Deliverability and price are the key issues of importance for marketers selecting an e-mail service provider (ESP), though marketers should also be looking at relevance, according to a new report by JupiterResearch.
“While keeping the cost of a solution down is important, it is more important to look at sending relevant messaging,” said Scott Olrich, chief marketing officer at Responsys. “Sending more relevant e-mails to clients will aid in deliverability and help increase the value of the e-mail.”
In its 2008 Email Marketing Buyer’s Guide, authored by analyst David Daniels, Jupiter evaluated the performance of 32 e-mail vendors based on their overall value, suitability and breadth on the distinct needs of three types of marketers, and placed them in three categories: full-service, small-midsize business and large enterprise.
Responsys ranked for both “market suitability” and “overall business value” for the enterprise category. Silverpop, ExactTarget, Yesmail, Datran and Alterian also ranked in this category.
In the full-service segment, e-Dialog, CheetahMail, Epsilon, Click Tactics, and Acxiom Digital topped the list. According to the report, e-Dialog’s innovative tools and scalability to grow its business helped its positive score. Datran Media’s unique interface and inventory management system and its account servicing capabilities sustained during its growth helped in its report card.
While only a few players exist in the small to midsize business segment for ESPs, EmailLabs, SubscriberMail, and iPost ranked the highest in this category.
According to the report, e-mail in mobile will play a bigger role in the coming year. The increasing prevalence of consumers moving their e-mail accounts on mobile devices will accelerate the need for the market as a whole to address e-mail portability.
“There are a lot of similarities between the mobile and e-mail channels and at Responsys we work with clients on campaigns that are executed across both,” Olrich added.
