Key highlights in our 2024 Essential email insights report

Once again we have sifted through exclusive industry data to present insights that will enhance the ongoing management of your business communications. Our 2024 report draws on exclusive industry data, having gathered information from millions of essential business emails facilitated by Cumulo9 between 1 January and 31 December 2023. We analysed essential metrics, the impact of new security and governance requirements, comparisons between New Zealand and Australia, global trends, industry standards, key sectors, and more. Let’s take a look at some of the main insights highlighted in this year’s report. 

Misconceptions About Email Deliverability 

One common misconception is that hitting "send" guarantees an email will land in the inbox. Across the industry, nearly 10% of essential emails fail to reach their destination. However, with Cumulo9’s C9 Transact solution, this figure drops significantly to just 0.5%, showcasing our commitment to ensuring your important messages get through. 

Mobile Email Reading Trends

Interestingly, the trend towards mobile-first email reading appears to have plateaued. This year, 69% of essential emails were opened on mobile devices, which is exactly the same percentage as last year. While still significantly higher than desktop opens, this raises questions about whether mobile usage has peaked or if this is a temporary pause in this trend.

Increasing Reliance on Email

As part of our report we compare industry verticals and different sectors and over the past year, we have seen that the commercial and government sectors have increasingly relied on email for essential communications. Charitable organisations are also increasing their use of email for donor receipts and other essential communications.

Security Enhancements

It will come as no surprise that security remains a top priority. SPF adoption has surpassed 95% across industries and is expected to approach 100% by 2025. Despite the decline in DKIM adoption last year due to errors related to stricter upcoming enforcement, SPF enforcement remains robust, and DMARC applications are rising. Many domains are still in the reporting phase, underscoring the importance of ongoing vigilance.

Performance of Essential Emails

Essential emails outperform campaign emails, with open rates nearly twice as high as campaign emails. To boost your email deliverability, keep your database accurate and up-to-date, and ensure your security settings are strong. Our data suggests Tuesday is the best day for email open rates, but testing different days could help you find what works best for your audience. 

The Impact of Generative AI

Generative AI is rapidly transforming email communication, making it possible to create highly personalised and relevant content at scale. This advancement is expected to lead to higher open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement, enhancing customer relationships and communication effectiveness.

Looking Ahead

Looking forward, enhanced security measures like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Zero Trust Architecture will become increasingly important as cyber threats evolve. Strong governance, including comprehensive policies, regular audits, and user training, will be essential for managing and securing email communications.

Our latest report shows some changes in essential email trends; however, one thing is clear: email remains a vital and trusted channel for transactional communications. For a deeper dive into these trends and more, access our 2024 report from our Resource section.

Stay informed and optimise your email strategy with Cumulo9’s insights.