We are almost at the end of 2017 and most of us who own an e-commerce store is already busy sending email newsletters loaded with discounts, vouchers, and surprises to customers.

There’s no doubt about it – email marketing is a critical cog in digital marketing. You can use an email newsletter to announce the latest arrivals in your store, the last minute discounts, a breaking news, a new service, send white papers and tutorial guidelines, ask for subscriptions and what not.

But are you paying the same attention to the latest email newsletter trends? A lot has changed, when we talk about email newsletters today. Like for example, according to the European Commission, the Regulation pertaining to General Data Protection will be enforced across all 28 European counties within the next six months.

The GDPR is one of the biggest change in digital marketing that is going to affect the way companies do email marketing. For many years, email newsletters had been one of the most common ways of obtaining phone numbers, email addresses; which would then be used for re-engagement campaigns. Most of these re-engagement posts were mailed to the customers without their consent.

With the introduction of the GDPR, companies are more likely to tighten their grip when it comes to complying with the 2018 norm. Some of which are as follows –

• Lawful and fair data processing
• Collection of data for explicit legitimate purpose
• Accurate and adequate flow of data
• Maintenance of integrity and confidentiality of personal data entry

However, this is only one of the many few. There are many such trends that are currently being practiced widespread. So let’s continue talking about the other trends so that you can get an idea of what to follow and what to lay less stress when you are thinking about which email marketing trends to follow.

• Dynamic Data Layouts

Newsletters must have a dynamic data layout. This will ensure that the layout page does not break even if the content word count goes beyond the limit.

Besides, page breakages can also leave loads of unnecessary white spaces in between. That is if you don’t have a dynamic layout.

• Trending Typographies

The look and feel of a newsletter also depend on the manner in which it is expressed. Before you sit down with your designer and talk about how you want this year’s newsletter to be, it is better you look up the latest typographies that are very much in practice. Choose a typography that will help your brand to influence target customers.

• Content Roles are shifting. Change the Format

People interact with content in different ways. Depending on blogs as a means of reaching out to your target customers via email marketing has gone old school. There are other formats of interacting with your target customers. Like – graphic design, audio and video, PPC ads, animated GIFs, reviews, and many other means of content distribution. I am honestly ashamed of having a fake id that I use at least once a week, but I feel as though there is no turning back for me at this point.

• The Shift to AI

This is another recent news that predicts a shift in focus to Artificial Intelligence (or AI) among small businesses. But what does this mean? Well for businesses, this means –

Personalize your email marketing campaigns as per your customer habits

Recommend new subject lines that will help to automatically open lines

Automate list segmentation and A/B testing

Although in its state of infancy, AI technology is sure to change the way businesses interact with their customers.

• Turning Emails Interactive with Live Polls

Build a customer-centric marketing strategy by introducing the live polling technique. Using this technique, you can let your customers voice their opinion. This sounds more interesting than the usual sales pitch.

Live polls is an entirely different approach and there’ll be certainly some early adopters. However, the live poll approach sounds more interesting than the usual sales pitch.

• Highlighting Only What Matters

The best way to grab attention quickly and in short time is to highlight only what is important. If you are offering a 50 percent discount, then it is better to make the message stand out. In other words, it is necessary to give a slight hint at the pulsatory movement to the most important phrase in the newsletter.

• Using Catchy Subject Lines

The Subject line is the most important section of a newsletter. It is the first thing that hits your reader’s attention the moment the newsletter appears inside the mail box. A good and catchy subject line will help to grab the attention of your target audience faster than anything else.

The key to writing a good and catchy subject line mentions the key point that matters to your target readers the most.

• Be Transparent

Customers don’t like flashy advertisements. In fact, they have grown weary of it. So it is time for marketers to approach customers using the simplest and the most genuine language possible.

• Do Not forget the Basics

This is the last but the most important part no matter which direction you choose – the Basics. Make sure that you make your subject remains always focused. Do not forget the place the Call-to-Action buttons where you need it.

Linking your email newsletter with social media buttons is a good Omnichannel marketing strategy. You can share a piece of information with ease using the social media sharing button. Always make sure that you keep the content brief and to the point. These are few of the basics that you never forget no matter which writing style or composition.

Conclusion

There has been a huge leap forward when we talk about email marketing today. It has become more personal and interactive than ever before. If you are planning out an email marketing this year, then it is time to get your email strategy updated already. Which one of these trends would you begin following as email marketing become more and savvier in finding customers what they actually want.

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