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Email Marketing Trends and Tips Straight from the Experts – ReadWrite
According to Gregory Zackowicz from Omnisend, all major kinds of emails witnessed a 95% or greater year-over-year (YoY) spike in 2020. The statistic isn’t alarming, considering everyone was glued to their screens almost the whole year. With that momentum, we enter 2021 and try to add strategic soundness and refinement to our outcomes from the last year.
Email Marketing Trends and Tips Straight from the Experts
So email marketers and content marketers, hop on as we list key trends and tips (warnings) from some of the best in the game all across the world. It will surely help you to create a high converting email.
Email marketing trends for 2021
Here are the most noteworthy trends that we gathered from 29 expert content marketers.
1. Automation
Ecommerce brands ought to automate welcome messages, cart abandonment emails, and product and browse abandonment emails. With the rising volume of emails and help from Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creation and personalization, this seems to be the best course to take. Humanized automation is the way forward if you want to woo your subscribers and tempt them to make the purchase.
Advanced CRM tools like Marketo and Salesforce have features like lead scoring and predictive models that help forecast the users’ activity and send out messages accordingly. These functionalities will also enable send time optimization (STO), which will help the companies to send emails to the subscribers based on their open history. Thus, it is a future-proof trend that will stay even after 2021.
For example, Amazon sends out automated product recommendation emails according to the customer’s past purchases. This is possible with the help of AI technology.
Here’s an email example from Amazon:
Source: https://www.smartmail.io/resources/how-to-use-personalized-product-recommendations-in-email-to-increase-conversions-by-15-or-more
Netflix
According to their past activity, Netflix uses the same principle to recommend relevant movies and web series to the users. Marketers can even use tools like Phrasee to craft AI-driven subject lines and enhance the open rate of their emails.
2. Futuristic technologies
We’re talking virtual shops, trial rooms, and browsing shelves on email with AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) technology.
With the help of AMP in emails, the subscriber can RSVP to an event, check out to complete the purchase, and book a ticket from the email itself. AMP can also be used to create menus, accordions, and sliders in emails. These elements make it easier to convey more information in the limited space of emails.
See how Email Uplers has used this technology to create an email. It has a slider, accordion, subscription form, and contact form developed with the help of AMP rather than CSS functionality.
3. Empathy
Email marketers understand that a crisis is probably not a great time to receive mail selling gardening equipment. So instead, write messages that are sensitive, kind, and display an understanding of consumers’ problems and challenges.
Really Good Emails has sent out an emotional email that is perfectly aligned with the current situation. It urges the readers to stand together in the fight against racism and spread love.
4. Agility
After a year of rushed proliferation, it’s time you made your systems capable of producing quality emails regularly. It’s also time you became flexible and instantly adaptive to fluid markets, ever-changing needs, and wants.
Agile email marketing helps to create the most relevant emails and deploy them in time. This is possible because it focuses on taking smaller steps to achieve bigger tasks. In addition, agile methodology endorses the idea of multitasking and encourages the email marketing team to work together rather than in a siloed fashion.
5. Trust-building
Empathy goes hand-in-hand with trust-building. Consumers are increasingly aware of data regulations, so it’s time brands flaunted their GDPR compliances and privacy policies. Set up a preference center instead of collecting data sneakily like old times. The double opt-in method will gain immense popularity because anti-spam guidelines are likely to get stricter.
6. A/B testing
As there is a tremendous shift in the customers’ preferences in the post-pandemic era, A/B testing will gain immense momentum in the times to come. Rather than assuming, use the power of A/B testing to figure out what works the best with your subscribers.
What was working for your brand before a few months might not work anymore. Therefore, the safest bet is to send out two variants of an email and see which one performs better. Then, monitor the email analytics and optimize your email campaigns accordingly.
7. Visual email marketing
Plain text emails are hardly used nowadays. Instead, most marketers are experimenting with different types of visuals, like GIFs, cinemagraphs, and embedded videos in emails. They are also trying to bring freshness to the subscriber’s inbox by using a monochrome layout and gradients in the emails. It also imparts a vintage feel to the emails.
