Email Marketing RulesThe Rise of Exploitive Email Click Bots
Posted on May 14, 2019
Bots are having a profound effect on how the internet functions and may even outnumber people on some platforms like Twitter. Email marketing is not immune to click bots, with the newest activity being from bots that mimic human subscribers in order to collect information to power data service businesses.
The problem with these kinds of email click bots is that they create activity that inflates performance numbers and causes false positives that trigger automated campaigns and muddy targeting efforts. All in all, they simply make it more difficult to see how subscribers are truly responding. That can cause brands to make tactical or strategic changes that serve bots rather than actual subscribers.
Oracle’s Heather Goff, Bradford Johnson, Dan Deneweth, Wade Hobbs, Kent McGovern and I explore these bots in more detail, but let’s do so in the broader context of all email click bots. We think of these bots as falling into three categories, with each one requiring its own potential remedies:
- Beneficial Email Click Bots
- Malicious Email Click Bots
- Exploitive Email Click Bots
For full discussion of each of these kinds of bots and advice on how to respond to them…
>> Read the full post on Oracle’s Modern Marketing blog
The Latest B2B Email Marketing Trends
Posted on May 7, 2019
At the same time that email marketing is becoming more complex, all of the issues surrounding it are becoming more interconnected. That is strikingly apparent when looking at the latest B2B email marketing trends identified by members of Oracle Marketing Cloud Consulting’s Expert Services team, which assist Eloqua customers with all aspects of their email programs.
Oracle’s Autumn Coleman, Kim Roman, Cristal Foster, Chris Carlock, Fabricio J. Lopez, and Otilia Antipa talk about this interconnected chain of current B2B email marketing trends, which includes:
- Compliance Automation
- More Active Management of Inactives
- Stronger Opt-ins
- Growing Adoption of Preference Centers
- Hyper-Personalization
- Send Time Optimization
- Smart Trigger Timing
- AI Helps Do It All Better
- Data Warehouse Integrations
- Embracing B2C Strategies & Tools
For a discussion of each of these B2B email marketing trends…
>> Read the full post on Oracle’s Modern Marketing Blog
The Last Word on April 2019
Posted on May 3, 2019
A roundup of email marketing articles, posts, and tweets you might have missed last month…
Must-read articles, posts & reports
13 Email Marketing Statistics That Are Shaping 2019 and Beyond (Convince & Convert)
Email Marketing Budget Changes in 2019: Where Email Teams Invest More—And Where They Cut Back (Litmus)
Insightful & entertaining tweets
Beautiful take on what #GDPR represents:
“We’re giving people more autonomy over data and empowering subscribers to make relationships more meaningful and effective.” –@logansandrock at #UNSPAM
— Kait Creamer (@KaitCreamer) April 7, 2019
The fold is real.
The rationale that you should cram everything above it isn’t. #emailgeeks #embracethescroll
— Elliot Ross (@iamelliot) April 8, 2019
Every week I receive a dozen or more “personalized” emails with the subject line “%PROSPECT_NAME%%, connect on %%DATE%%”
Using my first name and a date **does not** qualify as personalization. That’s a data merge. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/nXqcrb5hQT
— Justine Jordan (@meladorri) April 15, 2019
Every time I hear someone correctly say “calls to action” rather than “call to actions”, my capacity for feeling joy and hope grows.
— Kait Creamer (@KaitCreamer) April 24, 2019
Email marketing is “slow-cial media,” the original networking space. @annhandley #SMMW19
— Clare (@clareyfrey) March 22, 2019
Noteworthy subject lines
Petco, 4/1 – New at Petco: pet wedding planning
Walmart, 4/19 – 15 Mother’s Day gifts that last longer than flowers
Neiman Marcus, 4/19 – Louis Vuitton: Show your love this Mother’s Day
Banana Republic, 4/25 – Our Mother’s Day gift guide to fuel your Mom’s wanderlust
Zales, 4/25 – Disney Obsessed Mom?
Saks Fifth Avenue, 4/26 – Actress & author Bridget Moynahan’s top gifts for every Mom
J.Crew, 4/29 – New picks for you (and for Mom too)
Hobby Lobby, 4/4 – Need Easter Basket Ideas? 40% Off Summer Toys!
LifeWay Christian Stores, 4/6 – Heading to an Easter Celebration? Don’t Forget a Gift!
Tractor Supply Company, 4/10 – Everything You Need to Get Ready For Spring – Shop Now!
Hayneedle, 4/29 – Cookout season is coming – let’s prep!
Barneys New York, 4/7 – How to Take Festival Style to The Next Level
Nordstrom, 4/19 – Sandals for all your sunny-weather plans
West Elm, 4/6 – Looking for a small space dining table? You NEED this.
Applebee’s, 4/25 – Chad, Do you have plans for dinner?
Neiman Marcus, 4/3 – New shoes channel retro glam
Victoria’s Secret, 4/4 – No seams. No limits.
Target, 4/26 – Preview the vineyard vines for Target collection, arriving 5/18
Kohl’s, 4/4 – 20% off + $5 + Kohl’s Cash = (sorry, too busy shopping to do math)
Gap, 4/23 – Pick a number between 40 and 70 (hint: savings involved)
Petco, 4/11 – Enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of pet food!**
J.Crew, 4/15 – TBH you’d be crazy to miss this 24-hour sale
Victoria’s Secret, 4/12 – All about that sets appeal…
Feeding America, 4/23 – This does not belong in the trash
Harley-Davidson, 4/15 – The Builders Behind The Bikes + Snag Your H-D Extreme Cooler Tote
REI, 4/19 – Customer Tested. BACKPACKER Approved.
Southwest, 4/23 – Your post-worthy paradise is on sale.
New posts on EmailMarketingRules.com
The Pros and Cons of AMP for Email
When Retina Images Should Be Used in Emails and When They Shouldn’t
The Last Word on March 2019
Posted on April 5, 2019
A roundup of email marketing articles, posts, and tweets you might have missed last month…
Must-read articles, posts & reports
Email Marketing ROI: What leads to better returns? (Litmus)
Take action and stay up-to-date with dynamic email in Gmail (Google)
Audiences, targeting and signups (Word to the Wise)
Good Copy is Good Design: 4 Ways Copy Impacts Design & UX (DEG)
Insightful & entertaining tweets
In the #ExperienceEconomy you have to empower whoever gets to the customer first. @rtarkoff #ModernCX #OracleMBX pic.twitter.com/zzhs4TtxUS
— Shari Paul (@ShariPaul) March 19, 2019
“From B2C and B2B to B2Me. Now.” So true. Yes, some strategies still are separate but we all want a personalized, easy customer experience. B2C has excelled at it for years and now it’s time for us B2B marketers to step it up (less those who already are/the minority). #ModernCX
— kpindle (@kpindle) March 19, 2019
Data isn’t data. It’s people! A click on a purchase button, isn’t a click. It’s a customer. We owe it to customers to make every interaction meaningful. AI will help turn data into a personal experience that builds relationships. #WatsonMarketing #Think2019 #WatsonCommerce
— Shep Hyken (@Hyken) February 11, 2019
I’m “birthday emails from insurance companies asking if I have thought about my life insurance policy” years old
— Heike Young 👩🏼💻 (@YoungHeike) February 19, 2019
Not to mention the fact that some decent spam filters will specifically look for Re: in the Subject with no References or In-Reply-To headers.
— Steve Freegard (@smfreegard) March 1, 2019
The AOL postmaster site is no more. Tonight, raise a glass to everyone at AOL who created the deliverability industry as we know it. Their legacy affects us every day, even though their hard work has disappeared. https://t.co/BgfPmSkz6v
— Laura Atkins (@wise_laura) March 11, 2019
Noteworthy subject lines
Ann Taylor, 3/14 – Nominate A Revolutionary Woman
Democrats, 3/14 – The youngest, most diverse group of women elected to Congress
Horchow, 3/12 – Your guide to the 2019 design trends
J.Jill, 3/12 – Introducing the Web Edit: limited-edition styles, online only.
