Email Marketing RulesCan You Over-Personalize Your Digital Marketing Messages?
Posted on September 4, 2024
Until recently, very few brands needed to seriously ponder that question. Yes, personalization has been a major marketing trend for nearly two decades. However, even as brands have gained new and increasingly sophisticated ways of personalizing content, they’ve had their aspirations limited by numerous realities, including their marketing platform’s capabilities, data quality and availability, time and resources, and performance visibility limitations.
And then generative AI arrived, supercharging enthusiasm for all things AI.
Now, lots of people (and startups) are convinced that all limits have been removed. Now, brands can finally achieve their long-standing goal of the 1:1 marketing paradigm—that is, to send the right message to the right person at the right time. And they can achieve that by having generative AI write 1:1 messages for every individual who’s opted in to receive marketing messages via email, SMS, and push—and then using machine learning to optimize audiences, and timing for every message.
There are some major problems with this thinking. First and foremost is the fact that…
The Last Word on August 2024
Posted on September 3, 2024
A roundup of digital and email marketing articles, posts, and social buzz you might have missed last month…
Must-read articles, posts & reports
No, Gmail Did Not Just Break All Open Tracking (Spam Resource)
Over Half of Gen Z and Millennials Often or Always Accept Cookies (Emarketer)
How Many Marketing Emails Is Too Many? (Mailjet)
My (Least) Favorite Email Myths (Send It Right)
Is Honesty the Best Policy? The Truth About AI Content Disclosure (Only Influencers)
AI Disclaimers: What Marketing Leaders Need to Know (Sprout Social)
Dungeons & Dragons Taught Me How to Write Alt Text (Eric Bailey)
Changes to Rules to Sending Unsolicited Marketing Emails [in Australia] (Prosper Law)
Insightful & entertaining social posts
I would never let an email opt in popup show to someone already subscribed. Very demure, very mindful. ✨
— Val Geisler (@lovevalgeisler) August 16, 2024
Nearly all US browsers could become cookieless in the future: https://t.co/HQCKshGB9y#chartoftheday #newsletter #cookies #cooklieless pic.twitter.com/Dfe3iWepEM
— EMARKETER (@eMarketer) August 20, 2024
so close… @progressive … and the text/plain MIME part should be trivial, it’s fixed width.
Got appreciation folks still carrying the torch for hidden #asciiart pic.twitter.com/Ga9s16eayw
— Keith Kouzmanoff (@emailmp) August 22, 2024
Noteworthy subject lines
IKEA Family, 8/15 – Don’t let moving in stress you out
The North Face, 8/24 – Get back to campus with backpacks and matching sets
Macy’s, 8/24 – Laptops, headphones & more savings that make the grade
Wayfair, 8/7 – Desks, but make them multifunctional →
HP.com, 8/4 – Stand out this school year with powerful tech from HP
The Container Store, 8/17 – Grab Your Last-Minute College Must-Haves Here!
Redbubble, 8/8 – School essentials for every obsession 📝
AutoZone, 8/2 – Your battery may not outlast the heat!
Neiman Marcus, 8/23 – The fall collections are available now!
Gap, 8/23 – The light layers edit
Wayfair, 8/13 – HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS. ARE. HERE.
Williams Sonoma, 8/24 – Make it the best Halloween ever 👻
West Elm, 8/17 – Enter if you dare *and* make it stylish
Panty Party at VS PINK, 8/28 – Hey Boo, Want 5 FREE Panties? 👻
IKEA Family, 8/29 – Have you heard we’re having a pajama party? 🥳
Fanatics.com, 8/2 – We’re Heading Back to Training Camp –> Official Style Available
Macy’s, 8/13 – Gear up for fall with game-day picks & more 🏈🍂
Chubbies Weekender, 8/16 – The Weekender: Fantasy Football Team Name Inspo
West Elm, 8/13 – Whoa, we loooove this bathroom
Wayfair, 8/8 – #kitchenmats
Gap, 8/11 – gap & madhappy. available now for a limited time.
Crate & Barrel, 8/7 – “Beautiful.” “Versatile.” “Durable.” Meet our forever faves.
West Elm Design Services, 8/24 – “So glad I did that” — you after your FREE Design Crew appt
Allrecipes The Scoop, 8/13 – You Should Stop Storing Your Carrots This Way
Clinique Online, 8/12 – Fragrance that lasts? Here’s how.
New posts on EmailMarketingRules.com
Could Loyalty Be the Missing Piece in Your Email Campaigns?
