Digital Media 101: Digital Marketing and Advertising - Email Marketing and Automation

What It Is

Email marketing and automation is the use of software and data analysis to send targeted, personalized messages to customers or subscribers through email. A canonical example is Mailchimp's automation feature, which allows users to create custom workflows based on subscriber behavior and preferences. This matters for understanding digital culture because email marketing and automation have become essential tools for businesses to engage with customers, build brand loyalty, and drive sales.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Email Service Provider (ESP): A company that provides email marketing software and services, such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
• Automation Workflow: A series of automated actions triggered by a specific event, such as a subscriber's birthday or purchase history.
• Segmentation: The process of dividing a mailing list into smaller groups based on shared characteristics, such as demographics or behavior.
• Personalization: The practice of tailoring content to an individual's preferences or interests.
• Trigger: An event that sets off an automation workflow, such as a subscriber's birthday or a purchase.
• Action: A specific task performed by an automation workflow, such as sending an email or adding a subscriber to a list.
• Conditional Logic: The use of if-then statements to determine the next action in an automation workflow.
• A/B Testing: The practice of comparing two versions of an email to determine which performs better.
• Open-Loop vs. Closed-Loop: Open-loop automation involves sending emails without a clear call-to-action, while closed-loop automation involves tracking responses and adjusting future emails accordingly.
• GDPR Compliance: The requirement for email marketers to obtain explicit consent from subscribers before sending them emails.
• CAN-SPAM Act: A US law that regulates commercial email and requires senders to provide a clear opt-out option.
• Email List Hygiene: The process of removing inactive or unengaged subscribers from a mailing list.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Email marketing and automation are the same thing.
• Correction: Email marketing involves sending emails to subscribers, while automation involves using software to automate tasks based on subscriber behavior and preferences.
• Misunderstanding: Automation workflows are only for large businesses.
• Correction: Automation workflows can be used by businesses of any size to streamline email marketing efforts and improve engagement.
• Misunderstanding: Email list hygiene is only necessary for large lists.
• Correction: Email list hygiene is essential for all email marketers to ensure that they are only sending emails to engaged subscribers.

Quick Application / Identification

Scenario: A fashion brand wants to send a discount code to subscribers who have abandoned their shopping carts. What type of automation workflow would they use?

Answer: A trigger-based workflow that sends an email to subscribers who have abandoned their carts within a certain time frame.

Explanation: This type of workflow uses conditional logic to determine the next action based on the subscriber's behavior.

Last?Minute Revision

• The CAN-SPAM Act requires senders to provide a clear opt-out option.
• GDPR compliance requires explicit consent from subscribers before sending emails.
• Email list hygiene is essential for all email marketers.
• Mailchimp's automation feature allows users to create custom workflows based on subscriber behavior and preferences.
• The average open rate for email marketing campaigns is around 20%.
• A/B testing is essential for determining which email version performs better.
• Conditional logic is used in automation workflows to determine the next action.
• Trigger-based workflows are used to send emails based on subscriber behavior.
• Open-loop automation involves sending emails without a clear call-to-action.
• Closed-loop automation involves tracking responses and adjusting future emails accordingly.
• Segmentation is used to divide a mailing list into smaller groups based on shared characteristics.
• Personalization is used to tailor content to an individual's preferences or interests.