Whether you’re a new business starting out or a well-established enterprise, time and money are valuable resources that can’t be wasted. However, without investing in effective marketing campaigns, you can’t generate leads or drive sales. What, then, is an affordable yet potent way to reach out to your potential audience? The simple answer is email marketing.

Why should you rely on newsletters and emails with so many ways to reach your audience? While it’s a form of content marketing that’s often considered outdated and poor investment, it can be an extremely powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. In fact, email marketing is about much more than just getting messages into inboxes.

Research and statistics continue to show just how effective email campaigns can be, whether to nurture leads, foster customer engagement, or drive sales. Since numbers speak louder than words, we’ve compiled a list of the most important email marketing statistics you need to know in 2022. We’ve also compiled several of the most important statistics in one easy-to-share infographic.

What Is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is a type of content marketing that uses emails and newsletters to engage with potential customers by promoting products or services. However, email campaigns are capable of so much more. With the right type of email marketing, you can:

  • Generate new leads or nurture existing ones.
  • Connect with and encourage relationships with your existing customers.
  • Use segmented email campaigns to personalize interactions.
  • Encourage customers to complete abandoned purchases.
  • Raise brand awareness.

These are just some of the benefits of using marketing emails. In short, it’s a cost-effective, potent, and persuasive way to build an audience and drive sales.

Important Email Marketing Stats For Marketers

Statistics prove that email marketing isn’t even close to dying out. In fact, it will likely continue to be one of the most valuable and rewarding ways to connect with customers.

general email marketing statistics

Over 50%, or 4.3 billion people, use email, and that figure is set to grow to 4.6 billion by 2025 (Statista, 2022). That statistic alone shows how brands and businesses can expand their reach through email marketing campaigns. In 2020 alone, 306.4 billion emails were sent and received daily, which is also expected to grow to 376.4 billion by 2024, with only 0.02% qualifying as spam.

The unsubscribe rate was also low, at a mere 0.1% (Campaign Monitor Benchmarks, 2022). The statistics prove that customers want to receive informative, useful marketing emails.

General Email Marketing Statistics 2022

  • In 2020, the average email open rate was 18%.
  • The average click-to-open rate was 14.1%.
  • Email campaigns are 40% more likely to convert than social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
  • 21% of emails are typically opened within an hour of being received. (GetResponse, 2022)
  • The global email marketing market is projected to reach $17.9 billion by 2027. (Statista, 2021)

Some marketers already take advantage of the invaluable opportunity offered by email marketing. In fact, 4 out of 5 marketers choose email marketing campaigns over social media. Here are a few more notable email marketing stats:

general email marketing stats
  • 87% of marketers use email marketing campaigns to distribute content organically (Content Marketing Institute, 2021), making it fall just 2% shy of the top content distribution channel, social media.
  • By using segmentation, marketers can increase their revenue from email marketing by as much as 760%. (Campaign Monitor, 2019)
  • 29% of marketers claim email marketing is the most effective way to communicate with their audience. (GetResponse, 2019)
  • 78% of marketers said an email marketing campaign is vital to a company’s success. (Litmus, 2020)
  • By conducting A/B testing, brands and businesses can increase revenue generation from email marketing by 4,800%. (Litmus, 2019)
  • 33% of marketers collaborate with partners to distribute their content via email to a broader audience.
  • 64% of small businesses rely on email marketing to reach their audience. (Campaign Monitor, 2021)
  • Emails with a customized subject line are 22% more likely to be opened, and 66% of marketers say personalization is one of their most effective techniques when implementing an email marketing campaign. (Convince and Convert, 2019)
  • The top email marketing tactics are triggered emails at 45%, personalization at 50%, and segmented email campaigns at 51%.
  • Automation can be extremely effective, with autoresponder emails boasting a whopping 98% open rate and a 37% click-through rate. (GetResponse, 2020)

Mobile Email Marketing Statistics

There’s no denying that the number of smartphone users is growing. According to Statistica, almost 55% of global internet traffic comes from non-tablet mobile devices such as smartphones. Consequently, marketers can no longer avoid optimizing their campaigns to provide excellent experiences on these devices.

  • 59% of Millennials check their emails primarily on their phones. (BlueCore)
  • 67% of Gen Z check their emails primarily on their phones. (BlueCore)
  • Despite its popularity, 20% of emails aren’t optimized for mobile devices. (SuperOffice, 2020)
  • A mobile-responsive email campaign can increase mobile click-through rates by 15%. (MailChimp, 2019)

Additionally, Gmail is still the most popular email service, boasting 1.5 billion users. The platform is easy to use on smartphones, making it critical for forward-thinking marketers to create and use responsive email templates.