Digital Channel Strategy: Strengths & Weaknesses of Email, SMS, & Push
Seasonal Email Strategies: Stand Out on Black Friday & Cyber Monday
CDP vs. MDW vs. CRM vs. CDM vs. DMP: How They Differ & How They Might Work Together
12 Trends a-Trending: What to Plan for This Holiday Season [with on-demand webinar]
Could Loyalty Be the Missing Piece in Your Email Campaigns?
Posted on August 30, 2024
How do loyalty programs and email marketing programs work together? How can brands build out their automated email programs and make them more effective?
I join theMarketer podcast host Cosmin Costea to talk about how brands can foster stronger loyalty and generate better results through savvy automation, smart messaging, and much more. Here’s a rundown of our conversation during the 33-minute podcast:
1:45 – The 5 kinds of automation triggers
6:52 – How brands can get much more out of their automated programs
11:05 – How fast should cart abandonment emails be sent
16:00 – Getting subscribers to click or log in for identification purposes for triggers
19:07 – Defining emails as transactional or promotional
20:34 – Loyalty programs plus email marketing
23:56 – Email marketing cadences for short- and long-lifespan products
27:56 – B2B vs. B2C email marketing
30:15 – Using segmentation and automation together
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or…
Digital Channel Strategy: Strengths & Weaknesses of Email, SMS, & Push
Posted on August 19, 2024
Brands are increasingly building out their SMS and mobile push messaging audiences to supplement their well-established email marketing programs. However, as these audiences grow, it becomes more important to have a clear digital channel strategy that leverages each channel optimally.
Devising an effective cross-channel messaging strategy starts by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each of these three channels. Let’s start with…
Is Cold Email Dead?
Posted on August 13, 2024
I was recently asked this question and struggled to give a quick and clear answer. After considerable thought, I realized it’s hard to answer that question because it’s actually multiple questions rolled into one.
So, let’s tease this question apart to get at the key issues, including legality and effectiveness.
Seasonal Email Strategies: Stand Out on Black Friday & Cyber Monday
Posted on August 9, 2024
Everyone wants to have their email marketing campaigns stand out during the Thanksgiving–to–Cyber Monday time period. And for good reason. Based on an examination of email campaign performance among retailers and ecommerce brands using Oracle Responsys, campaigns sent during the Cyber 5 weekend routinely generate the highest revenue per email for the whole year—by far.
However, marketing emails aren’t ads. They’re not about shouting the loudest, flashing the brightest colors, or being the most sensational or shocking. They’re also not about abusing trust with misleading or vague copy.
There are two components in the battle for holiday email marketing attention.
CDP vs. MDW vs. CRM vs. CDM vs. DMP: How They Differ & How They Might Work Together
Posted on August 8, 2024
When it comes to managing your customer data, brands have many options. However, all of those options are not created equal. Key differences are not always easy to identify, especially when solutions have legitimate overlap in some characteristics and functionality. This confusion is particularly acute around customer data platforms (CDPs) and adjacent technologies, which is raising doubts among brands as to which solutions truly meet their needs.
Let’s examine how CDPs like Oracle Unity stack up against marketing data warehouses (MDW), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, customer data management (CDM) systems, and data management platforms (DMPs). But first, let’s look at…
The Last Word on July 2024
Posted on August 6, 2024
A roundup of digital and email marketing articles, posts, and social buzz you might have missed last month…
Must-read articles, posts & reports
Hartley Thrown Out: Good News for Permission, Bad News for Spammers (Spamtacular)
Authenticity in the Age of AI (Christopher S. Penn)
In Shock Decision, Google Abandons Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Plans (The Drum)
A Customer Just Unsubscribed! What Are They Telling You? Are You Even Listening? (Only Influencers)
Something Phishy About AI: Threat Actors Are Using It In Email Attacks (MediaPost)
Insightful & entertaining social posts
Huge respect to the developers who work on HTML emails for a living. This stuff is painful 😅
— Josh W. Comeau (@JoshWComeau) July 14, 2024
Hey if you’re looking for a postmaster position, you’re in luck -> job openings recently increased by 14%
Go postmasters!!! pic.twitter.com/5F6QYtEBTf
— Keith Kouzmanoff (@emailmp) July 15, 2024
Simone Biles and Snoop Dog’s shirt are a perfect 10 🏆
Happy Olympic Games season! #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/jBPYMS7l9S
— Litmus (@litmusapp) July 29, 2024
Noteworthy subject lines
Gap, 7/10 – The Team USA Collection
Fanatics.com, 7/3 – GET IT NOW: USA Basketball Collection
Michaels, 7/15 – 🏅❤️🤍💙 From opening ceremony watch parties to festive décor, we’ve got you!
