand | 15 | 13 | 16 |
Source: Fluent, November 2016 |
Concluding with recommendations, the report says that Smartphones are far and away the device most used to access email. Mobile optimization of the purchase path, from email to website to shopping cart can ensure that marketers reach and convert this large group of consumers who regularly check their email. Including responsive design techniques such as using large call-to-action buttons and formatting images to render properly on mobile devices ensures emails look good on every screen.
Finally, note that the report points out that Email marketing is especially effective with millennials. Email users aged 18-29, a most sought-after demographic, are easier for email marketers to reach and convert into customers. Millennials are less likely to think they receive too many emails, less inclined to unsubscribe from email lists, and most importantly, more likely to make purchases spurred by marketing emails.
To view this detailed final report, please visit Fluent here.