Email Marketing In The Age Of Consent: Updates For 2024

10
Min
Created On:
May 30, 2024
Updated On:
July 18, 2024
Email Marketing Consent

Email Marketing In The Age Of Consent: Updates For 2024

10
Min
Created On:
May 30, 2024
Updated On:
July 18, 2024
Email Marketing Consent

Up until 2024, email marketing has become a significant part of how companies communicate with potential customers. Did you know that 64% of small businesses use email marketing? Here are some more astonishing numbers related to emails: 

  • 89% of companies use emails as a number one choice in marketing
  • 99% of email users open their emails daily (more those online than physical ones)
  • This year, email marketing revenue is predicted to pass 9.5 billion US dollars

With so many emails sent and received daily comes the question of spam and how to avoid it.

Four musketeers of marketing laws

  • CAN-SPAM–Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing

Since 2003, this US law controls messages sent by companies and tells them what they can and can’t send to people. 

  • GDPR–General Data Protection Regulation

This is a European Union law that protects personal information. Since 2018, it has been mandatory for everyone who collects personal information.

  • CCPA–California Consumer Privacy Act

This law has protected the privacy of Californians since 2018. It’s similar to GDPR, but it also informs customers about how their personal information is used and allows them to request that their data be deleted.

  • HIPAA–Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 

This has been US federal law since 1996. It protects medical personal information, and patients have access to and control over their data.

What laws you need to uphold depends on the country you’re doing your business. The laws protect not just your potential customers but your company as well. For instance, in Australia, some businesses were fined over 6.5 million AUD for violating the Spam Act. 

So, yes–more than ever, we have stepped into the age of consent. It’s important to follow the laws in order to have successful marketing and reach more customers. In this article, you can read about updates on email marketing for 2024.

Guarding the email accounts of your customers

Imagine you’re doing something in your home (even if it means just slouching on your couch and watching TV with a big pizza nearby) when suddenly there are guests at the door. You didn’t call them; they didn’t call to announce their arrival. They sort of just came, and, to make the surprise greater, you don’t know them. But they think they know you because you were at their bakery and bought a pastry. Once.

That’s how it feels to have a constant stream of spam emails in the inbox. People feel more assaulted than appreciated for receiving all the interesting news the various companies are offering.

The concept of consent in email marketing has long been understood. However, companies often operated under the assumption that as long as recipients didn't explicitly say 'no,' they could continue emailing indefinitely. Recently, though, the definition and application of consent have undergone significant changes.

However, as regulations become more advanced, those who seek to breach them also become more sophisticated. People will always be curious about what's in an email or behind a link. Sometimes, it’s just a nice book discount site or a new pet product, but increasingly, these links lead to fraud. 

In this case, spam is half the issue—the other half is online identity theft. More than ever, people need account takeover protection to prevent hackers from stealing their account credentials or personal data.   

Email marketing key updates in 2024

1. Increased transparency and communication

DSAR–Data Subject Access Request: With consent in email marketing came data collecting. Companies wanted to know what would make you more interested so you would actually open that mail and not just shove it down the spam directory. This is great for both sides, but with data collection came DSAR–Data Subject Access Request meant for companies who would like to let their customers take a look at what personal data the company is processing. If you didn’t know about this before, the entire process can be simplified with the Osano DSAR Platform. Plus, DSAR is not intended for customers only. Depending on your company, you can choose to establish trust with your stakeholders or your partners. 

Privacy notices and consent forms: Do you remember how it felt opening a consent form, scrolling to the bottom, and just hitting ‘yes’ because you couldn’t be bothered to read fifteen pages of small print? Well, these documents are becoming more concise, clear, and user-friendly. Legal jargon is replaced with plain language to make sure that you understand what you are agreeing to. You no longer have to fear you accidentally sold your kidney.

Regular updates and notifications: Marketers will email customers to inform them of any change in privacy policy or data practices. This open line of communication is very important. Plus, this practice helps lower the risk of consent withdrawal due to the lack of transparency. 

2. Expanded regulatory frameworks

DMA–Digital Markets Act and DSA–Digital Service Act: This year, the European Union’s DMA and DSA will introduce stricter rules for digital platforms. These acts will impact how marketers can collect customers' data. They will thus put user consent and transparency first. 

CPRA in the United States: Also this year, an extension of CCPA, CPRA–California Privacy Rights Act—will be fully enforced. It strengthens customers’ rights around data usage and requires companies to offer stronger opt-out mechanisms and greater transparency in their data practices. 

