Digital Marketing

What Is Email Marketing?

Definition

The use of email to promote products or services, build relationships with potential customers, and keep current customers informed and engaged.

Why It Matters

Email marketing consistently delivers the highest ROI of any digital marketing channel because you own your subscriber list. Unlike social media — where algorithm changes can eliminate reach overnight — email gives you direct, reliable access to your audience at a predictable cost.

How It Works

Email marketing involves building a subscriber list, segmenting it by behaviour or demographics, and sending targeted campaigns — newsletters, product announcements, automated welcome sequences, and re-engagement flows. Platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and ActiveCampaign handle sending, automation, and analytics. Performance is measured through open rate, click rate, and revenue per email sent.

Real-World Example

An online clothing brand segments their list by past purchase behaviour and sends personalised product recommendations. Their segmented campaigns achieve a 42% open rate and 12% CTR — more than double the performance of their previous generic broadcast emails.

Quick Facts

Email marketing generates an average $36–$42 return for every $1 spent
Welcome sequences sent immediately after sign-up achieve the highest open rates of any email type
Mobile devices account for 55%+ of all email opens — design for mobile screens first
Regular list hygiene (removing inactive subscribers) improves deliverability and reported open rates