FIGS, 7/18 – FIGS x Team USA🥇🩺
Chubbies Weekender, 7/26 – SPORTS WE THINK SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SUMMER 2028 OLYMPICS
Macy’s, 7/2 – Ready for the 4th? Open for savings as amazing as our fireworks 🎆
IKEA Family, 7/16 – Don’t miss the Ready for College Event!
Forever 21, 7/21 – TGIF ♡ Dorm Life Deals from $10
Disney Store, 7/10 – Back to School Varsity Jackets get a ⭐
Bass Pro Shops, 7/1 – It’s National Grilling Month
Allrecipes The Scoop, 7/1 – Secret Family Recipes and Top Tips for the Ultimate Summer Party
Crate & Barrel, 7/10 – Summer camp season is here—get your little geared up
Columbia, 7/13 – Gear that’s up for a hike & adventure in town.
The North Face, 7/9 – Hats, shorts and hoodies for the highest temps.
West Elm, 7/20 – How to *always* dine outside
Goldbelly, 7/30 – The Hot 100 Foods of Summer!😎
Spirit Halloween, 7/16 – 🔪🍼 NEW horror babies are here!
HP.com, 7/16 – Black Friday in July | Sale ends tomorrow
Wayfair, 7/26 – ⚡ BLACK FRIDAY IN JULY ⚡ STARTS NOW ⚡
Bed Bath & Beyond, 7/12 – It’s Never too Early For Holiday Cheer ✨
Harry the Revenge Seeking Hydrant, 7/7 – Your dog has peed on me over 400 times…
Priceline, 7/5 – ⇊ How to get free drinks at sea ⇊
Uncommon Goods, 7/2 – Back in stock
Huckberry, 7/14 – It’s Here: Our #1 Most Requested Restock
Neiman Marcus, 7/10 – Gucci Tennis 1977 sneakers for women & men
Levi’s® Collaborations, 7/3 – Off to the races with Levi’s® x McLaren Racing
Williams Sonoma, 7/6 – Plan a Bridgerton-inspired brunch 🌸🥂 + Up to 75% OFF during our 4th of July Sale
Everlane Men, 7/6 – Since You Aren’t Watching That Movie
Magic: The Gathering, 7/1 – Miss MagicCon? Catch up on the latest reveals!
Dell Technologies, 7/25 – Your AI journey begins with Dell.
Crate & Kids, 7/23 – Sleep expert Dr. Aubrie DeBear shares her tips→
YETI, 7/28 – A Film About Friendship, Fishing…
Uncommon Goods, 7/22 – Celebrating 25 years of independent artists
Michaels, 7/1 – ✨✨Our Regencycore décor collection has gone viral! ✨✨
New posts on EmailMarketingRules.com
5 Steps to Optimize Web Modals & Boost Visitor Engagement
Third Quarter 2024 Holiday Marketing Quarterly
12 Trends a-Trending: What to Plan for This Holiday Season [with on-demand webinar]
Posted on August 1, 2024
The 2024 holiday season is shaping up to be as dynamic and turbulent as it has been in recent years, but in different ways. Knowing what to expect and proper planning can help make the best of another tough holiday season.
Here are our predictions for 12 trends to account for as you plan your holiday customer experience and digital marketing campaigns:
5 Steps to Optimize Web Modals & Boost Visitor Engagement
Posted on July 22, 2024
Popups, popovers, slide-ins, lightboxes, and other web modals are powerful because they demand attention. That’s why so many brands use them to drive email signups, SMS opt-ins, lead generation content downloads, event registrations, and other audience-building efforts.
However, when modals demand too much attention too loudly or too often, they can be incredibly annoying. That can lead to an increase in site abandonment, and even keep consumers from returning if they anticipate being harassed by modals every time they visit.
Once you’ve determined the goal of your modal and crafted messaging that’s aligned with that goal, use these five modal characteristics to maximize its performance while minimizing its annoyance.
Welcome! Email Marketing Rules is your guide to understanding the best practices of this complex, often misunderstood channel as you craft the best executions for your brand. Every week, we’ll explore strategies and tactics, discuss tips and inspiration, and dig into industry news and trends.
Chad S. White
Head of Research
Oracle Digital Experience Agency
Author of Email Marketing Rules and nearly 4,000 articles about digital and email marketing
