Inbox Evolution: Get Ready for These Email Marketing Changes in 2024
You’ve probably noticed some significant shifts to your inbox experience recently. Here’s a quick guide on what you’ll need to know about the email marketing changes coming this year.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock these last few months, you’ve probably noticed some significant shifts to your inbox experience, particularly when it comes to marketing emails.
So, what does this all mean for you? Here’s a quick and dirty primer on five things you’ll need to know about the email marketing changes coming in 2024:
1. Authentication Takes Center Stage
This might sound fancy, but it simply means that email providers like Gmail and Yahoo are getting stricter about who gets to send emails to your precious inbox. From February 2024 onward, senders will need to use a trio of protocols (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) to verify their identity. This helps to prevent phishing scams and ensures that emails come from legitimate sources.
The good news? As the recipient, you won't need to do anything! However, some senders you might not recognize could disappear from your inbox if they don't comply.
And for those of you senders out there worried about your own settings, here are some easy solutions to keep your email accounts in good standing:
Use a traditional email marketing program like Mailchimp or MailerLite to send out all of your messages to larger audiences (generally those with 50+ recipients), as these tools already have the protocols built into their platforms.
Sign up for an email delivery tool like Twilio SendGrid or MailGun, which will allow you to use your existing inbox for broadcast messaging.
Which gets us to number 2…
2. Spam Gets Even Scrubbier
We may soon return to a world in which SPAM is only known as a highly processed fake meat 😂.
In all seriousness, though, email providers are cracking down on messages marked as spam — requiring that senders keep their spam complaint rates below a specific threshold (around 0.3% for Yahoo and a stricter 0.10% for Gmail) to avoid getting flagged or even blocked. This means you'll see fewer irrelevant marketing messages and more emails you want to read.
And speaking of that ever-fun “Unsubscribe” button…
3. Unsubscribing Gets Easier (Finally!)
The days of continually clicking “Unsubscribe” —or searching long and hard in an email for an unsubscribe button that doesn’t seem to exist, let’s be real — may soon be a thing of the past 😮💨!
Expect email providers to make unsubscribing a smoother process, with clear and easy-to-find unsubscribe options. This empowers you to control your inbox and ditch unwanted emails with a single click.
Also coming to an inbox near you in 2024…
4. The Rise of the Engaged Inbox
Gone are the days of static email blasts. In 2024, expect to see more interactive emails with features like polls, quizzes, and even short videos. This shift towards email engagement aims to make email marketing more dynamic and keep you interested.
5. Personalization on Point
Get ready for emails that feel like they were written just for you. Email marketers will be leveraging artificial intelligence to personalize content in their messages based on your preferences and purchase history (think: 🍪). This means receiving emails with product recommendations you'll consider, or content tailored to your interests.
These changes signal a positive shift for email marketing in 2024 — resulting in you receiving fewer irrelevant emails, having more control over your inbox, and experiencing more engaging and personalized content from the senders you choose. So, buckle up and get ready for a more streamlined and enjoyable inbox experience!