Opens Are Dead, But Email Isn’t
iOS 15 and How to Adapt Your Email Marketing Strategy
With the public beta of iOS 15 launching, and its official release happening this fall, email marketing is about to become a totally different ballgame.
Pretty much every email marketer on the planet is scrambling to figure out how they’re going to survive such a drastic change to the standard formula, and unfortunately, there are bound to be a few casualties.
However, you don’t need to be one of them. We’ve cemented our place as your go-to email marketing experts, and we want to give you the tools necessary to not only adapt but to thrive in this changing landscape.
Let’s dive into it.
iOS 15 is Apple’s newest operating system for their smart devices. In a change that is arguably more focused on providing iPhone users with a higher quality experience, Apple is changing the privacy options available to iOS users. One of these changes affects their emails.
To be specific, the email open rates that have driven the industry for so long are now going to be a thing of the past for all iOS 15 users. This critical piece of data has been used to avoid getting spam-trapped, measure subscriber engagement and overall aid in developing effective email campaigns.
Now, that data is quickly fading, and it will be gone entirely in a matter of months.
Given Apple’s popularity with the consumer market, this will have widespread effects on all email marketers, and the privacy policies causing it are likely to be adopted by other leading providers.
If you’re a little worried about what’s happening, that’s understandable. However, there are some things you can start doing now to offset the damage and thrive.
Focus on the Subject Line
Now is the perfect time to focus on your subject lines. Open rates still matter, but if you figure out how to engage subscribers with the intent to convert, instead of just increasing your open rate, you’ll be in a better position later.
Experiment with new subject line designs that match the tone of your company while encouraging users to not only open the email but to also read its content in full. Try emojis, different buzzwords, and other creative ways to make your emails stand out in a more meaningful way.
Don’t Run
Right now, you can see companies with highly successful email marketing systems jumping ship to try social media as their new avenue for marketing. Don’t do this.
It is scary, but it’s far more important to capitalize on your subscriber list than simply give up and start building on a platform you don’t own.
Focus on Content Creation & CTR
Without open rates, you need to focus more on actually getting subscribers to click your links and purchase services or products. To do this, you need to persuade them.
Instead of slapping the basics in an email, focus on creating engaging content that supports the subject line and keeps the reader involved. Perfect your calls to action to ensure you’re converting leads as much as possible, and ensure that every part of your email is optimized to push sales while providing value.
Add SMS
Finally, email simply isn’t going to be enough if you want to continue seeing high levels of success. Instead, we recommend taking advantage of SMS marketing capabilities.
These go right alongside your email funnels, and it’s easy to gain permission to send SMS messages while they’re signing up for your email list. By focusing on both of these avenues immediately, you’ll have a marketing system capable of withstanding this change and anything else big tech tosses in our industry.
Start Now
Email marketing is and will continue to be, a viable marketing strategy. However, it is going to change quite a bit. Take advantage of this short period before iOS 15 officially releases to the public to adopt new tactics, hone new skills, and optimize the tools you have at your disposal. Need a hand? Get in touch today.
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