Email – Still the Alpha Channel

Nearly half of us can’t even use the bathroom without checking email. This is just one of the surprising — or not — findings from Adobe Campaign’s second annual consumer email survey released today. The report surveyed more than 1,000 white-collar workers in the United States to glean insights related to the good, the bad, and the awkward when it comes to personal and work email habits. In sum, Americans are addicted to email.

Compared to last year’s survey results, respondents now spend even more time checking email, despite the growing popularity of Snapchat, Slack, and other communication platforms. As a society, we are multitasking on the go and have started to accept email intrusions on our personal and work conversations. Here are some key findings from this year’s survey, along with insights on how to maximize what can only be called the “Alpha Channel” in cross-channel marketing success.

We’re Addicted to Email—At Home, Work, and Play

It’s no surprise that Americans are still completely tied to email, constantly looking at both personal and work email 24/7, on the go. Year-over-year, time spent checking email has increased 17 percent, with smartphones overtaking computers as the preferred device for sending and receiving email.

We love to multitask with email. Survey respondents say they check email while watching TV or while watching a movie (69 percent), in bed (57 percent), and on vacation (79 percent). Percentages increase across the board for millennials (ages 18-34), with a disturbing 20 percent more checking email while driving. A quarter of Americans report checking email regularly right up until they go to bed, with three percent actually getting up in the middle of the night to check messages.

An “Always On,” Informal Email Culture Has Emerged in Business

Almost half of survey respondents said they expect a response to work email in less than an hour. Expectations are even higher with millennials: more than a quarter of those surveyed expect responses within a few minutes! The “always on” email work culture persists on the weekend — with people sending an average of 19 emails and reading 29 work emails. What’s more, 79 percent admit to checking email while on vacation.

Email Interruption Is Acceptable

The Takeaway

Email is still the number one most effective one-to-one communication channel for marketers, even though there is more noise in all of our inboxes, and despite growth in mobile apps, social media, and text. Savvy marketers see these statistics as evidence to support an integrated cross-channel marketing strategy that continues to rely on email as the “Alpha Channel.” Power rests in being close to the data to help determine the right email message and when to deliver it. Highly successful emails are relevant and timely, and delivering the message when people are most likely to open or engage with email is the key to driving more revenue with the email channel.

Take this Buzzfeed quiz: Are Your Smartphone Tendencies Annoying Or Acceptable?