Email marketing is a crucial part of a holistic and effective marketing strategy – but when did it start and how did it grow to become as important as it is today?
The history of email marketing starts with the birth of email itself in the 1970’s. Larry Roberts invented the very first email management system in 1971. With Robert’s system users could list, select, forward, and reply to received messages. These electronic mail messages quickly became email as we know it today. And marketers were right behind the general public in learning how to use online messaging to communicate efficiently.
“Electronic mail message” became an outmoded term by 1982 and the term “email” swept in to take its place.
The start of email marketing
After the invention of Rober’s system, email management systems grew rapidly – and marketers paid close attention. In 1978, the first recorded marketing email was sent. This simple email resulted in a whopping $13 million in sales, solidifying email as a key part of a successful marketing strategy.
Email marketing grew rapidly, and alongside its climb came increased recipient frustration and ad fatigue. Unwanted emails and overbearing messaging lead to demand for filters and regulations. Annoying emails were on the rise and in 1988 the Oxford English Dictionary added a new word to its dictionary; Spam: “To flood with a large number of unsolicited postings, or multiple copies of the same posting. Also intransitive: to send large numbers of unsolicited messages or advertisements.”
While email marketing could be effective, when overdone the results weren’t increased sales, but a perceived bombardment from users. As a result, marketers adapted their strategies, and twenty years on, in 2003, the CAN-SPAM Act (and other similar initiatives) built a new standard for commercial emails. Marketers now needed to obtain a user’s consent if they wished to add that user to an email list.
While regulations may seem like an attack on email marketing, in this instance they were actually a boon. Marketers were able to maintain this critical stream of communication while limiting customer frustration. Email lists later also became a crucial part of first-party data strategies.
Email marketing continued to grow as the internet exploded in popularity. The medium also shifted and changed as new technologies became available. Today, email marketing remains a central part of every brand’s playbook and a crucial way to reach and communicate with both new and existing customers.
Where email marketing is now
In 2024, email marketing remains one of the most important communication methods between customers and businesses. The strategy has a high ROI and lets marketers have direct, tailored conversations with potential customers in a way no other marketing method allows.
Spam remains an issue for email marketers, as does over-exposure. Email marketers must keep messaging fresh and adjust their strategies to prevent ad fatigue and encourage engagement.
Critical parts of an effective email marketing strategy
Building an effective email marketing strategy starts with clear goals, a defined target customer, and a healthy email list. These steps are crucial to a successful email campaign:
- Define your campaign goals: Email marketers need to define short-term and long-term goals for their campaigns. Gather context – including average metrics for the industry, and outline what your expected response will be given current and past campaigns.
- Define your target audience: Marketers need to understand their readers inside and out, this way they can target their language and content effectively. Start campaign planning by building a persona. Use this framework to work around pain points and tailor campaigns.
- Build a healthy email list: Don’t rely on purchased email lists, instead build your own. You can do this with data from existing customers and by using incentives like ebook downloads and discount offers. A healthy email list represents your target audience.
- Gather data and analyze metrics: Define which metrics are important to your campaign goals. Collect and measure this data on an ongoing basis, adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Email marketing is as old as the internet and while it has changed a great deal over the years, its importance has remained steadfast. One thing, however, has remained consistent over the years: spam-conscious communication has always won over more customers than blanket messaging. That being said, email will continue to change as attitudes and technologies evolve, as will the strategies marketers use to leverage email for their business – who knows where email may end up another decade from now.
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