As 2024 unfolded, email and mobile marketing continued to adapt and evolve, shaped by rapid technological advances and the increasing complexity of the marketing landscape. From the growing influence of AI to the heightened focus on privacy, this year presented both challenges and opportunities for marketers striving to stay ahead of the curve.
In this post, we’ll revisit the marketing predictions we made for 2024, examining how they played out in practice and the lessons marketers can take into 2025.
For a refresher, check out our original 2024 predictions: 5 Email Marketing Predictions and 6 Mobile Marketing Predictions.
2024 Email Marketing Predictions in Review
The 2024 predictions for email marketing centered around key themes like AI-driven personalization, a creative renaissance, and the growing importance of privacy-first strategies.
Here’s how these predictions played out.
AI-Powered Personalization
In 2024, AI-powered personalization became an important component of email marketing strategies, enabling brands to tailor experiences with precision and scale. Beyond personalized subject lines, AI drove advancements in optimizing email timing, managing message frequency, predicting customer conversions, and even streamlining content creation through generative AI tools.
These innovations empowered marketers to craft highly relevant messages, ensuring the right content reached the right audience at the right time. Recognizing the immense potential of AI-powered personalization, many organizations have begun incorporating these tools into their strategies.
In fact, over 85% of Iterable’s 1,200+ customers are already leveraging AI capabilities. However, they also understand that these tools are not yet advanced enough for unsupervised use. As a result, they’re adopting an optimistically cautious approach, prioritizing authenticity while preserving their brand’s tone and voice.
Creative Renaissance
As predicted, 2024 embraced the creative renaissance for email marketing, driven by the convergence of more advanced tools and the increasing need for brands to differentiate themselves in crowded inboxes. Brands embraced dynamic designs, interactive elements, and bold storytelling to stand out in crowded inboxes.
Featured below are three standout examples from the 2024 RGE (Really Good Emails) Awards that exemplify this creative renaissance.
Volkswagen wins a 2024 RGE Award for its product launch email (source: Really Good Emails)
Lifesum is an honorable mention of the 2024 RGE Awards for its welcome email (source: Really Good Emails)
This renewed focus on creativity wasn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also about prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity to ensure content reaches and resonates with diverse audiences. As a result, email campaigns became not only visually captivating but also purpose-driven, reflecting brand values in ways that fostered deeper connections with consumers.
Privacy-First Marketing
In 2024, privacy-first marketing remained a focal point as enforcement of regulations like GDPR and CCPA intensified. Notably, GDPR saw increased scrutiny around data portability and explicit consent requirements, while updates to CCPA’s enforcement clarified consumers’ rights to opt out of data sales and introduced the CPRA (California Privacy Rights Act) enforcement arm.
In response, marketers leaned into first-party data strategies to build trust through personalized yet privacy-compliant experiences. Innovations in zero-party data collection, such as personalized preference centers and interactive surveys, empowered consumers to share data on their own terms. These strategies not only adhered to evolving privacy standards but also fostered deeper loyalty by prioritizing customer consent and control.
Recognizing the complexity of navigating shifting regulations, many marketers also partnered with vendors that emphasized robust legal and compliance support. By working with platforms equipped with certifications like SOC 2 Type II or demonstrated commitments to GDPR compliance, marketers ensured their data collection and personalization efforts met the highest security and privacy standards. This collaborative approach allowed brands to innovate while safeguarding consumer trust confidently.
2024 Mobile Marketing Predictions in Review
In 2024, mobile marketing experienced transformative growth, aligning closely with several predictions made at the start of the year. Technological advancements and the increasing importance of seamless customer engagement pushed mobile channels to the forefront of cross-channel strategies.
A great example of these advancements is Iterable’s Embedded Messaging, which empowers marketers to create and deliver personalized in-app messages instantly—without requiring engineering updates or app releases.
Marketers utilized these strategies to deliver highly personalized, engaging, and timely experiences. From the rise of SMS and rich communication services (RCS) to the growing sophistication of mobile campaigns, the past year highlighted how mobile marketing is not just keeping pace but driving innovation in the marketing world.
For example, the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday event showcased the power of mobile marketing, with Iterable reporting record-breaking results. Specifically, mobile message volume grew by 72% year-over-year, driven by a surge in SMS and push notifications as retailers prioritized real-time communication. Furthermore, brands saw a 58% increase in conversions from mobile campaigns during Cyber Week, highlighting the effectiveness of timely, personalized messaging.
SMS and Mobile Channels Taking More of a Front Seat
Marketing teams prioritized the adoption of SMS, push, and in-app messaging as essential components of cross-channel strategies. These channels were leveraged to deliver timely, personalized communications that enhanced customer engagement and retention.
Marketers also showed their eagerness to explore new opportunities with messaging channels, such as WhatsApp, to further their global reach and engagement potential.
The Future of Rich Communication Services (RCS)
RCS gained traction in 2024, with notable developments including:
- Apple’s Adoption: In November 2023, Apple announced that iPhones would support RCS in 2024, enhancing cross-platform messaging capabilities and we’ve seen this come to fruition.
- Samsung’s Role: Samsung played a pivotal role in promoting RCS adoption within the Android ecosystem, collaborating with Google to modernize messaging services.
Mobile Marketing Became More Sophisticated
Brands embraced advanced techniques like AI-driven personalization, enhanced targeting, and interactive content. These innovations allowed marketers to engage users more effectively, reflecting the industry’s adaptability and commitment to innovation.
While mobile marketing undoubtedly surged in 2024, it complemented rather than competed with email marketing. The prediction of convergence between the two channels held true, as both proved integral to cross-channel marketing strategies. Mobile channels brought immediacy and engagement, while email delivered depth and long-term connection. Together, they enhanced overall marketing effectiveness, demonstrating the strength of a unified approach.
A standout example of this convergence was Ipsy’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign. Ipsy employed a coordinated multichannel strategy, combining email and SMS to create a seamless customer journey. Their emails featured vibrant visuals and exclusive, limited-time offers, while timely SMS messages reinforced urgency and encouraged immediate action. This integration of channels highlighted the power of a unified strategy to engage customers at multiple touchpoints and drive results.
Source: Ipsy
Looking Back to Look Ahead
As we reflect on the marketing trends of 2024, one thing is clear: the industry has made noticeable strides in leveraging modern email and mobile technologies to create meaningful customer connections. Predictions of a creative renaissance, the convergence of email and mobile marketing, and the prioritization of privacy-first strategies all came to fruition, creating an environment that fosters both innovation and a focus on the customer experience.
2024 established a strong foundation for marketers to build upon. By continuing to embrace cross-channel strategies, balancing personalization with privacy, and staying open to the potential of emerging technologies, brands can remain agile and create deeper connections with customers in a constantly evolving digital space. The lessons of 2024 remind us that success lies in not just predicting the future but actively shaping it.
Stay tuned for our 2025 predictions as we delve into the future of email and mobile marketing and explore the trends that are poised to redefine these critical channels.
To learn more about Iterable’s AI-powered, data-driven activation capabilities for email and mobile, schedule a demo today.
