Why email (yes, email) will be hot in 2024

Jon Beck, CRO of LiveIntent, examines why email is poised for a big year, drawing on LiveIntent's experience powering email advertising for brands like General Mills and publishers like The New York Times.

 

Reason #1: cookies are crumbling

 

2023 isn’t the only thing we’re leaving behind in the new year. We’re also preparing to say goodbye to third-party cookies, which will force publishers and advertisers to adopt new solutions for tracking and targeting customers across the web.

 

As a result, businesses will be turning to logged-in channels like email to build owned audiences and direct relationships. Unlike other channels that rely on unpredictable algorithms, email thrives outside of those data-hogging walled gardens. And it’s emerged as an excellent source of first-party data.

 

After all, email data can scale across the ecosystem and provide a foundation of interoperable IDs, giving brands the power to understand their audiences and fuel growth even once third-party cookies go away.

 

Reason #2: intention and attention is the winning combo

 

In today’s noisy online world, email stands out as the key to capturing both intention and attention. With fewer ad spaces and a clutter-free environment, it’s the perfect vehicle for making a lasting impact and audience connection. In fact, it’s what’s behind the meteoric rise of Substack and The New York Times’ growth to over 9 million digital subscribers; and it’s why every publication you read now has a dozen newsletters.

 

Why are email newsletters so effective at capturing and keeping attention? Because people who choose to receive emails actually want to read them. They specifically opt-in for daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly messages sent directly to their inbox. And they show up ready to engage with new content and ad experiences.

 

Reason #3: enhance targeting and personalisation

 

With email data at their fingertips, brands can better understand their customer behaviours and deliver more personal experiences to each audience segment — increasing engagement and revenue as a result.

 

After all, data and intelligence produced by email programs are crucial signals for AI and machine learning technologies. Marketers can also use this data to run predictive analytics and advanced segmentation techniques, which will likely become standard practices for campaign optimization.

 

Reason #4: tap into the retail media market

 

Email isn’t just helpful for delivering direct messages and gathering first-party data. It’s also a money-making vehicle for publishers, media brands, and retailers. With smart strategies, businesses can use email to drive conversions and sales — and maximize the return on their investment.

 

Publishers, for example, can monetize their newsletters with targeted ads. And brands can reach shoppers by tapping into robust retail media networks over email. According to eMarketer, U.S. retail media ad spend is expected to surpass $51 billion this year. And, as LiveIntent found, 63% of marketers say retail media advertising is more effective than other digital channels.

 

---