Email marketing is thriving and more strategic than ever
The 4th edition of the Global Data & Marketing Association’s International Email Benchmark Report was recently released, and the findings reaffirm what many top marketers already know: email remains a powerful and indispensable channel in the digital marketing ecosystem.
This comprehensive global report draws from 16 Email Service Providers (ESPs), representing 61 countries and billions of email interactions. The verdict? Email marketing is not only alive, it’s performing exceptionally well. It continues to be a trusted, high-performing channel for building customer relationships, driving engagement, and delivering measurable ROI.
Canada: Quietly leading with performance and precision
In Canada, email marketing isn’t just alive, it’s flourishing. More than 80% of marketers rely on email as a core traffic and conversion driver. This year, Canadian open rates are trending above 40% and click-through rates are averaging 6%, which is twice the global benchmark. These are not just good metrics, they’re world-class.
Canadian marketers consistently outperform on quality, targeting, and compliance. Let’s break down why we are so far ahead of other jurisdictions.
One reason is our privacy-conscious and regulation-driven environment. The Canada Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), with its stringent requirements and enforcement, has cultivated a culture of discipline. Marketers are more likely to use explicit opt-in strategies, keep databases clean, and prioritize permission-based targeting. The result: Canada boasts one of the lowest hard bounce rates globally at just 0.39%, compared to 2.4% in the U.S.
A tale of two markets: Canada vs. the United States
While geographically close, Canada and the U.S. diverge significantly in email marketing philosophy and execution. U.S. marketers operate in a faster-paced, less regulated environment, with a greater emphasis on scale. The average U.S. marketer sends 53 times more volume than their Canadian counterpart, thanks in part to widespread use of affiliate marketing and larger enterprise operations.
Canadian marketers, in contrast, are strategic by necessity. Smaller list sizes (~25K on average) allow for deeper segmentation, higher relevance and stronger compliance. The Canadian approach is more curated, with targeted campaigns that favour depth over breadth.
As Sara Clodman, Chief Public Affairs and Governance Officer at the Canadian Marketing Association, notes:
“Email is personalized, highly measurable, and widely used as a direct marketing channel. Eight out of ten Canadians are willing to receive information via email, and nearly seven in ten have responded to email campaigns.”
Strategic insights from the GDMA Benchmark
The GDMA benchmarking platform provides a strategic lens into email effectiveness across industries and regions. One key insight: smaller, well-segmented campaigns consistently deliver higher engagement.
While open rates remain a directional metric, click-through rate (CTR) is the more accurate gauge of user responsiveness. However, leading marketing teams go further, tracking KPIs such as list health, percentage of active contacts, and revenue per email sent. These are the metrics that matter to a modern marketing executive.
You can explore the benchmarking tool here: GDMA Email Benchmark
Execution excellence: In-house vs. hybrid models
While email may appear simple on the surface, excellence requires a blend of creative, technical, and data-driven expertise. According to Ipsos and CMA research (2022 Digital Pulse report), 79% of Canadian marketers manage email internally, yet many still fall into a production mindset, focusing on volume over strategy.
Top-performing programs, however, are anything but tactical. They are highly orchestrated, with:
- Data-rich segmentation
- Triggered journeys and dynamic content
- Rigorous A/B testing
- Ongoing performance optimization
The best results often come from collaborative hybrid models. About 19% of marketers adopt this approach, combining internal ownership with strategic support from external partners. This model brings in the latest innovations, best practices, and deep channel expertise, while keeping the brand’s unique voice and goals front and center. About 10% of Canadian marketers completely outsource their email marketing to an agency.
Final word: Email is evolving, not fading
In a crowded digital landscape, email continues to deliver relevance, personalization, and performance at scale. It’s measurable, trusted and deeply integrated into the customer journey. For marketers looking to drive business impact, email deserves a strategic seat at the table.
Author:
Geoff Linton, P.Eng, MBA, Chartered Marketer | Senior Consultant & Strategist | ClaroVant Digital
Geoff is a marketing engineer with 35+ years of experience helping organizations drive results through digital transformation, data integration, and innovative strategy. He serves on the CMA AI Committee and was a member of the GDMA Email Benchmarking Steering Committee.
