Email Marketing Predictions: What Lies Ahead In 2022?
From the meteoric growth of TikTok to the sudden rise of NFTs, there’s been a lot of surprising developments in the digital world since the beginning of 2021. These groundbreaking trends have completely changed how consumers interact with brands as well as how businesses connect with their audiences. And as we begin another year, there are new disruptive trends that are poised to take over the email marketing landscape once again. Here are some email marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2022!
New Data Privacy Rules Pose Roadblocks
We might see the end of data-driven marketing because of the tightening data protection policies of some of the largest internet service providers (ISPs). These recent privacy updates will change how companies collect data and track customer behavior in 2022.
Late last year, Apple already made some big moves. In September 2021, the tech giant rolled out iOS 15, unveiling its first-ever Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) feature—which prevents businesses from accessing users’ personal data like location, device type, and mail activities. But while this update has made Apple devices almost impenetrable to breaches, it has posed major roadblocks to email marketing efforts. In fact, the MPP has made it more difficult for marketers to track their open rates as well as collect user information. But that’s not all.
Aside from Apple, Google announced its plan of removing third-party cookies in browsers by 2023. This means businesses will be banned from cross-site tracking or collecting browser information, which are necessary for targeting and personalization. So as early as 2022, businesses must come up with more innovative techniques to collect information and monitor consumer habits to stay ahead of the game.
Businesses Go Dark Mode
Dark Mode is more than a trend, it’s the future of email marketing. Today, most mobile users prefer using Dark Mode, compared to the lighter display type. In fact, the adoption rate of Dark Mode in iOS is now at 55%-70%. Aside from its high adoption rate, recent reports suggest that an increasing number of email users (27%) open their emails in Dark Mode as well. So it’s safe to say that adopting this dark display type early in 2022 is a great way for email marketers to stay ahead of the curve.
Furthermore, according to Mailgun, more and more businesses are transitioning to this reversed color scheme to build better email experiences for their customers. Last year alone, more than 44% of businesses built their email campaigns in Dark Mode. So in 2022, we might see more brands incorporate this design into their email efforts.
User-Generated Content Becomes a Staple
User-generated content (UGC) will become an invaluable asset to email marketers in 2022. While it’s already a mainstay in social media, UGC is expected to become a staple in email marketing in the coming months.
UGC is seen as a dependable tool in gaining customer trust, generating engagement, and maintaining customer relationships. In fact, at least 70% of today’s consumers use UGC to gain insights on products and services before making a purchase. Business Wire also reported that UGC can drive conversions better than brand-created content. Indeed, this form of content is becoming a powerful social proof, not just on social media, but also on other platforms such as email. So businesses can benefit from incorporating UGC into their email strategies as early as now—that is if they want to stay on top of trends.
Augmented Reality Gains Traction
Numerous blue-chip companies have been incorporating augmented visuals into their campaigns—from IKEA to Volvo, to The New York Times. And the trend is catching on. More than 42% of marketers are looking to increase their budget for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in 2022. This is a 7% increase from 2021.
From production visualizations to visual immersions, more and more businesses are embedding interactive experiences into their campaigns. In fact, Facebook/Meta has been rigorously promoting AV/VR for the past few months, and an increasing number of companies are expected to hop on the bandwagon in 2022.
Businesses Zero in on Mobile Responsiveness
Today, at least 66% of mobile users open their emails through their mobile phones—and this number is expected to increase over the next few years. Not to mention, mobile email traffic is becoming more valuable than desktop clicks each year. So it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to focus their efforts on building mobile-responsive email designs.
In 2022, expect an increase in businesses that put mobile responsiveness at the forefront. While there are still marketers that don’t prioritize these responsive designs (42%), this trend will likely gain momentum this year.