iOS 15 EMAIL UPDATE (special SCOOP edition)...
I have been getting asked a lot about how iOS 15 is impacting email marketers since it launched. So as boring as this might be (and it is very boring), I thought I would share what it is that I am seeing in the ‘real world’. [If you have no idea what the whole iOS 15 email thing is all about than check out this article and then you can proceed to the below.... https://digiday.com/marketing/cheat-sheet-why-email-marketers-are-calling-apples-ios-15-update-a-proverbial-nail-in-the-coffin/
iOS 15 EMAIL IS DEAD UPDATE for 2022💀....WRONG!!!! 😀
(this is my 2 cents – so no need to tell me how dumb I am)
So is iOS 15 the end of email as some thought – NO!
Yes, it is having an impact but not as bad as expected (and not really that bad at all for certain segments)...
First - Here are some overly confusing numbers to digest...
So, when you crunch all this nonsense it basically means that your email open rate tracking is higher by about 25% right now...Meh!
I say ‘Meh’ for a few reasons...
In terms of knowing how your testing is going (i.e. Subject Lines, Time of Day, etc...) why would you not keep using your open rate tracking metrics as a DIRECTIONAL SOURCE of what is performing? Discount the numbers by 25% and call it a day. Don’t overthink it.
Sure, your marketing automation streams might be messed up a bit. Why you ask? Because if did not adjust your streams and are still sending versions of automated messages to contacts who either did or did not open than obviously you are sending to some people who did not actually open the prior message sent.
Weird/Interesting Trend:
Engagement has actually gone up! Many marketers either are not aware, forgot or don’t care about the iOS 15 changes and left their email marketing automation streams as if nothing has occurred. This means people are getting emails as if they engaged when they actually did not....A funny thing seems to be happening (at least for now) – click-throughs for those contacts are on the rise....
💡October 1st Through December 15th: Click-Through Rates UP 27% from 6-Months Non-Engaged Contacts (non-holiday offer messaging)
Could this be an anomaly or perhaps it means that our marketing automation streams are just over-thought, complex, slightly annoying engagement efforts that the end-user doesn’t actually like...Who knows.
Some other interesting stats to digest is that the iOS 15 Mail Privacy Protection opt-in rate is NOT 90% for all audiences...
(source: Outcome Media)
This further drives down the overall impact on marketers being able to use open rate as a directional metric.
SO MY TAKE (as of now)...
Keep tracking opens knowing that they are slightly inflated. Figure out your ‘new normal’ metrics and then use those as the barometer of comparable performance.
DON’T LISTEN TO EXPERTS ON THIS TOPIC. Email experts live in a fantasy land...Everything is an absolute to them – Never do this, Stop tracking that and 100 other things that ‘real-world’ marketers can’t actually do or they will go out of business.
Since You Didn’t Ask...
For any new readers of ‘Scoop’ this is where I share stuff that has nothing to do with anything that is actually helpful or useful...
WATCHING
COBRA KAI Season 4... (NETFLIX) – Embarrassed that I watch this. More embarrassed that I ‘googled’ “Are Ralph Macchio And William Zabka From Cobra Kai Friends In Real Life?”...I really did that. BTW – they are – and that oddly makes me happy.
SUCCESSION (HBO Max) – This might be one of my favorite shows of all time. I want to hang out with Cousin Greg and Tom. Not sure what that says about me.
THE BACHELOR... (ABC) – New season started Monday! Am I the last person still watching this series? Definitely the last person who openly admits watching it.
BETTY WHITE:
I was really down about Betty White passing. I watch old episodes of the Golden Girls sometimes. I actually do. They make me laugh...So here are two of my favorite quotes from Betty White...
“Get at least eight hours of beauty sleep, nine if you’re ugly.”
“My mother always used to say, ‘The older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.’”
Thanks for the laughs Betty!!!
That’s all for now. Kick butt to start out the new year!
BTW – How are you? Shoot me a note and loop me in on how your marketing is going and how things are overall.
Best,
Jay
p.s. pass along to a friend if you think they may want to sign-up....www.JaySchwedelson.com
Are we connected on LinkedIn??? https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/
AND – PAST ISSUES OF SCOOP ARE NOW LIVE AT jayschwedelson.com/Scoops
If you do not want to receive these emails, please click here.