Average Open Rate for Email Marketing and How to Increase It
About 85% of US retailers consider email marketing as one of the most effective customer acquisition tactics. You might struggle to make the most of email marketing if people aren’t opening your emails, though.
With these tips for email marketing, you can boost your open rates and start reaching more customers. Then, you can convert your subscribers into leads and sales.
What exactly is the average open rate for email marketing campaigns? Keep reading to determine if your campaigns are meeting the mark. If they’re not, it’s time to make a change.
Read on to discover the tips for email marketing you need to create successful campaigns today!
The Average Open Rate
The average open rate for all industries is 16.97%. Here’s a breakdown by business type:
- Accommodations – 18.35%
- Accountant – 17.17%
- Arts, Culture, Entertainment – 17.86%
- Automotive Services – 10.25%
- Child Care Services – 26.99%
- Civic/Social Membership – 12.66%
- Consultants/Training – 11/38%
- Education (Primary) – 29.35%
- Education (Higher Education) – 19.55%
- Financial Advisor – 12.26%
- Fitness Center, Sports, Recreation – 17.88%
- Fitness/Nutritional Services – 14.16%
- Government Agency or Services – 28.98%
- Health and Social Services – 21.84%
- Health Professional – 16.60%
- Home and Building Services – 19.79%
- Insurance – 14.80%
- Legal Services – 18.68%
- Manufacturing and Distribution – 14.48%
- Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations – 12.83%
- Personal Services – 16.7%
- Publishing – 15.75%
- Real Estate – 13.42%
- Restaurant, Bar, Cafe, Caterer – 14.56%
- Retail – 11.27%
- Salon, Spa, Barber – 14.44%
- Technology – 12.44%
- Transportation – 14.00%
- Travel and Tourism – 15.45%
How do your existing email marketing campaigns compare? Understanding the average open rate for email marketing can help you determine if it’s time to make a change. If your open rate is below the average for your industry, it’s okay.
You can use these email marketing tips to set your campaigns up for success.
As your open rates improve, you can generate more clicks to your website. Then, consumers can convert on a landing page. You’ll generate more leads and sales, improving your ROI.
Improving Email Marketing Open Rates
Make sure to check your current email marketing campaigns. Compare your average open rate for email marketing to your industry’s average.
If your open rates are below average, it’s time to start improving email marketing campaigns! Here are the tips you need for higher open rates.
1. Compose Compelling Subject Lines
People receive dozens of emails every day. They might decide to send an email straight to the trash bin if it doesn’t appeal to their interests. One of the best ways to improve your open rates is to write strong subject lines.
Most people skim through the subject lines in their inbox before determining which emails to open. If your subject lines are weak, the consumer might click the “Spam” button. You could end up blacklisted if people click “Spam” too often.
As more people send your emails to the trash, your open rate will drop, too.
A strong subject line can grab the reader’s attention. You can draw them in, spark their interest, and encourage them to open your emails. They want to see what content is waiting instead.
First, make sure every email you create has a singular focus. Otherwise, the email’s purpose might not appeal to the reader’s needs.
Take the time to research your target audience. The better you understand your customers, the more likely you can draw them in.
Then, create a clear and concise subject line. Try to use action-oriented verbs to create urgency.
2. Get to the Point
When writing your email marketing subject lines, it’s important to use concise language. Otherwise, you could risk confusing the reader. They might not understand the purpose of your emails.
Get straight to the point in your subject lines. Then, add a little more detail in the preview text.
3. Build Anticipation
Building anticipation in your subject lines can help you increase opens, too.
What will people find within your emails? Tease the content a little. Then, make sure to follow up on your promise within the content.
If you fail to follow up, you could increase your unsubscribe rate.
4. Write Multiple Drafts
It can take a little practice before you learn to write strong subject lines and headlines. Write multiple drafts. