Why is email considered a “push” channel?
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Email is a push channel because you deliver the message directly to someone's inbox. They don't have to visit your website or remember to check your app. The email shows up, whether they were thinking about you or not.
Compare that to a pull channel like a blog or social media feed. With pull, people have to come to you. They have to remember your URL, open their browser, type it in. Email skips all that friction. You write it, hit send, and it appears in their personal space (the inbox they probably check 10 times a day).
And This is why email feels more direct than posting on social media. When you post on Twitter or LinkedIn, you're hoping someone scrolls past your content at the right moment. When you send an email, you're placing it directly in front of them. They'll see it the next time they open their inbox, even if that's three days later.
The push dynamic changes how you should think about frequency and value. Because you're interrupting someone's day (showing up uninvited in their inbox), every email needs to justify its presence. Send too often with weak content and people unsubscribe or mark you as spam. Send too rarely and they forget who you are. The sweet spot is different for every audience, but the push nature means you can't hide behind an algorithm. Every send is a direct test of whether your content is worth their attention.
Push also means email works for time-sensitive messages in a way pull channels can't. A password reset email or a shipping notification doesn't work if someone has to remember to check your site. It works because it pushes into their inbox the moment they need it.
The tradeoff? Push channels require permission. You can't just push into someone's inbox without them opting in (well, you can, but mailbox providers will block you fast). Pull channels let people discover you organically. With push, you need explicit consent first, then you need to keep earning their attention with every send.
Wondering how often to push? Start conservative (once a week for marketing, as-needed for transactional), watch your open rates and unsubscribe rates, and adjust from there. The push privilege is yours to lose.
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