As we come to the end of 2016, it’s time to look into the future. Below we have a few predictions on where the world of email is headed. Keep in mind that these are just predictions and, if 2016 was any indication, email marketing could go in an entirely different direction on a dime. So if none of these happen to become a reality, it’s not actually our fault.

1. Emails Will Have More Interactivity

As the buying experience gets closer and closer to an all-in-one sort of deal in email, the interactivity of emails is going to take off. With more and more customers using their phones for everything, we’ll start see amazing mobile experiences geared toward doing as much in the email as possible. But this isn’t to say that it’s a mobile-only world. Optimizing the mobile experience is a win for all devices.

When we say “more interactivity,” we’re talking more than just CTAs that take you to sale pages or gift guides. You’ll actually be able to peruse brand goods or edit carts all from your inbox.

Which, of course, means …

2. Email Design Is Going To Evolve

To accommodate this more interactive experience, the email design is going to be dialed up to 11. Amazing coding in email allows for brands to provide that more immersive experience — pretty much providing a webpage in the subscribers’ email. In 2017, we’re going to see design implements such as:

• Timers: We’ve seen them more prevalent in 2016, and we only expect to see them take off in 2017. The timer creates that sense of urgency, which helps with conversion rates.
• Accordions: Although we said emails are going to be like smaller webpages, there’s still that whole space issue designers have to deal with. Accordion menus in emails help solve for that by providing a variety of options while having the condensing mechanism.
• Sliders/Banners: Sliders and banners are another way to put a lot into your messaging while saving on space. However, whereas the accordion was more of an optional deal for subscribers, sliders and banners can act automatically.

Now this leads us to …

3. Time To Get Hyperpersonalized

With all the evolution in email design we’re about to have, it’s time to really drill down in personalizing as much of the message as possible. The more unique the email experience becomes for a customer, the greater chance you have of making a conversion.

While batching and blasting isn’t going anywhere — even though we would love for it to disappear entirely — this method of subscriber outreach is going to continue to generate less and less revenue compared to emails that actually feel like they were created for a specific subscriber.

Brands have all the data they need to make it happen. Comb through it, segment accordingly, run your tests, and create truly amazing emails that will generate revenue and boost ROI.