Email marketing is facing significant challenges due to Google’s spam thresholds and Apple’s iOS updates. Businesses of all sizes are struggling to reach their audience’s inboxes, despite making consistent efforts to optimize their strategies. The changes introduced by Apple’s iOS 15 and iOS 18 have made it difficult for marketers to accurately analyze engagement data and develop effective solutions. As a result, brands are experiencing a decline in open and click-through rates, making it harder to maintain successful email campaigns.
Declining Email Engagement and the Impact of Apple’s iOS Updates on Deliverability
Over the past year, many brands have observed a dramatic drop in email engagement. Open and click rates have plummeted, with emails only reaching users who are already highly engaged. For a large portion of subscribers, emails are being flagged as spam, leading to reduced visibility.
Many brands are encountering this issue for the first time, while those with prior experience in mitigating spam problems are finding their usual strategies ineffective. This persistent challenge is forcing marketers to rethink their approach to email deliverability.
Email Marketing Struggles as Apple’s iOS Updates and Spam Filters Reduce EngagementApple’s iOS 15 update introduced Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), which disrupted the accuracy of open rate tracking by marking all emails as “opened” for users who opted in. This resulted in brands segmenting their audience based on misleading data, leading to poor campaign performance.
The release of iOS 18 in 2024 further complicated matters, with the introduction of new inbox features such as tabbed categories, email grouping, and AI-generated summaries replacing preview text. These changes have made it harder for users to see marketing emails, resulting in even lower engagement rates.
Enhancing Email Deliverability with Smarter Strategies and Audience Targeting Techniques
To improve deliverability, brands need to revise their email marketing strategies. Segmentation based on open rates is no longer reliable, so marketers should explore alternative methods to identify engaged users. Targeting smaller, more precise audience segments can help reduce spam rates.
Additionally, leveraging personalization, automated email journeys, and dynamic subject lines can enhance engagement. Brands must also ensure that emails contain live text instead of static text in images to optimize content visibility under Apple’s new AI-driven features. Regularly reviewing content calendars can prevent email overload and improve inbox placement.
Email deliverability is a constantly shifting challenge that demands ongoing adaptation. Marketers should actively discuss new strategies and stay updated on industry trends to prevent emails from being flagged as spam.
By experimenting with different approaches and fine-tuning existing techniques, brands can enhance email performance and sustain high engagement rates. As best practices continue to change, remaining proactive and adaptable will be essential for success in the dynamic world of email marketing.