By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Communications Specialist

The first email blast may have been sent in 1978, but it’s still as important as ever to your 2021 marketing plan. This still-groovy medium just keeps evolving! Here are the top four trends for email marketing in 2021 that will carry us well into 2022.

1. Know When to Make it Personal
For years, statistics have proven that emails with personalized subject lines and greetings tend to perform well. In fact, they’re roughly 26 percent more likely to be opened than non-personalized emails.

But this year, marketers are upping the ante—hyper-personalized emails are becoming the new norm. And the good news is that you may already be sending them! Hyper-personalization relies on list segmentation to create smaller groups of contacts that have certain specific criteria in common. This could be location, behavior (such as having opened another email), office name, or purchase history. When you hyper-personalize, you’re not just inserting their first name, you’re looking to fulfill a specific need with a message that speaks directly to their situation.

2. Text-Only Emails Are Having a Moment
This trend is surprising! Text-only emails that contain hardly any imagery at all are gaining traction recently. Experts speculate it’s because they read more like an email message you might get from a friend or family member—all substance, and sans flashy product imagery and buy-now buttons.

That said, when it comes to incorporating more text-only emails into your strategy, you don’t want too much of a good thing. The best way to test out this style is to pepper it in with your branded emails that contain more persistent calls to action. That way, you’re giving your recipients a variety of content, and they’re getting to know your company even better over time.

If you’re looking to add a text-only email to your repertoire, you might start with a message announcing a charity you’re donating to, inviting your list to join in the giving. Or, you might just thank them for supporting your business (see below).

3. Privacy Continues to Be Top Priority
This will never change, but there’s no harm in reiterating the importance of email privacy. While it can be discouraging to see a few opt-outs with each email you send, it’s actually a good thing for both you and any lukewarm recipients. Yep, you read that right. Opt-outs are good for you, the marketer. That’s because they:

The email marketing universe wouldn’t be what it is today without those opt-out buttons (can you imagine the spam?!), so embrace it.

4. “Just Because” Emails Help Build Trust
A little appreciation can go a long way. As marketers, it’s hard to justify taking the time to craft a message that doesn’t have a specific conversion outcome. But in the case of a thank-you email, the sentiment speaks for itself—and it can indeed inspire sales! While a well-timed holiday thank-you at the end of the year is always a safe bet, why not send one today just because?