8. Changes in email marketing team structure
Companies are looking to hire email automation specialists and advanced email developers in the marketing teams. There was a time when an email marketing manager used to be responsible for the entire email execution process.
However, in 2021 and the years to come, there will be a huge demand for email developers and automation experts.
9. Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI)
A text record that allows companies to display their logo in email inboxes is known as BIMI. It helps to build brand credibility by letting the subscribers know who the email is from.
Take a look at this screenshot that clearly demonstrates what BIMI is all about.
Image Credit: valimail dot com; thank you!
It also helps prevent any spoofing or phishing attempts and impart a more secure experience to email users.
Email marketing tips for 2021
We consulted the global experts have also decided to warn email marketers against some easy traps to fall for this year. So read on and stay alert.
1. Deal explosions
You might have a lot of stock from the last year that you now want to liquidate. So, what do you do? Clearance sales, deals, discounts, of course. But maybe, all your customers are not fans of sales. Maybe, some of them would not appreciate discounts in their inbox every week.
So, segment them into those enthusiastic about deals and those who aren’t.
2. Shallow messaging
A headline such as ‘Yoga Mats For Use At Home’ simply doesn’t work anymore. Instead, you need to talk to the consumer’s heart, tell them how this product can help them achieve something or make a small difference in their lives. And no, just emojis won’t work.
3. Inadequate segmentation
Here’s the deal. Create microsegments, even if you’re not actually injecting them into your automation funnels. It’s a good practice and a way to be ready for the weather to change and trends to transform. Micro-segmentation and hyper-personalization will grow to be email marketing best practices and norms rather than just trends.
4. Undermining tech
Everything from testing to personalization now has a tool. So don’t replace your plans with them; instead, make them a cohesive part of your plans and strategies. The goal is to earn, realize, and measure maximum clicks, opens, and conversions.
Parting Note
With email becoming more dynamic, inventive, and critical to content marketing strategy, it would only be wise to invest in email marketing strategists.
A specialized person who is adept at creating, marketing, tracking, testing, strategizing, and managing emails will add more value to your marketing plans than many writers and content marketers who know a little bit of email marketing.
These email marketing trends (emailupplers dot com) will surely help you create more effective emails that perform better and draw more attention from the subscribers.
Politics
The Top 7 AI Podcasts You Need To Hear Now
With artificial intelligence now being used to write everything from college homework to Congressional speeches, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of the latest advances in machine learning, natural language processing, and all things AI.
We’ve brought together a list of seven of the top podcasts that track and explain the newest developments. They look behind the scenes at the technology behind the platforms, and they discuss how artificial intelligence is already upending business, marketing, data analysis, and more.
The TWIML AI Podcast
The TWIML AI Podcast used to be known as This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence. The new name is shorter and snappier, but the content is just as deep and complex. Hosted by Sam Charrington, the podcast has produced more than 630 weekly episodes featuring interviews with a host of guests — usually technicians and scientists—working in the field of AI. The subjects of the discussions are often fairly complex. If you want to understand the human thinking behind artificial thinking, the show is essential listening.
The Bad AI Show
If interviews with Stanford professors aren’t your thing, try the Bad AI Show. Hosted by Joel Comm and Travis Wright of the Bad Crypto Podcast. The pair take a fun, laidback approach to new technology, explaining clearly — and wittily — the latest developments in artificial intelligence and its practical effects. Think of the TWIML AI podcast as a Stanford lecture and the Bad AI Show as the lounge next door. It’s a fun, relaxed chat with smart people about AI topics that get everyone thinking. The show is released as both an audio and video version.
The AI Podcast
One of the biggest challenges that a discussion of AI generates is how the new technology will be applied in the real world. Noah Kravitz’s The AI Podcast has already generated almost 200 answers. Each episode features an interview with experts using artificial intelligence to further their work. They’ve included a wildlife biologist tracking endangered rhinos, an astrophysicist analyzing starlight, and language learners grappling with Arabic pronunciation and even the delivery of sports highlights.
