Email software is a program built for electronic mail that hosts, optimizes, or secures digital communications for personal or business use.
Email service providers offer users a space to create, send, receive, or organize email. More than just hosting email communication, email software provides features for configuring layout and functionality. Organizations, small and large, deploy email software because digital communication is essential to conducting modern business.
Another word for an application that hosts email is an email client. Desktop applications, browsers, and smartphone apps can all be email clients if the program can read and send an email. Using protocols like POP, IMAP, and SMTP, email clients can send and receive emails through an email server on behalf of users.
Programs that optimize email to deliver marketing messages are email marketing software. Examples of email marketing communications include real-time and custom communications, brand newsletters, fundraisers, and more. Email marketing is a core function of communications for most public-facing companies today. Top email marketing vendors include MailChimp, Adobe, Twilio, and Constant Contact.
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Programs built to predict, prevent, detect, and respond to potential threats and maintain access management are email security software. From blocking or flagging phishing emails to offering indicators of identity in email, email security software works across network gateways, user behavior, and network systems to secure email communications. Top email security vendors include Proofpoint, Avanan, Mimecast, Barracuda, and Cisco.
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The newest branch of email software aims to improve performance and adapt to evolving email marketing solutions. Email optimization software goes beyond standard email marketing software by offering capabilities for multichannel marketers. Features like pre-send checklists, previews, and added data analytics give email marketers flexibility, agility, and specializations to optimize their campaigns. Top email optimization vendors include Litmus, Email Monks, Email on Acid, Trendline, and Validity.
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Email software is critical to modern businesses because of its marketing and analytics capabilities. As vendors and consumers move online for conducting business, digital marketing has become a dominant priority. Email software can help any organization that regularly communicates with stakeholders or prospective clients to craft persuasive emails, plan and execute campaigns, and analyze results.
In the first quarter of 2021, Litmus used its Email Analytics software to analyze how users opened 3 billion emails worldwide.
Between January and March 2021, their findings showed the Apple iPhone email client was the most used accounting for 38.9% of all emails opened, while Gmail is the closest up with 27.2% of emails. The mode in which users accessed email clients is still primarily mobile applications with 43% of all opened emails. The two other most used environments are webmail (browser-based email access) at 36.1% and desktop applications at 19.4%.