The Power of Email: People are more likely to join your email list when the ask is in an email campaign

“When people are engaging with an ad that is within email, they are predisposed to email: meaning they are more comfortable handing over their email address when the effort to get it originates in email,” says Kerel Cooper, our SVP of global marketing. “Marketers who are running campaigns in email should understand the mindset of an email reader and capitalize on it.”

Kerel’s quote was included in Street Fight‘s recent piece, Mobile Drives Sales on Black Friday. We are so proud the story featured not only Kerel’s insights, but also results from one of our recent studies. For that analysis, we looked at how ads on our exchange performed on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weekend in between.

Let’s step back a bit to focus on why an email address is one of the most valuable pieces of data a brand can get. The email channel offers an effective, measurable way to communicate with verified audiences, build brand awareness, and drive revenue. It’s also the most powerful means to resolve identity.

Notably, Americans checked their personal email 143 minutes a day on average in 2019, according to the 2019 Adobe Email Usage Study.

Getting an email address takes more than asking nicely

Brands must implore consumers to raise their hands and share their data. But people who are protective of their information may question whether they like a brand enough to hand over such a precious asset.

Offering a strong value proposition will increase your chances of convincing someone to submit their email address. A 2019 Salesforce survey, for example, found that 58% of respondents were comfortable with relevant personal information being used in a transparent and beneficial manner.

Perceived benefits can run the gamut. Consumers may consider whether a brand is offering enough of a reward – perhaps in the form of a deal – to entice them to hand over an email address.

The mindset consideration

Yet, there’s an equally important second piece of the equation that marketers need to consider. As Kerel mentioned, the medium used to solicit an email address matters too. For example, when a consumer is on social media, the idea of sharing an email address is anathema. There’s an inherent conflict because social media is a very different channel than email.

So while you can easily get someone to like something on Facebook from following a link in Facebook, convincing that person to provide an email address – to temporarily jump over that walled garden, so to speak – is a more challenging endeavor.

This brings us back to Kerel’s actionable advice about collecting email addresses. The ask gets easier when it emerges from an email link. Users who are already in email mode are more likely to submit their email addresses to brands – and also more likely to open and engage with emails in the future.

Ultimately, if the goal of your campaign is to grow your email list, consider crafting enticing offers consumers will value and buying ads in email inventory. As always, LiveIntent can help.