Key takeaways
- Email is still effective for reaching millennials: they check work email very frequently and favour email for brand communication.
- High engagement windows for millennials include early morning and late evening (45.2% are likely to check email in bed) so schedule sends accordingly and match content to the time of day.
- Design for mobile and visuals: 88% of millennials use smartphones for email, use images and emojis where appropriate.
- Keep emails concise and non-repetitive: 39% prefer fewer, on‑point emails and 32% dislike repetitive messages.
- Offer content previews before asking for an email address since 43% of respondents say they give fake emails when access is gated.
- Email delivers strong ROI for direct marketers (reported as $39 per dollar spent), but segment and tailor campaigns because not all millennials behave the same.
Introduction
Targeting millennials is the newest marketing buzz, and for a good reason. Millennials are now the largest demographic segment and their annual buying power is poised to hit $200 billion in 2017. It is therefore no surprise that brands are falling over themselves trying to figure out to best way to appeal to this segment. At the moment, a fierce debate among marketers has sprung up on whether email is an effective medium for reaching this prized demographic. Let’s discuss it in depth.
Key figures in the tech industry such as Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg have declared email as dead. Such statements have unnerved marketers, making them start doubting it. However, this is just noise and unnecessary distraction, a study by Adobe that was published on Harvard Business Review shows. While instant messaging platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook or WhatsApp have recorded incredible growth, email will still stay relevant. Millennials check their email more than other demographic groups, including Baby Boomers, with almost 98% of them saying they check it every few hours while at work. 87% of these Millennials opened their work email outside of work.
Emails don’t just click for Millennials only; it is also the channel that offers direct marketers the highest ROI, which is $39 per dollar spent.
Here are a few tips you should consider when developing an effective email marketing campaign that targets Millennials.
Keep in Mind the Timing
If you have email analytics software, you should pay strict attention to the time of the day and the day of the week when the emails sent to potential consumers are clicked and opened. The HBR report noted that most Millennials (45.2%) are more likely to check their emails while in bed. In light of this, structure your email campaign to have emails sent early in the morning and late in the evening. The content should be relevant to that time of the day.
Mobile is the In-thing
Compared to Baby Boomers, Millennials prefer checking their email on smartphones rather than computers. 88% of Millennials surveyed report that they use their smartphones to check their email. So adjust your sails with the wind and go mobile to suit the preferences of the Millennials.
Visual is Still King
Millennials are drawn to visual forms of expression, popularly known as emojis. Instead of emailing them with a list of questions asking for written feedback, put emojis that indicate a smile and a frown or angry expression. You might be surprised to find that a third of Millennials have no problem communicating with their superiors using emojis. Millennials want things fast, and they don’t want their time wasted. So start visualizing how to incorporate images in your email campaigns.
Keep it to the Minimum
39% of the Millennials surveyed prefer fewer, but more on-point emails, and 32% insisted on fewer repetitive messages.
Give them a Glimpse of What to Expect
A study by Adestra on email marketing that involved 1,200 Millennial respondents, not only confirmed that young adults still preferred email, but also that some do give fake email addresses when a website asks them for one. 73% of the Millennials and 68% of the teens surveyed said they favored email for receiving communication from a brand. 43% of the consumers surveyed said they gave fake email addresses when a website asked them to provide their email before accessing content. It is therefore more effective to let consumers view content before they can sign up to receive email updates.
It is obvious that email will remain a preferred marketing channel for the foreseeable future. Just keep it in mind that not all Millennials are the same and tailor your email campaigns accordingly.
FAQ
Yes. Millennials check email more than other demographic groups (almost 98% say they check it every few hours at work), 73% of millennials favour email for brand communication and email is reported to deliver $39 of ROI per dollar spent for direct marketers.
Use analytics to find your audience’s specific click and open patterns, but generally target early morning and late evening. 45.2% of millennials are more likely to check email while in bed, so schedule sends to match those windows and tailor content to the time of day.
Design for mobile first (88% use smartphones for email) and prioritize visuals. Incorporate images and concise visual cues (including emojis where appropriate) rather than long blocks of text to respect millennials’ preference for fast, visual communication.
Keep frequency low and content targeted. 39% of millennials prefer fewer but more on‑point emails and 32% dislike repetitive messages, so focus on relevance over volume and avoid repeat messages.
Let users preview or view content before requiring an email address. 43% of respondents gave fake addresses when asked for email before accessing content, so offering a glimpse first is more effective.
Yes, millennials are drawn to visual expression and about one third have no problem communicating with superiors using emojis. Use emojis and simple visual feedback (e.g., smile/frown icons) where it fits your brand tone and the message’s intent.
No. Not all millennials are the same, segment and tailor email campaigns to different behaviours and preferences rather than using a one‑size‑fits‑all approach.
