Is Email Marketing Still Relevant in 2025? Here’s the Data-Backed Truth

Written By Khandeece Lee

Every few years, a new wave of marketing updates and platform changes sends shockwaves through the industry. In 2025, that wave comes in the form of iOS privacy updates, Gmail’s promotions tab, and the rise of AI-driven algorithms on social platforms.

Some marketers have started asking, “Is email marketing still worth the investment?”

The short answer: Absolutely.

In fact, when done strategically, email marketing still delivers an average $36 return for every $1 spent—making it the most profitable digital marketing channel in the game.

Why Email Marketing’s Value Is Being Questioned

Let’s address the elephant in the inbox. Over the past few years, a few changes have caused confusion and doubt:

  • iOS Privacy Updates: Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) has made open rates appear higher than they actually are by preloading tracking pixels. This means you can no longer rely solely on opens to measure success.

  • Gmail’s Promotions Tab: For many brands, even beautifully crafted campaigns land in the promotions tab rather than the primary inbox, impacting visibility.

  • Rising Acquisition Costs Elsewhere: As paid ads become more expensive and social algorithms prioritize their own ad space, brands are reevaluating where to put their budgets.

While these shifts are real, they don’t signal the death of email marketing—they signal the evolution of it.

The Data: Email Marketing’s ROI in 2025

Multiple industry reports continue to show that email marketing has the highest return on investment of any digital channel:

  • Litmus reports an ROI range of $36–$50 for every $1 spent.

  • EmailToolTester cites an average of $36:1 ROI across industries.

  • Omnisend and Shopify both highlight email as one of the most effective tools for driving customer retention and repeat purchases.

Why such strong performance? Unlike social media or paid search, email is a direct, owned channel. You’re not competing with an algorithm for visibility—you’re landing directly in your subscriber’s inbox.

How Email Marketing Drives Revenue and Loyalty

Email is more than just a broadcast tool. Done well, it can:

  • Drive repeat purchases with personalized offers and recommendations.

  • Strengthen loyalty by delivering relevant, timely content.

  • Build community through value-driven, relationship-based communication.

Best Practices for Email Marketing in 2025

If you want to maintain that $36:1 return, you’ll need to level up your strategy. Here’s what’s working now:

1. Keep Your List Healthy and Compliant

Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers. Follow GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other relevant regulations to keep deliverability high.

2. Segment and Personalize

Stop sending “one-size-fits-all” blasts. Use customer behavior, purchase history, and engagement data to deliver targeted, relevant messages.

3. Refine Your Cadence

Find the sweet spot between staying top of mind and overwhelming your audience. Test sending frequency and track results over time.

4. Diversify Your Metrics

With open rates less reliable, focus on clicks, conversions, and revenue attribution for a clearer picture of performance.

The Bottom Line

Email marketing isn’t just alive—it’s thriving. The brands that adapt to new data realities, embrace segmentation, and focus on relationship-driven messaging will continue to see unmatched returns.

If you want to stay ahead of trends, discover what to test next, and see real examples of modern email marketing done right, join The Retainery list. It’s where psychology meets money—and where your customer journey gets optimized from first click to repeat purchase.

Khandeece Lee