7 email marketing trends for 2025—from AI technology to sustainability

Looking to elevate your email newsletters and stand out in 2025? Whether refining your client communications or designing standout newsletters for others, staying on top of emerging trends is key. From AI-driven personalization to sustainable practices, these seven email marketing trends will help you create content that resonates with your existing clients, attracts new ones, and puts your best foot forward. 

Keen to see what’s to come? Let’s explore what’s next in the world of email marketing!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the world of email marketing. Statistics show that businesses are starting to incorporate AI in their email marketing campaigns, and creators can benefit from using it too.  AI is changing email creation in many ways. Let’s check the most popular ways to use it: 

Generative AI tools can help you brainstorm campaign ideas, develop topics for your email newsletter, or build content calendars for your freelance projects. For instance, AI can suggest themes for your portfolio updates or highlights of your best work. 

AI-powered tools study historical data to craft the best subject lines, preview text, and email copy. Consider using them to write compelling descriptions of your latest design projects or videos. They can also proofread your emails, allowing you to send polished messages. 

With AI functionality, creatives can draw inspiration from real-time email examples. With the right prompts, AI tools will generate custom and branded images. Designers can showcase their portfolios, while videographers can create eye-catching email thumbnails for their videos.   

AI in email marketing learns from every interaction. The goal is to predict future preferences and behavior. For example, AI tools can analyze feedback to gauge customer satisfaction. This data helps refine your strategy and showcase work that resonates with subscribers.

Reliable email solutions like Moosend, Mailchimp, and MailerLite have built-in AI capabilities. Each of them comes with some top AI features:

Moosend’s Audience Discovery analyzes user behavior, identifies patterns, and builds groups of similar audiences. This tool lets you understand your customers’ interests and purchase intent for specific service categories to create targeted campaigns. There’s an AI Writer, too, that uses data and keywords to generate unique email copy and subject lines.  

Mailchimp’s Predictive Segmentation forecasts customer lifetime value based on past user interactions. Then, it groups them using automation. 

MailerLite’s Smart Sending analyzes users’ past behavior to determine the best time to dispatch emails to individual recipients.   

There are many options regarding AI in email marketing, with different tools serving different needs. Mailchimp’s AI tools, for example, address complex needs and demand an increased budget, so they’re ideal for large enterprises. Moosend and MailerLite are cost-effective yet powerful alternatives to Mailchimp. They even come with free solutions like Moosend’s AI subject line tester, making them a perfect fit for freelance creators. 

With hyper-personalization, subscribers feel you crafted your emails just for them. This includes customized subject lines, copy, and design elements, like colors, typography, or CTAs.   

But how can you personalize your messages at scale? 

Most email marketing platforms offer built-in automated workflows. With them, you can tailor every email without designing it from scratch. This is ideal for freelancers who want to nurture subscribers without manual work. Automated emails, triggered by user interactions, deliver relevant messages at the right time.

Using automated workflows can: 

Pitch sends an automated onboarding email to engage inactive users. They include a three-step guide with clear sections and straightforward copy. With these tips, readers can understand what to do and start taking the following steps.

Did you know that every email has a carbon footprint? BBC has an interesting roundup of the carbon footprints of different types of email. Mike Berners-Lee conducted the research for his book How Bad Are Bananas: 

Your clients are probably just as concerned about energy waste as you are, so you can connect with them by focusing on sustainability. Here’s how you can ace sustainable email marketing:  

In this email example, Designer Fund does an excellent job of presenting its mission to support tech companies investing in sustainable design practices. Here, it showcases the work of Lumen Energy, a brand dedicated to installing clean energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions worldwide. It also takes the opportunity to promote its best workshops.

Nowadays, accessibility is not about staying out of legal trouble—reaching all your potential clients is essential. 29% of retailers adopt accessibility in their digital marketing strategy for customer acquisition.

Let’s see how you can master email accessibility to reach a wider audience:

Adobe’s email is simple and gets straight to the point. Respecting accessibility standards, it creates an uncluttered design that includes just the necessary elements: a clear and actionable heading, a few lines of straightforward copy, and an animated CTA. However, it doesn’t stop there. It adds an animated GIF to show the new feature in action. 

60% of consumers say they’re more likely to engage with an interactive email. Interactive content makes subscribers stay with your email longer. Also, you reduce friction since they can take action without leaving the email.  

These are the most trending interactive elements to catch recipients’ attention: 

Interactivity, in contrast to sustainable practices, favors multimedia elements. Use only one element at a time to avoid slow loading times―or go for something as simple as a fun GIF. Plus, not every email has to be interactive. The key is to strike a balance between engagement and sustainability.  

Readdle introduces Spark’s new version for iOS through a dedicated email campaign. To lure users in and create an effortless email experience, they include an informative video showcasing the app’s slick new design.

74% of people say they value data privacy. So respecting people’s data and following email marketing laws is crucial. This is even more imperative for freelancers with clients in several countries. Adhering to guidelines and being transparent with data practices helps you build trust. Besides using a custom email address that includes your name, here’s what you should do:

Professionals operating in the US and Canada should follow these standards: 

Professionals operating in the European Union must follow these standards: 

You could rely on surveys and questionnaires to collect valuable customer data. You can also include an email preference control center where subscribers can choose their preferred mailing frequency and content.      

Fiverr’s email respects compliance. The signature highlights the privacy policy and unsubscribe option in bold. The footer also includes the company’s physical address. 

There’s more to your emails than the content inside. One way to expand your reach to new people is by integrating email marketing with social media. To get the most out of this powerful combination, you can: 

Use your email newsletter to share engaging social media content, such as behind-the-scenes video shoot footage. Consider including top-performing social media posts to increase social media traffic. At the same time, subscribers will appreciate the valuable content you share. 

Consumers are far more likely to trust messages from customers. To them, UGC tends to feel more credible and authentic than professional content. So, use embedded customer reviews and testimonials to showcase real-life scenarios. Let satisfied clients communicate the value of your services and build your credibility. 

Include branded social media icons in a prominent place within your email template, such as your signature. This will allow recipients to follow you on different platforms. Also, you get to offer them a consistent experience. 

Social sharing buttons in your emails help subscribers share them with their followers, which is an excellent way to boost brand awareness. Ask yourself, “Where do my customers hang out?” After figuring it out, include options for recipients to advertise your expertise. 

This email from New Darlings hits two birds with one stone. They promote their best videos where they share their home or style favorites. Not only that, but they also invite subscribers to visit their Instagram page to watch more home tours and style videos.

As a freelance creator, nurturing your audience through email is essential. Invest in the right email service provider to target subscribers with personalized emails and take it to the next level by creating automated workflows and producing interactive content. To increase visibility for your projects, integrate your email marketing efforts with social media. Social media platforms offer an excellent opportunity to cross-promote your email content.

You should also align your email marketing efforts with your audience’s needs and values. So build accessible and sustainable emails to cater to all customers. Remember that your email list is one of your most valuable assets. You must use the proper practices to ensure data protection and privacy.

Email marketing success doesn’t end there, though. Keep experimenting with emerging trends and changing customer requirements. Ask for customer feedback and perform regular A/B tests. Another tactic is to watch key email marketing metrics. This includes open rates, clicks, and conversion rates. That way, you can understand what resonates with your clients. 

Learn more about email marketing by getting a glimpse of its future and discovering how to start and end a business email.