Email Trend Results: Triggered Message Volume Continues to Rise

March 18, 2013

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Epsilon, a global leader in delivering direct-to-consumer connections that drive business performance, and Email Institute, the Epsilon-powered email best practices destination, today released the "Q4 2012 North America Email Trends and Benchmarks" report. The report shows growth in the use of triggered messaging, up 73 percent year over year, with triggered messages yielding 70.5 percent higher open rates and 101.8 percent higher click rates compared to Business As Usual (BAU) messages in Q4 2012. 

Additionally the report's Email Activity Segmentation Evaluation (EASE) revealed that for the third consecutive quarter over 50 percent of the average brand's opt-in email list had no activity.

"In Q4 2012, 63 percent of the average email file was unengaged with marketers' email programs," said Judy Loschen, vice president of digital analytics at Epsilon. "This presents a huge opportunity for brands. Marketers cannot assume that their task is complete after they receive an opt-in to their email program. To continue to drive long term value from each individual subscriber, marketers must constantly work to engage them."

Business As Usual (BAU) Email Trends
The quarterly analysis is compiled from 7.3 billion emails sent by Epsilon in October, November and December 2012 across multiple industries and approximately 170 participating clients. The analysis combines data from Epsilon's proprietary platforms.

BAU Highlights:

• Non-bounce rate remained strong at 96 percent.
• Open rates increased both quarter over quarter (+0.6 percent) and year over year (+10.6 percent), resulting in an overall open rate of 27.4 percent.
• Click rates were unchanged from Q3 2012, remaining at 4.5 percent.

Triggered Messages Email Trends
Triggered message benchmarks are compiled from over 360 million triggered emails sent by Epsilon in Q4 2012 across multiple industries. Results track campaigns deployed as a result of an action or trigger such as Welcome, Abandon Shopping Cart, Thank You and Anniversary.

Triggered Highlights:

• Triggered messages accounted for 5.0 percent of total volume, 73 percent higher than Q4 2011 (2.9 percent).
• Triggered open rates were 70.5 percent higher than for Business as Usual messages.
• Triggered click rates continued to perform well, reporting 101.8 percent higher than BAU. Q4 2011 triggered click rates showed a 123.0 percent lift over BAU.

Email Activity Segment Evaluation (EASE)
These metrics are compiled from over 710 million non-bounced and opted-in email addresses that were contacted from Jan. 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 across multiple industries and approximately 150 clients. The EASE analysis, which includes behavioral segments, examined the overall performance of the average email file.

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