Email Marketing in 2025

What’s Working, What’s Not.

Email marketing isn’t dead. But bad email marketing is.

If you’re still blasting out generic newsletters and wondering why nobody opens them, here’s the reality: email has evolved, and most marketers haven’t kept up.

So what’s actually working in 2025? And what should you stop wasting time on? Let’s break it down.

What’s Working

Personalization (The Real Kind, Not Just {First Name})
Slapping someone’s name in the subject line isn’t personalization anymore—it’s the bare minimum. In 2025, real personalization means:

• Segmenting based on actual behavior, not just demographics.

• Sending relevant content based on past interactions.

• Treating email like a conversation, not a one-way announcement.

Plain-Text Emails That Feel Like a Human Sent Them
The best-performing emails don’t look like marketing emails. Fancy templates, overloaded designs, and stock images scream “newsletter.” Meanwhile, simple, well-written plain-text emails feel personal and get replies.

Interactive & AI-Driven Content
Email isn’t just static anymore. The best brands are embedding:

• Live polls & surveys.

• Personalized AI-generated recommendations.

• Dynamic content that changes based on when you open it.

If your emails are still just text and images, you’re behind.

What’s Not Working

Batch-and-Blast is Dead
Sending the same email to your entire list? That’s a one-way ticket to the spam folder. People expect relevant emails. If you’re not segmenting and personalizing, you’re wasting your send.

Clickbait Subject Lines
Nobody’s falling for “Re: your account” or “Quick question…” when it’s actually just a pitch. Open rates might spike, but if your content doesn’t match the hype, unsubscribes will too.

Relying on Open Rates as a Key Metric
Apple Mail Privacy Protection (and other privacy changes) have made open rates unreliable. If you’re still judging success by opens alone, you’re measuring the wrong thing. Focus on clicks, replies, and actual conversions.

Final Thought: Good Emails Feel Personal, Not Promotional

Email marketing in 2025 isn’t about sending more—it’s about sending better. Write like a human, send relevant messages, and stop treating your list like a dumping ground for every update.

That’s how you win.