Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools in a marketer’s arsenal.
With the right strategy, it can drive significant engagement, build brand loyalty, and deliver a high return on investment (ROI).
Despite the rise of social media, chatbots, and automation, email marketing continues to thrive because it allows for personalized communication and direct access to consumers’ inboxes.
But in 2024, the bar for successful email campaigns is higher than ever.
As a marketing professional, I’ve seen how consumer behavior is shifting. People are more discerning about what lands in their inboxes, and inbox competition is fiercer than ever.
Brands that succeed in email marketing today focus on relevance, personalization, and interactivity to cut through the noise.
Here are some of the top best practices for email marketing in 2024, with a focus on boosting open rates, increasing engagement, and driving conversions.
Table of Contents
Email Marketing Best Practices: Strategies for Engagement, Open Rates, and Conversions:
1. Personalization Beyond the First Name
While personalizing an email with the recipient’s name has become standard, it’s no longer enough to grab attention. In 2024, email personalization needs to go deeper.
Customers now expect brands to know their preferences, behaviors, and interests.
According to a study by Dynamic Yield, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences.
To achieve this level of personalization, brands need to leverage customer data and behavior analytics.
Using segmentation, purchase history, and browsing behavior, you can send highly targeted and relevant content that feels tailored to each individual.
This might include personalized product recommendations, location-based offers, or customized subject lines that reflect the recipient’s interests.
Best Practice Tip:
Use dynamic content blocks in your email templates. These allow you to swap out different elements of an email—such as images, calls-to-action (CTAs), or product recommendations—based on the recipient’s preferences or behavior. The more tailored the email, the higher your chances of improving both open and conversion rates.
2. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Subject lines are the first thing recipients see, and they often determine whether your email gets opened or deleted. In fact, 47% of email recipients open an email based solely on the subject line, according to OptinMonster.
To stand out in a crowded inbox, you need to write short, compelling, and curiosity-driven subject lines that grab attention quickly.
In 2024, subject lines should also include elements of urgency, relevance, and personalization. Including numbers or statistics (e.g., “Save 20% Today Only!” or “5 Must-Have Items for Summer”) can increase open rates.
Additionally, avoid overly promotional language that triggers spam filters, such as “Free” or “Limited Time Offer.” Instead, focus on creating a subject line that speaks directly to the recipient’s needs or pain points.
Best Practice Tip:
Use A/B testing to experiment with different subject lines. Test variations to see which resonates more with your audience, and optimize future campaigns based on these insights. A small tweak in subject line length, tone, or word choice can have a huge impact on your open rates.
3. Optimize for Mobile Devices
Mobile devices now account for a significant portion of email opens. According to Statista, 43% of all emails are opened on mobile devices, and that number continues to grow.
If your emails aren’t optimized for mobile, you risk losing a large percentage of potential readers.
A mobile-optimized email is designed with readability and functionality in mind, ensuring that your content is easy to digest on smaller screens.
Mobile optimization isn’t just about responsive design—it’s also about simplifying the message.
On mobile, users are often skimming emails, so the key message should be visible at a glance. Use shorter paragraphs, larger buttons for CTAs, and images that load quickly.
Best Practice Tip:
When designing your email, always preview it on different mobile devices and screen sizes to ensure the experience is seamless.
Many email marketing platforms, such as Mailchimp and Klaviyo, offer mobile preview options to help you optimize your design.
4. Focus on Interactivity and Engagement
In 2024, static email content is being replaced by interactive elements that engage recipients.
Interactive emails can dramatically increase engagement and conversions by offering something beyond a simple read-through.
Adding elements like quizzes, polls, image carousels, or click-to-reveal content can make your email more engaging.
For example, incorporating a “quiz” that helps users find the right product for their needs can drive higher click-through rates.
Similarly, adding a countdown timer for a sale or a live feed showcasing how many items are left in stock can create urgency.
According to Campaign Monitor, emails with interactive content can see a 200-300% increase in click-through rates compared to non-interactive emails.
This kind of engagement isn’t just about being fun—it leads to more conversions because recipients are actively interacting with the brand.
Best Practice Tip:
Experiment with gamification in your email campaigns.
For example, try incorporating a simple game or challenge where subscribers can “scratch” to reveal a discount or win a prize.
These small interactive experiences create a memorable connection with your brand.
5. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)
One of the most effective ways to build trust and credibility with your audience is by incorporating user-generated content (UGC) into your email campaigns.
UGC includes photos, reviews, or testimonials from your customers. In fact, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from other people over brand content, according to Nielsen.
Including customer reviews or photos of real customers using your product not only provides social proof but also humanizes your brand.
When potential customers see how others have benefited from your product, it creates a sense of trust and drives conversions.
Best Practice Tip:
Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products on social media using a specific hashtag.
Then, curate the best content and include it in your email campaigns as part of a testimonial or review section.
Be sure to give credit to the original users to encourage further participation.
6. Segment Your Audience for Relevance
Audience segmentation is not a new concept, but in 2024, it’s more critical than ever.
Sending one-size-fits-all emails is not only ineffective but can lead to higher unsubscribe rates.
Segmentation involves dividing your email list into specific groups based on behaviors, demographics, or preferences.
According to a study by Mailchimp, segmented email campaigns result in 14.31% higher open rates and 100.95% higher click-through rates than non-segmented campaigns.
Segmenting your audience allows you to deliver relevant content to each group, whether that’s based on previous purchase history, location, gender, or engagement with past emails.
You can create targeted campaigns that speak directly to each group’s needs or interests, significantly improving your chances of driving conversions.
Best Practice Tip:
Go beyond basic demographic segmentation and explore behavioral segmentation. For example, segment your audience based on their previous interactions with your brand—did they abandon a cart? Are they a frequent buyer?
Behavioral data can help you tailor your messaging and offers for better results.
7. Track and Analyze Metrics for Continuous Improvement
No email marketing campaign is complete without tracking and analyzing your performance. Understanding what works—and what doesn’t—will help you optimize future campaigns for better results.
The key metrics to track include:
- Open rates: This measures the percentage of recipients who open your email. Improving subject lines and timing can positively impact open rates.
- Click-through rates (CTR): This metric shows how many people clicked on a link within your email. A high CTR indicates strong engagement with your content.
- Conversion rates: This tracks how many recipients completed the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a webinar. High conversion rates mean your email content is effectively driving action.
Additionally, monitor bounce rates and unsubscribe rates to ensure you’re maintaining a healthy email list.
According to HubSpot, the average email open rate is between 20-30%, while the average CTR is around 2-5%.
Understanding how your campaigns perform relative to these benchmarks will help you adjust and improve.
Best Practice Tip:
Use your email marketing platform’s analytics tools to run A/B tests on everything from subject lines to content placement.
Regular testing will reveal what resonates best with your audience, allowing you to fine-tune your approach.
8. Send Emails at Optimal Times
Timing can make or break an email campaign.
Sending your email when your audience is most likely to check their inbox can have a significant impact on open rates and engagement.
According to Campaign Monitor, the best times to send emails are typically mid-morning (around 10 AM) or early afternoon (around 1-2 PM).
However, the optimal time can vary based on your audience’s habits, location, and preferences.
Best Practice Tip:
Analyze your past campaigns to determine when your audience is most active and engaged.
Many email platforms allow you to automate send-time optimization, which delivers your emails at the time when each recipient is most likely to engage.
Final Thoughts
Email marketing in 2024 is about more than just reaching inboxes—it’s about delivering relevant, personalized, and engaging content that resonates with your audience.
By focusing on deep personalization, interactive content, mobile optimization, and segmentation, you can create campaigns that not only capture attention but also drive meaningful conversions.
As a marketing professional, I’ve seen that brands that invest in these strategies reap the rewards with higher engagement, stronger customer loyalty, and better ROI.
Email remains one of the highest-performing marketing channels, and by implementing these best practices, you can ensure that your email campaigns are effective, engaging, and aligned with the latest trends in consumer behavior.
About The Author:
David is a creative director and marketing professional with a wealth of expertise in marketing strategy, branding strategy and growing businesses. He is a founding partner of a branding and marketing agency based in New York and has a Bachelors Degree in Communication from UWE.
Over David’s 25+ year career in the the world of branding and marketing, he has worked on strategy projects for companies like Coca-Cola, Intercontinental Hotels, AMC Theaters, LEGO, Intuit and The American Cancer Society.
David has also published over 250 articles on topics related to marketing strategy, branding Identity, entrepreneurship and business management.
You can follow David’s writing over at medium.com: medium.com/@dplayer