How Gen Z Responds to Email vs. Social Media Campaigns

Introduction:
The New Rules of Engagement

It’s 2025. Gen Z—the generation born between 1997 and 2012—now dominates both the consumer market and the digital workforce. If you’re a business owner or marketing manager in the UAE, chances are you’re asking the same question as brands worldwide:

How do we truly engage Gen Z?

Is social media still king, or has email marketing made a surprising comeback?

For years, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat seemed to outshine every other channel for reaching young audiences. Meanwhile, email was seen as “old school” especially among Gen Z. But here’s the twist: recent research and campaign results from the UAE and GCC show that Gen Z’s digital behaviour is more complex, and email marketing is not only surviving, but evolving.

Source: Statista, “Frequency of Email Usage in the UAE by Age 2024

HubSpot Blog: “Global Email Marketing Stats 2024” 

In this blog, we’ll explore:

  • Why traditional approaches to email marketing have struggled with Gen Z.
  • 7 surprising ways email marketing is changing in 2025, powered by tools like SeamlessSend.
  • How to combine email and social for real results.
  • Practical steps to make the most of your marketing spend—right here in the UAE and beyond.


Let’s dive in and challenge some assumptions.

The Problem: Why Traditional Email Marketing Struggles with Gen Z

Gen Z grew up with smartphones, not desktops. Their attention span is shorter, and their trust in traditional advertising is low. For years, marketers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and other cities across the UAE have found it difficult to connect with this audience through email.

Here’s why traditional email marketing hasn’t worked:

  • Generic, Unpersonalized Content: Gen Z expects content to be tailored to them—not just their name, but their interests, habits, and context.
  • Overcrowded Inboxes: This generation receives dozens of emails every day. Most are ignored or deleted without opening.
  • Lack of Interactivity: Boring newsletters with no interactive elements don’t capture Gen Z’s attention.
  • Low Trust: Gen Z is highly sensitive to privacy issues and wary of “spammy” messages.
  • Preference for Social Platforms: Many brands focused on social, leaving email behind.


Result?
Low open rates, poor engagement, and a missed opportunity to build long-term loyalty with a crucial segment of the UAE market.

But change is here. Let’s see how smart brands are adapting—and how SeamlessSend is leading the way.

Surprising Ways Email Marketing is Changing for Gen Z (and Why It Works in 2025)

1. Hyper-Personalisation: From First Name to First Choice

Personalisation used to mean addressing someone by their first name. For Gen Z, that’s the bare minimum. The new standard is hyper-personalisation: tailoring every aspect of your email based on user preferences, recent behaviours, and even time of day.

Example:
A Dubai-based fashion retailer sends a “Back to Campus” email campaign. Instead of sending the same offer to all students, SeamlessSend’s advanced email strategies allow the brand to:

  • Offer discounts on items viewed but not purchased.
  • Send recommendations based on style preferences.
  • Time delivery when recipients are most active.


Result:

Higher open rates, more clicks, and real sales—all for less than half a fils per email.

How SeamlessSend Helps:
SeamlessSend makes hyper-personalisation easy with built-in smart segmentation tools. No technical jargon, just results.

2. Interactive Emails: Engagement, Not Just Information

Static emails are out. Gen Z responds best to interactive content—polls, sliders, live countdowns, even embedded quizzes.

Example:
An Abu Dhabi events company promotes an upcoming concert. Using SeamlessSend, their campaign includes:

  • A poll (“Which artist are you most excited to see?”)
  • A dynamic countdown timer to ticket sales
  • Clickable RSVP buttons


Benefits:

  • Immediate feedback and higher interaction rates
  • Social sharing directly from email
  • A fun, memorable brand experience

3. Mobile-First Design: Beautiful on Any Device

Gen Z checks email on mobile first—often on the go. If your campaign isn’t optimised for mobile, it’s ignored.

Example:
A Sharjah tech startup launches a new gadget and uses SeamlessSend to create:

  • Responsive email templates that look great on phones, tablets, or desktops
  • Bite-sized content, big headlines, and tappable buttons

Why it works:

  • Faster loading
  • Easier navigation
  • More conversions


Pro Tip:

SeamlessSend offers a full library of mobile-friendly templates—no design skills required.

4. Seamless Integration with Social Media Campaigns

Gen Z doesn’t live in silos. Email and social media need to work together, not compete. Smart brands use email to drive social engagement and vice versa.

Example:
A Dubai-based beauty brand runs an Instagram giveaway. Participants who sign up via email get exclusive early access and extra entries. The follow-up email contains a shareable Instagram story template.

What’s the result?