Ecommerce and B2C Email Marketing Statistics

Emails have long been used by brands to communicate with potential customers. In recent years, email campaigns have become a key part of B2C and ecommerce marketing.

b2c email marketing statistics
  • 60% of ecommerce, consumer goods, and retail brands personalize emails based on previous purchases. (Litmus, 2020)
  • 81% of marketers say email is the most effective way to acquire customers, build loyalty, and retain relationships.
  • 72% of B2C marketers utilize some form of mail marketing software or automation software to support their content distribution emails.
  • 59% of users say that marketing emails influenced their purchase decisions.
  • Cart abandonment emails have a 45% open rate and a 21% click-through rate.
  • Retail emails have the highest bounce rate, 26%, which is significantly higher than the 9% industry average. (Constant Contact, 2021)
  • 80% of people will open a welcome email, generating as much as 10x as many clicks as other emails. (GetResponse, 2020)

B2B Email Marketing Statistics

When it comes to business-to-business marketing, a robust email campaign can be one of the most powerful tools available. Professionals often rely on emails, with 86% prioritizing email connections over other forms of communication. That provides marketers with an excellent opportunity. Here are a few email marketing stats every B2B marketer should know.

b2b email marketing statistics
  • B2B companies send a marketing email every 25 days on average. (SuperOffice, 2020)
  • 89% of B2B marketing emails are sent from a company name. (SuperOffice, 2020)
  • 87% of B2B marketers say that email is one of their top free and organic content distribution channels. (Content Marketing Institute, 2020)
  • 81% of B2B marketers say that email newsletters are their top form of content marketing. (Content Marketing Institute, 2020)
  • 31% of B2B marketers prefer to use newsletters to nurture leads and convert them into customers. (Content Marketing Institute, 2020)
  • Approximately 85% of marketers say that they rely on mail marketing software. (Content Marketing Institute, 2020)

Conclusion: Is Email Marketing Worth It?

Even with the statistics favoring email marketing, is it truly a worthwhile investment? In a world where email marketing seems to fall short of PPC, video marketing, and social campaigns’ capabilities, can it truly deliver a valuable return on investment? According to a study by the DMA in 2019, the average email marketing ROI is $42 for every $1 spent – that’s a 4,200% ROI. As email marketing technology evolves and the number of users continues to grow, it’s likely that number will also rise.

email marketing ROI

In short, email marketing is an extremely useful and undeniably effective way to reach a wide global audience. With catchy subject lines, well-written personalized emails, and a compelling call to action, emails can be one of the most powerful tools in a content marketer’s arsenal.

Captain Words can provide professional email writing services for newslettersecommerce campaigns, business communication, and general marketing campaigns. With a global team speaking over 60 languages and dialects, we can help you connect with your audience in a meaningful, engaging, and financially rewarding way.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Should I Send Emails?

Statistics show that weekends have the worst click-through rates. According to the 2022 Campaign Monitor Benchmarks report, Mondays have the highest open rates at 22%, Tuesdays have the best click-through rates (2.4%), and, along with Wednesdays, have the highest click-to-open rates (10.8%).

How Often Should I Send Marketing Emails?

Again, the frequency of your emails may depend on your audience’s preferences. According to the statistics, 49% – 61% of subscribers want to receive promotional emails every week. However, 38% are open to receiving emails even more frequently. Consequently, 32% of marketers send emails 2 – 3 times a week, while only 16% send 6 or more emails.

How Can I Improve My Email Open Rates?

The best place to start is to improve your subject line. It needs to be concise yet compelling, and personalized subject lines tend to have better results. It’s an excellent idea to test the length, tone, and content of your subject line. You should also optimize your preheader text and use personalization and segmentation to improve customer interaction rates.

Should I Use Emojis For My Marketing Emails?

The use of emojis in emails has been a dividing topic among email marketers. The best advice we can share is that it depends on your audience. According to the statistics:
– 54% of millennials and 50% of Gen Z users find them fun and relatable.
– 40% of users over 45 find emojis fun and relatable.
– 37% of users across all ages find them childish, and 33% consider them inappropriate.
– All audiences consider them improper for use in professional communications.
– Emojis are more popular among a female audience.
– Emails with emojis in the subject line have a 56% higher open rate than those without.
If you are sending promotional or customer retention emails, you may find use for emojis – if they appeal to your audience.

Which Tools Should I Use For My Email Marketing Campaigns?

There are several amazing email marketing software currently on the market. However, we have four top choices:

Mailchimp is one of the best overall tools for email marketing. It includes a robust free plan, allows for personalized and segmented campaigns, and includes automation features.
ActiveCampaign is the top marketing tool when it comes to automation and it allows for integration with over 850+ software platforms.
Hubspot offers one of the most comprehensive marketing suites that includes CRM, social media, blog, and email marketing capabilities. However, it’s also significantly more expensive.
Drip is an excellent choice if you want to run ecommerce email segmented campaigns. It allows for sophisticated segmentation and robust drip campaigns.

Email Marketing Statistics Complete Infographic

Email Marketing Statistics you need to know in 2022