Global Trends: Countries worldwide, like Brazil with LGPD and Canada with PIPEDA, are also implementing new laws or making the existing ones more stringent. Companies that want to use email marketing to boost their business need to be up to date with new regulations in all regions they operate in.

3. Enhanced consent mechanisms

Granular consent options: Instead of only one opt-in checkbox, customers are now offered more detailed choices about what type of communication they want to receive. This approach goes in line with new regulations, but it also shows that trust is important. 

Dynamic consent management: Consent preferences are no longer static. As a customer, you can now update your preferences through user-friendly interfaces. This option reflects the ongoing consent management trend very nicely. A dynamic approach like this helps marketers keep up with up-to-date permissions and fosters ongoing user engagement.

AI and machine learning: AI and machine learning technologies help create a more personalized and less intrusive user experience. Companies are using them to predict consent preferences and optimize the timing and content of consent requests.

4. Focus on user experience

Seamless opt-in process: The process of opting to receive emails needs to be simple and intuitive. It’s only natural that upon seeing complex language and forms, people could choose to stay away. After all, you never know if someone is after your kidney.

Preference centers: Dedicated preference centers will allow customers to easily manage their subscription options and give them more power and control over their personal data. 

Value exchange: Customers are more likely to consent if they perceive a clear benefit. That’s why companies are often offering exclusive offers or personalized content in exchange for consent. After all, we are all likely to say ‘yes’ when we’re told that we’ll receive emails about pet food discounts. 

Strategies for successful email marketing in 2024

Having all these laws and regulations doesn’t mean that email marketing is coming to an end. This means that marketers will have to adapt to the challenges and develop new strategies. Here are some strategies that can help develop email marketing in 2024:

1. Leverage technology for compliance

CMPs–Consent Management Platforms: Platforms like OneTrust, Didomi, or Osano help make the process of collecting, storing, and managing users’ consents more automatic. At the same time, they follow various regulations and ensure compliance with them.

Data encryption and security: When customers know that you, as a company, are using strong security measures to protect their data and prevent breaches, they will be happier and more prone to trust you in the future. Secure data storage and transmission are important to maintaining customers’ trust.

2. Adopt a privacy-first mindset

Privacy by design: Keep in mind privacy considerations and implement them into every stage of your email marketing campaigns, from planning to execution. 

Regular audits: Make regular audits of your data to ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement. 

Train your team: People often say that good behavior starts at home, and something similar applies to companies. To ensure your email marketing aligns with consent regulations, it's essential to train your employees on data protection best practices. 

3. Personalization and segment

Behavioral data: When being personal, you don’t just use customers’ names in an email–you need to give them content that meets their needs and interests. People with no pets won’t be interested in pet food discounts. So, you can use behavioral data to segment your audience and tailor your messages accordingly. 

Dynamic content: Dynamic content blocks in your emails are a great way to show different content to different customers based on their likings and behaviors.

4. Foster transparency and trust

Clear communication: You never really know to whom you are addressing, and you need to make everyone understand what they’re agreeing to. So, you need to use plain language in your privacy notices and consent forms.

Frequent updates: If laws and regulations about email marketing and your data practice change, inform your customers. Also, provide them easy access to their consent preferences. 

5. Monitor and adapt

Stay informed: Keep up with the latest developments in data protection laws.

Be flexible: When new technologies and regulations emerge, be prepared to apply them to your consent mechanisms. 

Not just customers

Have you ever found yourself staring at your inbox (over 2.5 thousand emails unread), thinking that email marketing is outdated? Well, according to the numbers, constantly updated regulations, and the growing number of emails, that’s not the case.

Email marketing in the age of consent is a dynamic and evolving field. These new rules and technologies give more options to work with, so sending emails to all your customers may seem challenging, but it’s also fulfilling knowing that you can offer them what they really want. More of your emails will be opened and read, and more clicks will follow, resulting in more visits to your business site. 

However, none of this is important if you don’t listen to your customers. At this point, they are not just customers or users–they are your people, and you need to look after them. Ask them if they consent and trust their free will, and then align your marketing strategies accordingly. 

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Priya Abraham

Priya is an experienced content writer and editor, known for crafting SEO-optimized blogs with a unique perspective. Specializing in creating valuable content that delivers tangible outcomes, Priya is passionate about leveraging the power of words to enhance online presence and credibility.