Garnet Hill, 3/12 – Spring is eco-friendly – and embroidered!
Banana Republic, 3/10 – This denim jacket = spring’s perfect layer
Banana Republic, 3/20 – When it’s too warm for a jacket, try a cardigan…
Aeropostale, 3/12 – FREE Shipping When You Buy Jeans Or Shorts
REI, 3/20 – We’re Rewarding Co-op Members. Preview the Deals.
Godiva Chocolatier, 3/21 – ENDS TODAY! Win 1 Year of GODIVA Chocolate.
MoMA Design Store, 3/12 – A Square Tea Kettle?
ModCloth, 3/11 – Do you go against the current?
Foot Locker, 3/30 – Missed the big launch? We got you.
ThinkGeeks, 3/14 – What’s a Geek’s Favorite Dessert? Pi
Kate Spade, 3/21 – where did you get that little straw bag?
Kate Spade, 3/24 – your weekend wardrobe question answered
Zales, 3/7 – Thanks, It’s New
Nordstrom Rack, 3/24 – There’s no place like out of office
Saks Fifth Avenue, 3/29 – These dresses guarantee a glamorous evening
Express, 3/14 – What every gentleman, scholar and NBA Game Changer has in his closet
Saks Fifth Avenue, 3/12 – 3 weekend-ready looks whatever your plans may be
Feeding America, 3/29 – Three awesome ways to fight hunger in your own community
Levi’s Blog, 3/12 – Our top 4 stories, ready for reading
Democrats, 3/12 – This is a long email, Chad, but what’s inside is important
Petco, 3/7 – The magic of tidying up your dog’s space
ModCloth, 3/19 – A peek behind this month’s collection
Saks Fifth Avenue, 3/30 – Access Granted: An exclusive look at a day in the life of the SaksFirst Limitless Director
Hasbro Pulse, 3/28 – A look at how Transformers figures are made
New posts on EmailMarketingRules.com
Email Deliverability Quarterly: Gmail’s TensorFlow, VMG Supports List-Unsubscribe, and More
Mobile Matters Podcast: Email Is NOT Dead. Stop Asking.
9 Reasons Why Email Marketing Is Still the King of Customer Engagement
Demand Gen Report: B2B Marketers Integrating Email with Other Channels to Boost Performance
Webinar Recording + Q&A: The Trends & Strategies That Will Shape Your Email Program in 2019
How Marketers Can Adapt to Voice-Assistants Reading Emails
Posted on April 2, 2019
The launch of the Apple iPhone in 2007 prompted a decade-long effort for marketers to make their emails mobile-friendly. The rise of voice-assistants will likely have a similar impact on email marketers, although less tectonic and probably much messier.
In this blog post, Oracle Marketing Cloud Consulting’s Kathryn Alva, Henry Alva, and Kristin McCambridge look at:
- The rise of voice-assistants reading emails
- The limitations of voice-assistants in terms of interacting with emails
- How voice-assistants read emails
- How voice-assistants handle emojis, special characters, creative spacing, and other subject line and copy issues
- How email accessibility can help voice-assistants read your emails correctly
- How the order of table cells and content blocks affect the reading of emails
- Plus some examples of subject lines and how voice-assistants read them
For all of this and more…
Email Deliverability Quarterly: Gmail’s TensorFlow, VMG Supports List-Unsubscribe, and More
Posted on March 28, 2019
Email deliverability is constantly changing, as inbox providers adjust their filtering algorithms, blacklists tweak their listing criteria, and consumers evolve their definition of spam. That’s why even the best email marketing programs suffer deliverability problems sometimes.
To help you avoid trouble, the deliverability practice at Oracle Marketing Cloud Consulting (OMCC) shares the latest news and tips for what to watch out for in our inaugural Email Deliverability Quarterly.
In this post, Dan Deneweth, Heather Goff, Clea Moore, and Brian Sullivan explain how the following will impact marketers’ email deliverability:
- Gmail Rolls Out TensorFlow AI to Filter More Spam
- Verizon Media Group Announces Support for List-Unsubscribe
- Verizon Media Group Launches Postmaster Site
- Return Path Losing Gmail Panel Data
For the full discussion of each of these issues…
Mobile Matters Podcast: Email Is NOT Dead. Stop Asking.
