{"id":22027,"date":"2026-06-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/media-beats.com\/?p=22027"},"modified":"2026-06-08T15:40:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:40:46","slug":"e-mail-marketing-underestimated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/media-beats.com\/en\/e-mail-marketing-underestimated\/","title":{"rendered":"E-Mail-Marketing: Warum der Kanal oft untersch\u00e4tzt wird"},"content":{"rendered":"

Email marketing<\/a><\/strong> may seem unspectacular at first glance. No new social media hype, no viral short videos, no AI<\/a>-generated ad formats<\/a>. Nevertheless, the channel remains one of the strongest tools in digital marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because email marketing<\/a> creates direct relationships, uses your own data and activates customers in the long term. While paid reach<\/a> becomes more expensive and platforms change their rules, email remains a controllable owned media channel<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current benchmarks<\/strong> show that email<\/strong> is by no means an outdated medium. MailerLite<\/strong> reports an average open rate<\/strong><\/a> of 43.46 percent and a click-through rate<\/strong><\/a> of 2.09 percent for 2025. At the same time, the unsubscribe rate<\/a><\/strong> rose to 0.22 percent, which shows that relevance<\/strong>, frequency<\/strong> and list quality<\/strong> matter more than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, you will learn why email marketing<\/a><\/strong> is often underestimated. You will learn what role first-party data<\/a>, automation<\/a>, deliverability<\/a> and AI systems<\/a> play. You will also receive concrete approaches for strategically connecting email<\/strong> with online marketing<\/a>, performance marketing<\/a> and CRM<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is email marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Email marketing<\/a><\/strong> describes the targeted sending of emails to recipients<\/strong> who have given their consent<\/strong>. Companies use the channel for newsletters<\/a><\/strong>, offers<\/a>, product information<\/a>, event invitations, transactional emails<\/a> and automated customer journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most important difference compared to many other channels lies in ownership of the relationship. On social media<\/a>, you reach your target audience<\/a> through platforms. In search engine marketing<\/a><\/strong>, you buy visibility<\/a> through search ads<\/a>. With email marketing<\/strong><\/a>, you communicate directly through your own list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes email<\/strong> a powerful owned media channel<\/a><\/strong>. You are less dependent on algorithms<\/a>, rising click prices<\/a> or short-term platform changes. At the same time, you can personalize<\/a>, segment<\/a> and distribute content through automations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email marketing<\/a><\/strong> now includes much more than classic newsletters<\/a><\/strong>. Modern strategies<\/a> use welcome sequences<\/strong>, cart abandonment emails<\/strong>, reactivation campaigns<\/strong>, lead nurturing<\/a><\/strong>, after-sales communication<\/strong> and loyalty flows<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First-party data<\/strong><\/a> is particularly important in this context. This includes information that users<\/a> provide directly to you. Examples include interests, purchases, clicks<\/a>, downloads or preferred topics. This data helps you send more relevant content and reduce wasted coverage<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is email marketing important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Email marketing<\/a><\/strong> is important because it combines reach<\/strong><\/a>, data sovereignty<\/a><\/strong> and customer retention<\/strong><\/a>. This exact combination is missing from many other channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paid social<\/strong><\/a> is highly effective for attention. SEA<\/a><\/strong> is particularly suitable for specific search intent. SEO<\/a><\/strong> builds long-term visibility<\/a><\/strong>. Email marketing<\/a>, on the other hand, activates people who have already had contact with your brand<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes the channel particularly valuable for companies that do not only want to attract new visitors. They want to develop leads<\/strong><\/a>, reactivate customers<\/strong> and encourage repeat purchases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another advantage lies in the cost structure<\/strong>. Once the list, technology and content are in place, the variable costs per contact<\/strong><\/a> are often significantly lower than with paid ads<\/a>. That is why many studies continue to rate email<\/strong> as a very ROI<\/a>-strong channel<\/strong>. In a recent analysis, Litmus reports ROI<\/a> ranges from 10:1 to 36:1 for many companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the channel often remains undervalued<\/strong>. One reason lies in measurability<\/strong>. Many companies measure opens and clicks<\/strong><\/a>, but not revenue<\/strong>, customer lifetime value<\/strong><\/a> or reactivation effects<\/strong>. As a result, email<\/strong> exists operationally, but remains strategically invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second reason lies in its image. Email<\/strong> is often seen as an \u201cold\u201d channel. At the same time, many overlook the fact that modern email strategies<\/a><\/strong> are highly data-driven, automated<\/a> and AI<\/a>-compatible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The true value emerges especially in combination with online marketing<\/a><\/strong>, performance marketing<\/a><\/strong> and CRM<\/a><\/strong>. Email<\/strong> can further develop leads<\/a><\/strong> from campaigns<\/a><\/strong>, bring back cart abandoners and strategically activate existing customers<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Email Marketing Works in Practice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Successful email marketing<\/a><\/strong> does not begin with sending. It begins with strategy<\/a>, data structure and clear expectations for the recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Establish a solid foundation for permissions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Without valid consent<\/strong>, you risk legal and technical problems<\/strong>. In Germany<\/a> and the EU<\/strong>, you must handle advertising consent<\/strong> particularly carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use clear forms<\/strong><\/a>, understandable value propositions<\/strong> and transparent double opt-in processes<\/strong><\/a>. Explain directly what the user<\/a> receives. Examples include exclusive tips, offers<\/a>, checklists<\/a>, invitations or expert updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important: Do not buy arbitrary lists<\/strong><\/a>. They damage your reputation<\/strong>, lower deliverability<\/strong><\/a> and rarely match the target audience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Segment your contacts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A good list<\/a><\/strong> is not simply large. It is relevant, up to date and meaningfully segmented<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typical segments include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n