  • Cross-channel growth
  • More social followers and email subscribers
  • Enhanced community loyalty


How SeamlessSend Makes This Simple:

Pre-built integrations and easy-to-use campaign planners mean you can sync your social and email efforts from one dashboard.

5. Trust and Transparency: Privacy Matters

Gen Z is privacy-conscious. They want to know:

  • How you got their email
  • What you’ll use it for
  • How to opt out, easily

Example:
A UAE-based fintech company sends a welcome email to new users. It includes:

  • Clear privacy policies
  • Transparent data use statements
  • One-click unsubscribe

What happens?

  • Increased trust
  • Fewer unsubscribes
  • Better long-term relationships


SeamlessSend’s Advantage:

All templates and sign-up forms are fully GDPR-compliant and designed for the UAE’s privacy standards. Plus, SeamlessSend never shares your data—guaranteed by Ci CORP Digital Marketing.

6. Timely, Relevant, and Automated Messaging

Gen Z is always “on”—but only wants to hear from you at the right time, with the right message.

Example:
A UAE e-commerce store uses SeamlessSend’s automation to:

  • Send birthday deals and flash sales based on user history
  • Trigger cart abandonment reminders a few hours after browsing
  • Share order updates and product launches instantly


Benefits:

  • Less manual work for marketers
  • Messages arrive when they’re most relevant

Automation means you can reach 20,000+ users in one click, for less than half a fils per email

7. Advanced Analytics for Real-Time Optimisation

Email is no longer “send and hope.” Gen Z marketers rely on real-time analytics to tweak, test, and improve campaigns.

Example:
A GCC-based online course provider uses SeamlessSend to:

  • Track which subject lines perform best
  • See who opens and clicks, live
  • Use AI-powered insights to segment and improve future sends

Results:

  • Better campaign performance
  • Higher ROI
  • Clear, actionable data—not guesswork


SeamlessSend Feature:

Built-in dashboards give you advanced analytics and easy reporting, so you always know what’s working.

Social Media vs. Email: What Does the UAE Data Show for Gen Z?

Let’s bust the myth: Gen Z isn’t just about TikTok dances and Instagram Stories. Recent UAE market data reveals:


But the key? Each channel has its own role:

  • Email is for value, exclusivity, and deeper engagement.
  • Social media is for discovery, entertainment, and quick updates.


Smart marketers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the wider GCC are now combining the two for the biggest impact.

Why SeamlessSend is the UAE’s Top Tool for Gen Z Engagement

SeamlessSend (powered by Ci CORP Digital Marketing) isn’t just another email tool. It’s built for the realities of today’s digital-first world—especially for businesses across the UAE, GCC, and globally who want to connect with Gen Z.

With SeamlessSend, you get:

  • The power to reach 20,000+ users instantly—at less than half a fils per email
  • Even better rates on larger packages, making high-impact campaigns affordable for SMEs and large enterprises
  • Advanced segmentation, automation, and analytics—all in plain English, not tech-speak
  • Full local support from Ci CORP Digital Marketing, your UAE-based partner for 20+ years


Why businesses love SeamlessSend:

  • No contracts or hidden fees
  • Simple, scalable, and compliant with UAE privacy laws


Designed for today’s marketers: fast setup, real results

How to Maximise Your Gen Z Marketing Strategy (Key Takeaways)

Here’s what you need to do, starting today:

  • Stop treating email as an afterthought. It’s a powerful channel for Gen Z—if you use the right approach.
  • Combine email and social for maximum impact. Drive cross-channel engagement.
  • Invest in advanced email strategies: hyper-personalisation, automation, analytics, and interactive content.
  • Use SeamlessSend to save time, cut costs, and grow faster in the UAE and GCC market.
  • Trust local expertise: With Ci CORP Digital Marketing, you get support and insights tailored to the region.

Ready to Transform Your Email Marketing for Gen Z?

Don’t get left behind. Gen Z’s preferences are shaping the future of marketing in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, the wider UAE, GCC, and beyond. Email marketing is back—smarter, faster, and more powerful than ever.

SeamlessSend is the tool top marketers in the region trust to reach thousands of Gen Z consumers in a single click, for less than half a fils per email—no technical skills required.

Ready to discover how SeamlessSend can help your business grow in 2025?
Learn more about SeamlessSend and sign up today.

SeamlessSend is brought to you by Ci CORP Digital Marketing, trusted by UAE businesses for over 20 years. Get in touch for a free consultation, expert advice, or to schedule a demo.

Subscribe
Join our community of 3 million people and get updated every week We have a lot more just for you! Lets join us now