Channels: Email Marketing#

Guides email marketing strategy for AI/SaaS products. Email ROI ~$36 per dollar spent; open/click rates typically higher than social. Covers EDM vs Newsletter, five content types, deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and SEO synergy via article delivery.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Initial Assessment#

Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for audience and content strategy. See content-marketing for content types and formats across channels.

Identify:

1. Goal: Retention, conversion, brand reach, or SEO synergy
2. Content mix: Onboarding, campaign, announcement, features, newsletter
3. List size: Bulk sender rules (5,000+/day) require Gmail/Yahoo compliance

EDM vs Newsletter#

TypePurposeUseEDMDirect marketing; conversion-focusedPromotions, campaigns, announcements; bulk sendsNewsletterOngoing value; relationshipIndustry insights, curated articles; regular cadence

Combine both: EDM for push; Newsletter for nurture. Cover different stages and goals.

Five Content Types#

TypeUseOnboardingWelcome + first-use guidance; 5-7 day sequence; behavior-triggered; drive "Aha!" momentCampaignPromotions, limited-time; conversion or participationAnnouncementProduct launch, major update; one-time important noticeFeatures updateNew features, improvements; help users adoptBlog/NewsletterCurated articles, industry insights; sustained touch

User Best Practices#

PracticeGuidelinePersonalizationSegment by behavior, source, stage; boosts open/clickTimingNew users: dense; existing: controlled pace; behavior-triggered > calendar-onlyWelcome seriesSend soon after signup; 5-7 emails over days; guide first key actionUnsubscribeOne-click required (Gmail/Yahoo); honor within 48h; clear entryComplaint rateKeep below 0.3%; list hygiene critical

Content Best Practices#

PracticeGuidelineSubjectOne clear topic per email; avoid pure promoValue firstUseful info before promotionCTASingle primary CTA; clear next stepMobile50%+ read on mobile; responsive layout, tappable links

Deliverability & Domain Config#

Subdomain: Use subdomain (e.g. mail.example.com) for marketing; keep transactional (support@, etc.) on main domain. Isolate risk.

SPF, DKIM, DMARC#

ProtocolPurposeSPFAuthorizes mail servers for domainDKIMCryptographic signature; verifies senderDMARCPolicy for unauthenticated mail; start p=none, then quarantine, then reject over 60-90 days

Order: SPF first, then DKIM, then DMARC. Gmail/Yahoo require all three for bulk senders (5,000+/day) since Feb 2024.

Advanced: TLS-RPT, MTA-STS, BIMI (brand logo). Postmaster Tools: Monitor deliverability, spam rate, auth status.

Delivery Strategy: Articles + SEO Synergy#

Article TypeUseRetentionDeep content for existing users; improve retentionToFuTop of funnel; awareness (trends, concepts, problem framing)MoFuMiddle of funnel; consideration (comparisons, reviews, best practices)

Dual value: (1) Better email engagement (open, click, stickiness); (2) Drive traffic to article pages from non-search channel; signals to Google that users value content; supports SEO.

Measurement: GA4 email source traffic to article pages; GSC rank/click changes.

Planning Framework#

1. Content mix: Allocate onboarding, campaign, announcement, features, newsletter
2. Select articles: Pick retention, ToFu, MoFu from blog; prioritize SEO target pages
3. Cadence: Stable frequency (weekly/biweekly/monthly); avoid over-sending
4. Monitor: Open rate, click rate; GA4 email contribution to article traffic; GSC

Frequency#

GuidelineNoteBaseline1 high-value email/week for most brandsPeak timesTue-Thu, 8-11am or 2-4pm (recipient timezone)SegmentationNew vs loyal need different cadenceQualityRelevant, behavior-triggered > calendar volume

Data: ~36% send 1-3/month; ~30% weekly; daily risks high unsubscribe.

Output Format#

• Content mix (five types)
• EDM vs Newsletter balance
• Deliverability (subdomain, SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
• Article delivery (Retention, ToFu, MoFu, SEO targets)
• Cadence and frequency
• KPI (open, click, GA4 email traffic, GSC)

Related Skills#

• content-marketing: Content types, formats; email as channel in repurposing matrix
• newsletter-signup-generator: Signup form design
• traffic-analysis: Email source attribution, UTM
• analytics-tracking: Email click tracking
• content-strategy: Article selection for email delivery
• integrated-marketing: Email as owned media channel