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Frequently asked questions

General Questions

What is Smartlead's cold email outreach software?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Smartlead's cold email outreach tool helps businesses scale their outreach efforts seamlessly. With unlimited mailboxes, fully automated email warmup functionality, a multi-channel infrastructure, and a user-friendly unibox, it empowers users to manage their entire revenue cycle in one place. Whether you're looking to streamline cold email campaigns with automated email warmups, personalization fields, automated mailbox rotation, easy integrations, and spintax, improve productivity, or enhance scalability with subsequences based on lead’s intentions, automated replies, and full white-label experience, our cold email tool implifies it in a single solution.

What is Smartlead, and how can it enhance my cold email campaigns?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Smartlead is a robust cold emailing software designed to transform cold emails into reliable revenue streams. Trusted by over 31,000 businesses, Smartlead excels in email deliverability, lead generation, cold email automation, and sales outreach. A unified master inbox streamlines communication management, while built-in email verification reduces bounce rates.
Additionally, Smartlead offers essential tools such as CNAME, SPF Checker, DMARC Checker, Email Verifier, Blacklist Check Tool, and Email Bounce Rate Calculator for optimizing email performance. 

How does the "unlimited mailboxes" feature benefit me?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Our "unlimited mailboxes" feature allows you to expand your email communications without restrictions imposed by a mailbox limit. This means you won't be constrained by artificial caps on the number of mailboxes you can connect and use. This feature makes Smartlead the best cold email software and empowers you to reach a wider audience, engage with more potential customers, and manage diverse email campaigns effectively.

How does Smartlead as a cold emailing tool can automate the cold email process?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Smartlead’s robust cold email API and automation infrastructure streamline outbound communication by transforming the campaign creation and management processes. It seamlessly integrates data across software systems using APIs and webhooks, adjusts settings, and leverages AI for personalised content.

The cold emailing tool categorises lead intent, offers comprehensive email management with automated notifications, and integrates smoothly with CRMs like Zapier, Make, N8N, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. Smartlead supports scalable outreach by rapidly adding mailboxes and drip-feeding leads into active campaigns Sign Up Now!

What do you mean by "unibox to handle your entire revenue cycle"?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

The "unibox" is one of the unique features of Smartlead cold email outreach tool, and it's a game-changer when it comes to managing your revenue cycle. The master inbox or the unibox consolidates all your outreach channels, responses, sales follow-ups, and conversions into one centralized, user-friendly mailbox.

With the "unibox," you gain the ability to:
1. Focus on closing deals: You can now say goodbye to the hassle of logging into multiple mailboxes to search for replies. The "unibox" streamlines your sales communication, allowing you to focus on what matters most—closing deals.

2. Centralized lead management: All your leads are managed from one central location, simplifying lead tracking and response management. This ensures you take advantage of every opportunity and efficiently engage with your prospects.

3. Maintain context: The "unibox" provides a 360-degree view of all your customer messages, allowing you to maintain context and deliver more personalized and effective responses.

How does Smartlead ensure my emails don't land in the spam folder?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Smartlead, the best cold email marketing tool, ensures your emails reach the intended recipients' primary inbox rather than the spam folder. 

Here's how it works:
1. Our "unlimited warmups" feature is designed to build and maintain a healthy sending reputation for your cold email outreach. Instead of sending a large volume of emails all at once, which can trigger spam filters, we gradually ramp up your sending volume. This gradual approach, combined with positive email interactions, helps boost your email deliverability rates.

2. We deploy high-deliverability IP servers specific to each campaign. 

3. The ‘Warmup’ feature replicates humanized email sending patterns, spintax, and smart replies.
 
4. By establishing a positive sender reputation and gradually increasing the number of sent emails, Smartlead minimizes the risk of your emails being flagged as spam. This way, you can be confident that your messages will consistently land in the primary inbox, increasing the likelihood of engagement and successful communication with your recipients.

Can Smartlead help improve my email deliverability rates?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Yes, our cold emailing software is designed to significantly improve your email deliverability rates. It enhances email deliverability through AI-powered email warmups across providers, unique IP rotating for each campaign, and dynamic ESP matching.
Real-time AI learning refines strategies based on performance, optimizing deliverability without manual adjustments. Smartlead's advanced features and strategies are designed to improve email deliverability rates, making it a robust choice for enhancing cold email campaign success.