Data Skeptic
As you listen to those interviews with people applying AI to such a broad range of fields, it’s worth asking about the effectiveness of AI in solving those problems and whether they couldn’t be solved in an easier way. Claims for the benefits of artificial intelligence will grow, so make sure you’re also listening to Kyle Polich’s Data Skeptic. The podcast has already produced more than 470 episodes with interviews that take down the hype and take a realistic view of what AI can and can’t do.
The AI in Business Podcast
One area where both the hype and the expectation will be highest is in business applications of artificial intelligence. Each week, on the AI in Business Podcast, Daniel Faggella, the CEO of Emerj Artificial Intelligence Research, interviews AI executives from leading firms and startups to explore how business is adapting AI and exploring the opportunities the new technology offers.
The Marketing AI Show
Business is a broad topic. The Marketing AI Show tries to narrow things down with a focus specifically on the way marketers are using artificial intelligence to improve sales. The podcast is created by the Marketing AI Institute and the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON), and it’s essential listening for anyone wondering how the new technology can help their business identify leads and improve conversions.
Eye on AI
Finally, Eye on A.I. takes a broader, more journalistic approach to the developments of artificial intelligence. Out every two weeks and hosted by New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith, each episode features an interview with a leader pushing AI into new ground. Episodes have discussed AI in supply chain optimization and finance but they’ve also delved behind the scenes to look at issues surrounding privacy and the future of AI itself.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Jean Balzan; Pexels; Thank you!
Politics
Top 10 IT Staff Augmentation Companies in 2023
Brand value is essential for business, and most companies focus on this goal. Plus, the employees play a vital role here, so companies have now started relying on IT staff augmentation through which they can scale their services by hiring a specialized team of developers that help them focus on their goals.
Irrespective of size, businesses trust IT staff augmentation companies when recruiting the best talent in the field. Top IT staff augmentation companies help businesses fill the gap they feel due to the shortfall of employees. In addition, they help provide talented teams that justify the project needs within a specific budget.
According to a report by the Manpower group, there has been a talent shortage of more than three hundred percent in the last decade. Moreover, more than 65% of companies find it challenging to hire candidates for the job. Staff augmentation can help you find the best person for the job.
To help you find the best staff augmentation company, we’ve curated a list of the companies so you can evaluate them based on your tech expertise and budget.
Top 10 IT Staff Augmentation Companies List for 2023
1. eSparkBiz
With more than 12+ years of experience and 250+ development staff, you can trust the company for its tech solutions and expertise. It has been featured in the top IT staff augmentation companies.
Plus, it has a more than 95 percent client retention rate and has catered to more than 20+ countries worldwide. Moreover, it is ISO 27001 certified with CMMI Level 3. The company has a robust team of developers and project designers that take care of clients’ project needs.
- eSparkBiz strategically merges design ideas with business analytics. Additionally, it helps with documentation, wireframing, and UX.
Apart from conventional software development, the company also offers staff augmentation. The company has a rating of 4.9 on Clutch and five on HubSpot, which speaks volumes about its professionalism.
2. Premier Systems Inc
Founded in 1993, Premier Systems Inc. has been the biggest name in staff augmentation since its inception. The company follows the principle of client service and satisfaction. Plus, it meets the marketplace demand in a well-planned, cost-effective, and timely manner.
- The team of recruiting specialists works to achieve clients’ business targets quickly.
- Along with providing exceptional value, it maintains interpersonal relationships with clients.
The best part is; it caters to a wide range of business solutions that equip you with the right people and the right skills for the job. The company provides services like – direct placement, managed IT services, contract staffing, contract-to-hire, and project-based services.
3. Flexible Staffing Services
Flexible staffing services – established in 1991, have been catering to staffing and augmentation services. It has a strong connection to the success of many companies.
It meets the extended and specific needs to find industrial and critical staffing. Moreover, the company concentrates on the recruitment, development, and retention of dedicated individuals for different roles. Also, it provides meaningful and corporate support.
- The company sees each associate as a valuable resource and adheres to the standards of excellence.
Moreover, it meets clients’ needs by supplying flexible, superior, and competitive market rates. It is indeed a trusted name in IT recruitment and augmentation services.
