Email Marketing Trends for Spanish SMBs in 2025: Value, Clarity & Ethics

Email marketing has been a cornerstone of digital strategies for nearly 25 years, and its global market is projected to grow from $11.5 billion in 2023 to over $46 billion by 2033. In this analysis, Capterra highlights three essential trends that Spanish small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can leverage to optimize campaign performance in 2025.

Trend 1: Deliver Real Value to Avoid Unsubscribes

• Global Unsubscribe Behavior:
  • 25% of consumers unsubscribe from digital communications (emails or SMS) at least once a week.
  • Reasons include low content value, communication overload, or simply keeping their inbox clean.
• Spanish Consumer Behavior:
  • Only 16% of Spanish customers unsubscribe weekly—significantly lower than the global average.
• Strategy Recommendations:
  • Enhance Content Value: Focus on delivering useful, personalized content.
  • Refine Frequency & Subject Lines: Optimize how often and what type of messages are sent.
  • Maintain Updated Databases: Keep customer records current to minimize unwanted communications.

“SMEs should consider factors in their email marketing strategy, such as providing value to customers through their content, personalizing and measuring the performance of their campaigns, and keeping customer databases up-to-date to reduce unsubscribe rates,” says Alejandra Aranda, Content Analyst at Capterra Spain.

Trend 2: Communicate Subscription Benefits Clearly

• Current Observations:
  • Only 58% of brands clearly explain the benefits of subscribing.
  • Just 24% offer promotional incentives during registration.
• Strategy Recommendations:
  • Highlight Value Proposition: Clearly articulate how email content will help customers solve problems.
  • Incentivize Subscriptions: Use promotional offers to encourage sign-ups.
  • Focus on Results: Center your strategy on the tangible benefits and results your emails deliver.

“Marketing professionals can take advantage of this and make small improvements to their email marketing strategies. They can focus on email content and ensure that it helps customers solve their problems,” says Alejandra Aranda.

Trend 3: Uphold Ethics to Build and Maintain Trust

• Importance of Ethics:
  • Trust is critical—without it, long-term benefits of email marketing vanish.
  • Globally, 34% of consumers would report misleading subject lines.
• Spanish Market Specifics:
  • In Spain, 40% of consumers are likely to report misleading subject lines, exceeding the global average.
• Strategy Recommendations:
  • Be Transparent: Use subject lines that honestly reflect email content.
  • Consistency is Key: Ensure that the email content aligns with the promise made in the subject line.
  • Avoid Deception: Build customer trust by avoiding misleading or deceptive practices from the start.

“Email marketers are advised to avoid deceptive practices and establish customer expectations from the beginning of the journey, that is, from the subject line,” comments Alejandra Aranda.

For Spanish SMBs aiming to refine their email marketing strategies in 2025, the focus should be on creating value, clearly communicating the benefits of subscribing, and adhering to ethical standards. By addressing these trends, marketers can reduce unsubscribe rates, boost engagement, and build lasting trust with their customers—key ingredients for long-term success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.