What features does Smartlead offer for cold email personalisation?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Smartlead enhances cold email personalisation through advanced AI-driven capabilities and strategic integrations. Partnered with Clay, The cold remaining software facilitates efficient lead list building, enrichment from over 50 data providers, and real-time scraping for precise targeting. Hyper-personalised cold emails crafted in Clay seamlessly integrate with Smartlead campaigns.

Moreover, Smartlead employs humanised, natural email interactions and smart replies to boost engagement and response rates. Additionally, the SmartAI Bot creates persona-specific, high-converting sales copy. Also you can create persona-specific, high-converting sales copy using SmartAI Bot. You can train the AI bot to achieve 100% categorisation accuracy, optimising engagement and conversion rates.

Can I integrate Smartlead with other tools I'm using?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Certainly, Smartlead cold email tool is designed for seamless integration with a wide range of tools and platforms. Smartlead offers integration with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Clay, Listkit, and more. You can leverage webhooks and APIs to integrate the tools you use. Try Now!

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Is Smartlead suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises?

Smartlead accommodates both small businesses and large enterprises with flexible pricing and comprehensive features. The Basic Plan at $39/month suits small businesses and solopreneurs, offering 2000 active leads and 6000 monthly emails, alongside essential tools like unlimited email warm-up and detailed analytics.

Marketers and growing businesses benefit from the Pro Plan ($94/month), with 30000 active leads and 150000 monthly emails, plus a custom CRM and active support. Lead generation agencies and large enterprises can opt for the Custom Plan ($174/month), providing up to 12 million active lead credits and 60 million emails, with advanced CRM integration and customisation options.

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

What type of businesses sees the most success with Smartlead?

No, there are no limitations on the number of channels you can utilize with Smartlead. Our cold email tool offers a multi-channel infrastructure designed to be limitless, allowing you to reach potential customers through multiple avenues without constraints.

This flexibility empowers you to diversify your cold email outreach efforts, connect with your audience through various communication channels, and increase your chances of conversion. Whether email, social media, SMS, or other communication methods, Smartlead's multi-channel capabilities ensure you can choose the channels that best align with your outreach strategy and business goals. This way, you can engage with your prospects effectively and maximize the impact of your email outreach.

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

How can Smartlead integrate with my existing CRM and other tools?

Smartlead is the cold emailing tool that facilitates seamless integration with existing CRM systems and other tools through robust webhook and API infrastructure. This setup ensures real-time data synchronisation and automated processes without manual intervention. Integration platforms like Zapier, Make, and N8N enable effortless data exchange between Smartlead and various applications, supporting tasks such as lead information syncing and campaign status updates. Additionally, it offers native integrations with major CRM platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive, enhancing overall lead management capabilities and workflow efficiency. Try Now!

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Do you provide me with lead sources?

No. Smartlead distinguishes itself from other cold email outreach software by focusing on limitless scalability and seamless integration. While many similar tools restrict your outreach capabilities, Smartlead offers a different approach.

Here's what makes us uniquely the best cold email software:

1. Unlimited Mailboxes: In contrast to platforms that limit mailbox usage, Smartlead provides unlimited mailboxes. This means you can expand your outreach without any arbitrary constraints.

2. Unique IP Servers: Smartlead offers unique IP servers for every campaign it sends out. 

3. Sender Reputation Protection: Smartlead protects your sender reputation by auto-moving emails from spam folders to the primary inbox. This tool uses unique identifiers to cloak all warmup emails from being recognized by automation parsers. 

4. Automated Warmup: Smartlead’s warmup functionality enhances your sender reputation and improves email deliverability by maintaining humanised email sending patterns and ramping up the sending volume. 

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

How secure is my data with Smartlead?

Ensuring the security of your data is Smartlead's utmost priority. We implement robust encryption methods and stringent security measures to guarantee the continuous protection of your information. Your data's safety is paramount to us, and we are always dedicated to upholding the highest standards of security.

How can I get started with Smartlead?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

Getting started with Smartlead is straightforward! Just head over to our sign-up page and follow our easy step-by-step guide. If you ever have any questions or need assistance, our round-the-clock support team is ready to help, standing by to provide you with any assistance you may require. Sign Up Now!

How can I reach the Smartlead team?

Email automation FAQs- Smartlead

We're here to assist you! You can easily get in touch with our dedicated support team on chat. We strive to provide a response within 24 hours to address any inquiries or concerns you may have. You can also reach out to us at support@smartlead.ai

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