Email has been used for almost as long as humans have been using the internet.
The basic premise of email has not changed much since its creation, but the interface and tools to support it have grown immensely. It is no longer just sending to and fro different email addresses; there are ways to verify, manage, secure, and adapt it into the format needed for your business.
So, for the sake of understanding all the different elements that go into email, let’s evaluate it from the perspective of a daily user.
Email tools you are using without realizing it
Most of us reading this article work for a business organization, probably one that uses G Suite or Microsoft Outlook to receive and send emails. These are the most popular email software used by the average company.
With that package, the user will probably be able to use their email with integrations for calendar, instant messaging, document creation, and video conferencing.
However, what if you wanted to use your email on your phone but wanted to connect what you were doing on your laptop to that account on your phone? Plus, while you’re at it, why not also check your personal email while you check your work email?
To do all that, you’ll probably use an email client software that manages different accounts across different computers and smartphones. It allows you to work offline, backup messages, and add customizable features.
Since many people find themselves drowning in hundreds of emails sent internally and externally, email management software allows for emails to be organized and prioritized, so you only need to focus on what needs immediate attention. You may use it to search and filter emails, unsubscribe, auto archive, and block unwanted mail.
If a marketing professional needs to send email campaigns to dozens of clients, there are email marketing tools that not only help send out the campaign as regularly as needed but can also verify the list of emails first.
Email verification tools allow users to upload lists of emails and take preventive measures to ensure that the business data coming through the email lists are accurate and of good quality. These solutions ensure that the addresses are real, spelled correctly, verified across email providers, and are not temporary burner emails.
However, that only scratches the surface of what email security features exist for users today. If the company you work for requires higher levels of security within the email framework, there are various options.
There are anti-spam tools that take verification and unsubscribing up a notch, aiming to block any spam or phishing threats from your inbox. This works alongside secure email gateway software by preventing web-based threats and ensuring employee compliance.
Some solutions allow for the secure transfer of information as it travels via an email server. This is known as email encryption, and it requires the receiver to have a certain level of access before opening the encrypted email file.
You might be familiar with some of these email technologies without knowing they have a specific name or purpose. Whether you know them by name or not, these solutions are being used to make email more efficient and make the workday more productive for all.
The state of email software on G2
On G2, email categories, specifically the Email Verification category, have been growing in interest for buyers since reviews increased over the course of the last year.
Compared to reviews collected in 2022, 2023 had been more average across the categories. In 2022, there were peaks of reviews submitted for the Email and Email Management categories despite fewer reviews being collected compared to 2023.
This past year, there were fewer peaks, but in the peak growth in the fall of 2023, there were over 400 reviews collected across the categories. Email, despite being an older form of software, has also kept a steady number of reviews growing over the last year.
The Email Client and Email Management categories have grown slightly, keeping more of an average review collection. Email Verification, in particular, grew over 2 times its original review count over the fall months, with a peak in October.
The reasoning for this is unclear other than the end of a financial quarter in October.
However, it does show that email verification at the end of 2023 is now taken more seriously by customers and is being implemented into their work systems as its value is appreciated more.
What to look out for in 2024?
Email tech in 2024 seems to be following the trends of most other software by increasing automation. Whether using AI for writing and strategizing for emails, analyzing user behavior and delivering tailored email content to customers, or even automating spam-blocking features, there are many opportunities to use AI in email software.
Like other forms of technology, email is trying to advance in the world of AI. We may see more AI features incorporated into our email workflow. However, it is also vital to modernize tech with automation as it can help boost employee productivity by taking out the menial, repetitive tasks.
Overall, though, email tools are constantly evolving to suit the needs of their users. Now, combining automation with the many existing email tools will only strengthen the usefulness of email as a platform, continuing email’s universal reach to customers and its efficiency as a work tool.
Learn more about email automation, its importance, examples, and top tips and best practices.
Edited by Jigmee Bhutia
by Brianna Bajwa
by Grace Savides