4. Veraqor Inc
The company provides the best technical expertise powered by cutting-edge technology. Whether you are a startup or an enterprise, you can rely on effective business solutions from the company. It is ranked among the top IT staff augmentation companies.
- It provides a selected list of clients, ensuring the unhindered progress of projects. Moreover, it shapes to timely delivery and excellent recruitment services.
Apart from staffing and recruitment, it provides tech solutions like – data management, Artificial intelligence, Machine learning, and Cloud migration. The company can help create customized solutions that cater to your business needs. Veraqor Inc. harnesses the power of technology to shape a better future for clients.
5. CXR agency
CXR agency empowers clients to achieve their business goals through innovative technologies and web solutions. Having completed 400+ projects and serving 200+ clients, it has expertise in client and business relationships.
In addition to the collective experience, it has 30+ awards to its credit, which makes the company a trusted name in IT services. Plus, it believes that technology, in its truest sense – always yields results.
- You can trust CXR agency for recruitment and staff augmentation services.
- You can easily scale your tech teams and recruitment processes with an effective software development team.
6. ProCoders
ProCoders is an IT out-staffing company that works in collaborative environments and drives the best IT teams to companies. It helps build customized teams that keep you ahead of the game.
Moreover, it offers flexible solutions for IT staff augmentation. It works in lockstep that ensures consistency, information accuracy, and punctuality.
Over the years, the company has become a big name in IT staff augmentation services. In fact, in the last five years, the company has provided more than 150 dedicated teams to clients worldwide. Moreover, the solutions provided help you to find the right people for your business needs.
7. Newxel
With more than 100+ satisfied clients and 500+ teams of developers, you can trust the company for its expertise and experience.
If your goal is to attract the best team or the best developer for the project, the company will help you hire the team that will suit your need and budget.
- With distributed development and augmentation – you can get complete support for your services.
- The company works on a transparent corporation model that allows you to get the best software engineers and set up a local development team in the location you choose.
Newxel also offers varied tech solutions like – web development, mobile development, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, etc.
8. BEON.tech
The company provides access to high-caliber talent in a limited time frame. The matching specialists and team learn about your company culture and suggest custom-fit candidates according to the requirements.
- Apart from the successful allocation, the company helps build long-term partnerships.
Plus, it works on a simplified onboarding process that equips the best talents from different parts of the world.
BEON.tech helps you search different profiles and suggest candidates based on your roles. It lets you review cultural and technical insights so that you can get a better understanding of the candidate’s skill. It is one of the top companies for IT staff augmentation.
9. DOIT Software
DOIT Software is a trusted name in IT staff augmentation. It primarily focuses on your business needs, and you can get the best service based on your service requirements.
If you are a startup business, the company can help in the recruitment of a dedicated development team that will boost performance. Plus, it can strengthen the internal team with other resources. When you share your business ideas with the company – it will help you develop perfect solutions for your team.
Moreover, it has great domain expertise in healthcare, sports, wellness, fintech, management, and many other sectors. It also offers other tech solutions like – web and mobile app development, Data Science, and Artificial intelligence.
10. Devlane
Devlane is a software development company, but it provides different tech solutions like – web development, mobile app development, eCommerce, IT strategy consulting, and of course, staff augmentation.
- Through the staff augmenting model – the company extends the client’s tech teams with the best talent and requirements.
- Apart from providing complete tech expertise, it also provides all other features that come along with it.
Moreover, it takes care of project management, admin, payroll, legal matters, performance metrics, and incentives for the team. Though the company is relatively new and was founded in 2020, it provides the best expertise in staffing and recruitment processes.
Conclusion
Hiring a development team or employees can be a big challenge for any business, specifically startup companies. However, with the help of IT staff augmentation companies, you can get unmatched flexibility at a reduced cost.
Plus, there is no training required, and you’ll get full admin support. Staff augmentation companies can give access to any professional from any location. Also, you can increase your team’s capacity to add specialists and experts.
Inner Article Images: Provided by the Author; From the Company Website; Thank you!
Featured Image Credit: Provided by the Author; Thank you!
