• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, May 8, 2024

Automation is now imperative for email marketers. And most are pretty effective at it, judging by The State Of Email And Automation, a study by Ascend2. 

Of email marketers polled, 29% rate themselves as very successful, or best in class. And 63% are somewhat effective. Only 8% are unsuccessful. 

And most are moving ahead: 58% plan to include automation  in their email program in the year ahead, up from 48% in 2023.

That’s not all they’re doing.  The other big jump is in use of privacy/security features — 42% plan to deploy them, versus 30% last year. In addition, 37% are embracing accessible design, compared to 30% in 2023, while 42% will utilize AI, up from 39%.

But there are varying degrees of implementation. Only 8% are between 76% and 100% automated, and 16% are not automated at all. But 23% are 51%-75% automated. 

Moreover, 31% of email marketers polled are 26%-50% automated, and 22% from 1% to 25%. 

As with everything, there are challenges. Marketers cite:

• Ensuring deliverability and avoiding spam filters — 48%
• Creating engaging content for automation — 45% 
• Maintaining subscriber engagement over time — 45% 
• Balancing automation with the authenticity of messages — 41% 
• Data integration and segmentation — 30%
• Managing unsubscribe rates and list hygiene — 25% 

How do marketers measure the effectiveness of email campaigns? 

• Revenue generated — 45% 
• Return on investment (ROI) — 43% 
• Engagement metrics — 38%
• Conversion rates — 34% 
• Click-through rates — 34% 
• Customer Lifetime value (CLV) — 22%
• Deliverability rates — 20%
• Open rates — 28% 
• Other — 3%

Meanwhile, AI use is growing. Those using it have implemented it for:

• Re-engagement campaigns — 57% 
• Event-triggered emails (i.e., webinar reminders) — 52% 
• Lead magnet follow-ups — 41% 
• Nurture sequences based on user behavior — 32% 
• Drip campaigns — 15% 

What does the future hold? The respondents say these trends will have the greatest impact on email marketing:

• AI-driven hyper-personalization — 39% 
• Integration with emerging communication channels (e.g., chatbots, social messaging apps) — 31% 
• Advanced predictive analytics for smarter targeting—31%
• Increased focus on accessibility and inclusivity in email design — 31%
• Enhanced interactive email experiences (e.g., gamification, live polls) — 30% 
• Greater integration with CRM systems — 28% 
• Automation of advanced segmentation based on real-time data — 26% 
• Adoption of blockchain technology for improved email security and trustworthiness — 18% 

Ascend2 surveyed 372 marketing decision makers. Of these, 21% are in B2B, 48% in B2C and 31% in both equally. They represent firms with more than 500 employees (20%), 50 to 500 (30%) and 50% fewer than 50.