40 years of email in Germany – 20 years of CSA

To mark the 20^th anniversary of the Certified Senders Alliance (CSA), over 180 email experts from 20 countries gathered at the CSA Email Summit 2024 in Cologne. The three-day event took place at the Wasserturm Hotel – a unique venue with historical flair. A special highlight was the evening event with a BBQ, which provided the perfect setting for informal dialogue and networking.

Julia Janssen-Holldiek, Director of the CSA, opened the event with a quote from Professor Michael Rotert, who received the first email in Germany 40 years ago. The CSA was founded in 2004 to create a protected space for legitimate email and today has over 100 certified senders and 45 partners.

Professor Rotert wished for “less spam”, which met with broad approval from the audience.

Trust fuels the future of email as we enter the age of AI and assistants

Alex Charles, CPO of 1&1 Mail & Media, shed light on the future of email in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assistants. Despite the digital transformation, email remains the most trusted communication channel. To ensure the relevance of email for the next generation, Alex called for a quiet revolution focused on better communication and the integration of personal AI.

Post-mortem on open rates

Raymond Dijkxhoorn (SURBL) and Jakub Olexa (Omnivery) warned against the distortion of open rates by non-human interactions. They advocated for transparent tracking links and the development of new KPIs such as conversions and engagement to better measure the actual success of email campaigns.

Enhanced feedback loops

Tobias Knecht, CEO of Abusix, explained how feedback loops can improve communication between senders and recipients and help build trust. The introduction of the Complaint Feedback Loop (CFBL) header enables better collaboration to enhance deliverability.

Scoring with trust: How innovation and quality shape the Bundesliga’s B2B2C marketing

Dennis Galejski (DFL) and Bjoern Koester (Webstrategy) shared insights into how innovation is driving the Bundesliga’s B2B2C marketing. Effective communication, consistency and trust are critical to success.

From blind trust to brilliance

Janine Hummel (Front Row Germany) emphasised that trust in email marketing should be based on knowledge rather than blind confidence. She advocated a collaborative approach and breaking down departmental silos to increase campaign effectiveness.

How CSA complaint monitoring foiled a bot attack

Sarra Papadopoulou (Sitecore) reported how CSA Complaint Monitoring helped repel a bot attack and safeguard sign-up forms. Sitecore implemented a security wall featuring measures such as CAPTCHA and rate limiting.

The basics of a data-driven performance plan

Kevin Steba, CEO of SEINō, explained that optimising resources and budgets is vital to a successful performance plan. KPIs support informed decision-making and strategic resource allocation.

Decoding email UX: The science of user attention

Gabriel Gastaud (Viaretina) outlined how email user experience (UX) affects user attention. Load times, design and clear calls to action are essential for conversions. AI-based eye-tracking technology provides valuable insights in this area.

Good and bad practices observed by anti-spam and mailbox providers – and which to follow

Axelle Allouch (Orange) and Stéphane Decamps (Vade) discussed how anti-spam and mailbox providers distinguish between good and bad practices. They highlighted the need for trust from email service providers (ESPs) and recommended that senders maintain transparency and ensure clear identification of their emails for both recipients and filters.

Protecting your brand messaging with PostNL

Martijn Groeneweg (DMARC Advisor) and Koen Wackers (PostNL) addressed the protection of brand communications. DMARC blocks illegitimate email, and BIMI enables the display of trusted senders’ logos in inboxes. PostNL uses BIMI to combat phishing.

Domain reputation as the future anchor of trust

In the closing panel, Sebastian Kluth (CSA) moderated a discussion on the role of domain reputation in establishing email trust. Arne Allisat (1&1), Marcel Becker (Yahoo), Petra Maelzer (Inxmail) and Seth Charles (Iterable) stressed the importance of transparent communication, appropriate visual elements and customer education in strengthening trust in email.