# 10 Email Marketing Best Practices That Still Work

*Published: 2025-10-09*

What are the **email marketing best practices** that actually drive results in 2025?

Email marketing delivers [$36 for every $1 spent](/blog/email-marketing-roi)—the highest ROI of any marketing channel. But only if you follow the practices that work.

This guide covers 10 proven email marketing best practices: from [personalization](/blog/email-segmentation) and [automation](/blog/email-marketing-automation-guide) to [deliverability](/blog/email-deliverability) and measurement. Whether you're building a new program or optimizing an existing one, these strategies will help you drive engagement and revenue.

## Key takeaways

- Personalization now means behavior, dynamic blocks, and predicted interest, not just a first name.
- Mobile comes first: responsive layout, tap-sized CTAs, readable type, and images that load.
- [Subject lines](/blog/email-subject-lines) stay short, honest, and tested. [A/B tests](/blog/email-ab-testing) decide what ships.
- Segment by lifecycle and engagement. Automate welcome, cart, and win-back instead of one blast.
- Inbox placement still needs authenticated sending: DKIM, SPF, DMARC, a clean list, and a healthy sender reputation.

## 1. Personalize Beyond the First Name

Generic personalization is no longer enough. Modern email marketing requires:

- **Behavioral targeting**: Send emails based on user actions
- **Dynamic content**: Show different content to different segments
- **Predictive personalization**: Use AI to anticipate what subscribers want

## 2. Optimize for Mobile First

Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Ensure your emails:

- Use responsive design
- Have touch-friendly CTAs (minimum 44x44 pixels)
- Load quickly with optimized images
- Are readable without zooming

## 3. Write Compelling Subject Lines

Your subject line determines whether your email gets opened. Tips:

- Keep it under 50 characters
- Create urgency without being spammy
- Use personalization when relevant
- A/B test different approaches

## 4. Segment Your Audience

One-size-fits-all emails don't work. Segment by:

- Demographics
- Purchase history
- Engagement level
- Customer lifecycle stage
- Interests and preferences

## 5. Perfect Your Send Timing

The best time to send varies by audience. Consider:

- Time zones of your subscribers
- Industry-specific patterns
- Historical engagement data
- Use AI to optimize send times

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## 6. Focus on Deliverability

Getting to the inbox is crucial. Maintain deliverability by:

- Authenticating your domain (DKIM, SPF, DMARC) the way [Gmail](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) asks bulk senders to
- Cleaning your list regularly
- Avoiding spam trigger words
- Maintaining a healthy sender reputation
- Keeping a working unsubscribe on commercial mail under [CAN-SPAM](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business)

## 7. Create Valuable Content

Every email should provide value. Focus on:

- Solving problems for your audience
- Educating and informing
- Entertaining when appropriate
- Offering exclusive deals or content

## 8. Use Clear Calls-to-Action

Guide subscribers to take action with:

- One primary CTA per email
- Action-oriented language
- High-contrast button design
- Multiple CTA placements for long emails

## 9. Automate Strategically

Automation saves time and improves results. Key automations include:

- [Welcome series](/blog/welcome-email-sequence)
- [Abandoned cart reminders](/blog/abandoned-cart-emails)
- Post-purchase follow-ups
- Re-engagement campaigns
- Birthday and anniversary emails

## 10. Measure and Iterate

Track these key metrics:

- Open rate
- Click-through rate
- Conversion rate
- Unsubscribe rate
- Revenue per email

Use data to continuously improve your strategy. [Email metrics that matter](/blog/email-metrics-that-matter) is the companion for what to trust after a send.

## Conclusion

Email marketing success in 2025 requires a combination of personalization, automation, and continuous optimization. By implementing these best practices, you'll be well-positioned to drive engagement and revenue through email.

Ready to implement these strategies? [Try Brew free →](https://brew.new)

To contact us about this article, write [Brew support](/support).

## How to use this page

**An email marketing best practice** is a rule you can apply on the next send.

**Permission** is the line that separates a list from spam.

**Authentication** is SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before you scale volume.

For example, a honest subject plus a working unsubscribe is not optional on commercial mail.

| Move | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Clean the list | Quiet names drag placement down |
| Measure the job | Clicks and conversions outlast the pixel |

US commercial mail still follows the [FTC CAN-SPAM guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) and [16 CFR 316.3](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-316/section-316.3). Bulk sending still has to meet [Gmail's sender requirements](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126). To contact us about this article, use the support link above.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which email marketing best practices still work?

The practices that still move results are personalization past the first name, mobile-first layout, honest subject lines, audience segments, and inbox authentication. Automation of welcome, cart, and re-engagement beats a single blast. Measure clicks, conversions, and unsubscribes, then change the next send from that data.

### How do you personalize email without being generic?

Use what people did, not just their name. Send from actions, swap blocks by segment, and let predicted interest pick the offer. Pair that with segmentation so the list is not one audience. First-name tokens alone read as a mail merge.

### What keeps marketing email out of spam?

Authenticate the domain with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC, clean the list, and skip bait subjects. [Gmail's sender requirements](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) set the bulk-sender floor. [CAN-SPAM](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) still wants an honest subject and a working unsubscribe on commercial mail.

### What should you automate first?

Start with the flows that fire on a real event: a welcome sequence, abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase follow-up, and re-engagement. Those run without a new brief every week. Keep birthday mail as a later add-on once the core paths work.

### Which metrics should you watch?

Watch open rate as a weak signal, then click-through, conversion, unsubscribe rate, and revenue per email. Use those numbers to change the next campaign. A/B testing is how you prove a subject or CTA change, not a hunch.