How has the GDPR boosted the effectiveness of email marketing since May?

Since the GDPR came into force in May of this year it has been all change in the world of email marketing. New compliance requirements have put the power firmly in the hands of consumers in terms of who they want to hear from and how they want to receive communication from businesses and brands. This change has been something that many people feared but there are actually a lot of ways in which it has boosted the effectiveness of email marketing, as opposed to restricting it.

Smaller data sets are more effective

The GDPR forced most brands to do away with large data sets of customers whose intentions and preferences were largely unknown. Today, brands are working with smaller data sets where there has been proactive opt-in. The great advantage of this is that marketing is not wasted because these are loyal customers who actually want to hear about products and services. That means that communications sent tend to be far more effective.

Smaller data sets make it easier to optimise sales

Of course, increased revenue won’t just roll in because those on email marketing lists really want to be there. However, customers who have actively chosen to remain in contact with a brand are more primed to buy than those that have not. So, there are greater opportunities to improve revenue from email marketing since the GDPR came into force in May.

Engagement levels will benefit too

If your email marketing campaigns have always done badly when it comes to engagement, you could see this change as a result of the GDPR. Another benefit of smaller data sets comprised of customers who are actively interested in the brand is better engagement with email marketing. Monitoring campaign performance will clearly show where this is making an impact – for example, you could start by comparing click-to-open-rate pre and post-GDPR.

How to make the most of the positive impact of the GDPR on email marketing

Personalisation is key

From using the data you have (if it’s compliant to do so) to populate the content of emails, to ensuring that customers only receive email marketing that is relevant to them, personalisation is crucial now. The old approach of creating a single piece of marketing content and sending it to everyone on the list with no changes is unlikely to work today. Something as simple as tailoring marketing communications based on past purchases or preferences could dramatically increase campaign effectiveness.

Monitoring and analysis for insights

In many ways, the effectiveness of email marketing is going to be different for every business post-GDPR. The only way to truly understand how much impact you’re making will be to monitor and analyse campaigns and results to evaluate performance. This will provide key insights into what works and what doesn’t, as well as how to optimise your email marketing strategy for better long term performance.

If you’d like to get more from your email marketing post-GDPR we can help – contact us to find out more.