{"id":80805,"date":"2024-07-16T03:37:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T03:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/email-marketing\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T20:14:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T20:14:22","slug":"email-marketing","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/email-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Email marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Email marketing is the use of email to send promotional, informational or transactional messages to people who have agreed to receive them.<\/strong> It is used to attract, sell to and retain customers with campaigns that can be segmented, automated and measured.<\/p>\n\n

It is also known as e-mail marketing, electronic mail marketing or mailing.<\/p>\n\n

To see how it works and how to get started step by step, read our guide on what email marketing is<\/a>. If you’re interested in its benefits, you can also read about the advantages of email marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

These messages can range from a simple “thank you for your purchase” to more complex campaigns<\/strong> that segment users based on their interests or behavior. <\/p>\n\n

The key to success in email marketing doesn’t just lie in the message itself, but in how it is delivered and to whom.<\/p>\n\n

Key email marketing terms<\/h2>\n\n

These are the concepts you’ll come across when you start. Each one has its own glossary entry:<\/p>\n\n

Term<\/th>What it is<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Email list<\/a><\/td>Group of contacts who have agreed to receive your emails<\/td><\/tr>
Double opt-in<\/a><\/td>Two-step signup: the contact confirms their subscription from an email<\/td><\/tr>
Segmentation<\/a><\/td>Splitting the list into groups to send each one a different message<\/td><\/tr>
Autoresponder<\/a><\/td>Email or series of emails sent automatically when something happens<\/td><\/tr>
Transactional email<\/a><\/td>Message triggered by a user action: an order, a signup, a password change<\/td><\/tr>
Deliverability<\/a><\/td>The ability of your emails to reach the inbox instead of spam<\/td><\/tr>
SPF<\/a><\/td>DNS record that specifies which servers can send with your domain<\/td><\/tr>
DKIM<\/a><\/td>Digital signature that proves the message hasn’t been altered<\/td><\/tr>
DMARC<\/a><\/td>Policy that specifies what to do with emails that fail SPF or DKIM<\/td><\/tr>
Open rate<\/a><\/td>Percentage of recipients who open the email<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

The importance of a well-planned strategy<\/h2>\n\n

One of the biggest advantages of email marketing is its ability to reach customers directly<\/strong> in a personal space: their inbox<\/a>. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n

Unlike social media, where messages can get lost in a sea of posts, emails offer a more controlled and focused environment<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

This gives businesses the opportunity to personalize their communication<\/strong> and, even more importantly, to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns accurately.<\/p>\n\n

Any email marketing strategy should be well planned. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

This includes: <\/p>\n\n