Posted on March 25, 2019
How many times have you seen a headline claiming that email is dead? You’ve likely seen this headline countless times and probably have clicked on a few articles about it, too. However, the truth of the matter is that email is NOT actually dead and is very much alive.
I drove this point home when I spoke with Stephanie Cox, the host of the Mobile Matters podcast. However, we talked about a wide range of topics, including…
- How I got my start in email marketing
- The biggest changes to email marketing over the past decade
- What has driven changes at inbox providers and regulators
- How to measure email marketing success
- Best practices for mobile email design
- The impact of smartwatches
For a full discussion of each of those topics and more…
>> Listen to the podcast
9 Reasons Why Email Marketing Is Still the King of Customer Engagement
Posted on March 14, 2019
So many things were supposed to make email obsolete: Facebook, Slack, mobile push—even RSS was once talked about as an email-killer. It turns out that pronouncing email dead is simply a common marketing ploy rather than any kind of market reality.
Email marketing’s return on investment remains stellar, returning $38 for every dollar invested it, according to Litmus research. And market buzz is coming back around on email. For instance, The Wall Street Journal recently called email The Hot New Channel for Reaching Real People and The Guardian says that nothing will replace email “in the near future, and probably not in the far future.”
Why is email marketing so powerful? Here are our top 9 reasons:
- Email is ubiquitous. Everyone has an account (or two) and uses it.
- Email is the account of record.
- Email is the most preferred channel for brand communications.
- Email is an open platform that no one owns, which keeps costs low.
- Email supports rich content, allowing highly engaging experiences.
For the remaining four reasons, and for a discussion of each reason…
>> Read the full post on the Oracle Modern Marketing Blog
Demand Gen Report: B2B Marketers Integrating Email with Other Channels to Boost Performance
Posted on March 8, 2019
Email continues to be the top channel marketers use to drive demand, according to Demand Gen Report’s 2019 Demand Generation Benchmark Survey. But B2B marketers are increasingly integrating email marketing with their efforts in social, SMS, push, and other channels to maximize the impact.
“I have so many clients asking about integrating additional channels, such as social, SMS and direct mail, with their email marketing,” Kim Roman, Senior Principal Consultant for Oracle Expert Services, told Demand Gen Report. “Many are looking to apps that integrate directly with their email marketing platforms, so they can either use email to follow up, continue the conversation from other channels or interact with customers/prospects via other channels based on their interaction with emails.”
Adopting an ABM-based approach can take your program up a notch and improve performance. But if you are not in a position yet to make the technological leap to omnichannel campaigns, I explain that you can ready your organization by breaking down silos and better sharing cross-channel insights internally.
I advise email marketers to meet regularly with their marketing counterparts in social, SEM, advertising, print and elsewhere to share insights. Use email to test messaging and imagery and then use the winner in a print campaign. Use keywords that are performing well in search in the subject lines of your emails. Person-to-person knowledge sharing is a great way to lay the organizational groundwork for working toward a sophisticated omnichannel future.
>> Read the full article on DemandGenReport.com
Webinar Recording + Q&A: The Trends & Strategies That Will Shape Your Email Program in 2019
Posted on February 25, 2019
The email industry is constantly changing, and keeping up with what’s new can feel like an impossible task.
Join me, Campaign Monitor’s Logan Baird, and Litmus’ Jason Rodriguez, Alice Li, and Bettina Specht as we break down the key insights from Litmus’ 2019 State of Email Report, explain the trends that are changing the industry, and provide practical advice on what those changes mean for your email program.
In this webinar, you’ll learn:
- How to display images, coupon codes, and more in Gmail’s revamped Promotions tab—and why utilizing structured data will become even more important in 2019.
- Why the rise of voice assistants makes it more important than ever to create accessible emails.
- Why the email industry’s continual consolidation will impact your email tech stack going forward.
- And more!
To watch the recording, view the slides, and read the Q&A…
>> See the entire post on the Litmus blog
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
