For some reason, there seems to be this perception in the business world that email marketing has gone the way of direct mail, and that it’s no longer a worthwhile investment.

Although it’s certainly not a platform on which you would want to build your entire marketing strategy, email marketing still absolutely a viable channel to reach your customers.

The numbers don’t lie — 72 percent of American adults say they would rather have companies communicate with them via email than through other platforms. Another 91 percent say they would be happy to receive emails with promotions from companies with which they do business.

The following are a few reasons why you should keep using email as part of your overall content marketing strategy:

 

• It has unique advantages over social media: Many people attribute the so-called “fall” of email marketing to the rise of social media. While social media might be more effective at creating personal connections with customers, email marketing is better for delivering targeted messages with insightful content and for driving sales. Additionally, a larger percentage of Internet users are have email accounts (more than 90 percent) than social media accounts (just over 70 percent).

• Email marketing is still evolving: There are more ways to track and drive customer engagement via email marketing than ever before, thanks to new tools for newsletters and targeted offerings. Important trends include the larger role being played by video in email marketing, higher-quality copywriting for email newsletters and better mobile optimization.

• When executed correctly, it’s very effective: When you actually target your email marketing messages toward people who want to receive them rather than sending out one massive email blast to all the addresses you have, you’re more likely to achieve success. You can also promote better results by developing a high-quality newsletter and by offering worthwhile promotions and content.

 

Simply put, email marketing is far from dead. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can enhance your overall content marketing campaign by making good use of email.

Finding the right content for your e-newsletter

If your business has been using email newsletters for some time, there’s a good chance you’ve fallen into the trap that many marketers have in the same situation — your efforts started off with a bang, but may have faded over time.

When you’re managing a busy marketing calendar, e-newsletters are often one of the first items that get pushed aside. Building a loyal, engaged subscriber base takes time, discouraging you from investing your time in creating good content. And when you have stale content, your readers will abandon you before you can say “unsubscribe.”

If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration, here are 10 of our favorite newsletter content categories right now:

 

1. Infographics: This is a great way to break up text-heavy content and work in almost any industry. If you don’t have the capacity to create your own, try a free app like Piktochart.

2. Throwback photos: Piggyback on the popular social media trend and share photos or video from your archives. If nothing else, your readers might like revisiting the out-of-date fashions!

3. Featured resource: Share valuable apps, websites or other resources relevant to your industry. If you do this regularly, you’ll attract readers who view you as a content expert.

4. Interactive elements: Surveys and polls are easy ways to engage your readers. Try crowdsource ideas for future articles and blog content or testimonials for bonus content.

5. Letter from the inside: Many newsletters feature a letter from the president or CEO, but don’t be afraid to mix things up. The best person at your company to speak to your readers could be among your mid-level employees.

6. Editorial: In certain industries, current events can have a dramatic effect on your business. Let your customers know where you stand on issues and how it affects their products or services.

7. Special offers: Give your subscribers a reason to keep opening your newsletter. Include an exclusive promotion or early access in each issue, and perhaps even tease it in your subject line.

8. Teasers: Does your company produce regular blog content? Does your CEO write a regular feature in a trade publication? Provide a quick preview of your extended content in your newsletter.

9. Social sharing: Are your articles easy to share? Is there an incentive for your readers to share your newsletter with their colleagues? Before you send your next issue, scrutinize your design and social sharing tools to make them as user-friendly as possible.

10. Gratitude: Thank your customers for their loyalty whenever possible. In a world filled with noise and self-promotion, a few words of appreciation will make you stand out from the crowd.

 

And if you need assistance crafting your email messages, consider working with a professional copywriter or content development firm.