The Secret to Email Cadence

It may surprise you to learn the word cadence, grammatically speaking, was not historically applied to email because cadence is defined as "the modulation or inflection of the voice" or "a sequence of notes or chords compromising the close of a musical phrase." However, if you work in digital marketing, you’ve undoubtedly heard this phrase. Over time, it has morphed to fit into the email landscape to define the rhythm of email sends. So we shall continue, unbothered, to refer to email cadence as the amount of email you send, spread out across how frequently you send it. With the holidays fast approaching, you’ve probably started (or should start) outlining your content calendar for the season. Email is a crucial aspect of holiday marketing, so much so that at certain times during the holiday season, volume can be roughly 90-120% higher than average.[1] So going into the holiday season, what are some things to consider when it comes to your email program? When it comes to your sending cadence, there are some simple best practices to follow, but since we appreciate you taking the time to read our blog, we’re gonna throw in some "secrets" for you as well.

1. Sending Volume:
   When it comes to sending volume, the best practice is simple: keep it consistent. When ISPs see you sending to a small audience, and all of a sudden sending to a gigantic list, they’ll immediately sense some red flags. Have a larger list you only send to occasionally? Break up the send over the course of a few days to avoid raising too many of those red flags.
2. Sending Frequency:
   We don’t like to repeat ourselves too often, but again, simple is best. When it comes to sending frequency keep it consistent. In order to get the best results from your email program, decide how often you should send to your contacts. From there, create a content calendar. It’s best to have a few months at a time mapped out so you aren’t scrambling for content last minute in order to get your send out. Having a consistent frequency will help keep your contacts engaged and will help ensure your emails land in the inbox.
3. Warm It Up, Keep It Warm:
   Whether you’re starting a new email program or migrating to a new platform, ensure your sending cadence ramps up slowly in order to "warm up" your program. When it comes to keeping it warm, the process is fairly simple. Follow the best practices outlined above (namely, keeping your volume and consistency stable) and you should be golden.
4. Ramp it up:
   The holidays are right around the corner, which means email (so much email) is coming. If you’re one of the (many) senders who increases their sending volume during the holidays, now is the time to start ramping up your sends. Gradually increase your volume and sending frequency over the next couple of months in order to increase your chances of landing in the inbox. We hope you found these tips on email cadence helpful. A better email strategy means you’ll have more engaged senders, a higher chance of landing in the inbox, and overall, a higher ROI.

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[1] https://returnpath.com/newsroom/email-volume-and-inbox-placement-exceeded-yearly-average-during-2017-holiday-season-but-so-did-spam-complaints/