Email advertising is a way for businesses to directly send sales messages to potential customers via email, often including website links. Opt-in lists are used to avoid spam, and marketers can track the success of their campaigns through open rates and conversion rates. Regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act have been put in place to prevent spam. While email advertising is inexpensive and flexible, it can be challenging to stand out in a crowded inbox. Other online marketing methods, like RSS feeds, can also be used.
A business that delivers its sales messages directly to potential customers via an email address practices email advertising. These commercial emails usually include website links. The consumer can click on the links to buy a product or get more information about it. The marketer then tracks the number of emails opened and the number of times links in the email were clicked. Finally, the marketer can track the conversion rate, which is the number of sales completed as a result of the email advertising campaign.
Many marketers now use opt-in lists only, so the messages are not considered spam. Spam messages are unsolicited bulk emails sent to people who have not requested to receive such emails. Typically, these lists are created when a consumer requests to receive sales messages and information from a specific company.
Some opt-in lists are created for the purpose of allowing other companies to use them. In this case, the customer chooses to receive email messages on a specific topic from various companies. Marketers can then either rent these lists or ask the list owner to send an email on the marketer’s behalf. This is also known as an email blast service or opt-in email service.
Email marketing gained popularity in the 1990s. At the time, there was little regulation regarding the types of messages that could be sent and to whom. To help consumers avoid receiving unsolicited sales emails, including messages advertising pornography, many governments have begun to create laws to regulate email advertising practices. The goal of these laws is to regulate how advertisers use consumers’ email addresses.
An example of email regulation is the US Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act of 2003. The CAN-SPAM Act sets guidelines for commercial email and text messages to help stop spam. Some of these guidelines include sending emails only to consumers who have opted in; avoid the use of deceptive objects; and including the company’s physical mailing address and an unsubscribe link in each e-mail message.
Even with these regulations, many marketers continue to use email advertising, as it is generally inexpensive compared to print and physical mailing. This type of marketing is also interesting due to its fast delivery and tracking capabilities. Email advertising is also very flexible. If such a campaign performs poorly, it can be quickly updated and resubmitted.
Users of email advertising also face some challenges. The sheer volume of email a person receives makes it difficult for a single message to stand out and be noticed. Even the opt-in email can end up in the recipient’s junk or junk mail folder, as the email is sent to many potential customers at the same time. Many consumers empty these folders without even looking at their contents.
Marketers can use other online marketing methods to reach their customers in addition to or instead of email advertising. RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds can be provided on the company’s website. Consumers who subscribe to RSS feeds receive company information directly through software called a reader. When a consumer opens her reader, any RSS feeds she has added will be updated automatically, with new content and marketing messages.
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