Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves sending emails to a group of contacts to promote products, share information, or build long-term relationships. It is commonly used by businesses to communicate directly with customers, prospects, and subscribers in a measurable and permission-based way.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing refers to the use of email as a communication channel to deliver messages to an audience that has opted in to receive them. These messages can take many forms, including newsletters, promotional campaigns, transactional emails, and automated messages triggered by user behavior.
Unlike many other digital channels, email marketing allows businesses to maintain full ownership of their audience. Messages are delivered directly to subscribers’ inboxes, without relying on third-party algorithms or paid distribution to reach them.
Email marketing platforms typically provide tools to design emails, manage subscriber lists, automate workflows, and track performance metrics such as opens, clicks, and conversions.
Why email marketing matters
Email marketing remains one of the most effective digital marketing channels because it combines reach, personalization, and measurability. Businesses can segment their audience based on behavior or preferences and deliver relevant content at the right time.
It is also cost-effective compared to many paid acquisition channels. Once a subscriber has joined an email list, businesses can communicate with them repeatedly without additional media costs.
From a relationship-building perspective, email marketing helps organizations stay connected with their audience over time. Consistent, relevant communication builds trust, strengthens brand awareness, and supports long-term customer retention.
Common types of email marketing
Email marketing can include several different types of messages, each serving a specific purpose:
- Newsletters used to share updates, educational content, or company news.
- Promotional emails designed to highlight offers, product launches, or events.
- Transactional emails such as order confirmations or account notifications.
- Automated emails triggered by actions like signing up, making a purchase, or becoming inactive.
Example
A SaaS company sends a monthly newsletter featuring product updates, best practices, and upcoming webinars. New subscribers automatically receive a welcome email series introducing the platform’s key features and resources.
Related terms
- Email campaign
- Email automation
- Email list
- Email deliverability
- Subscriber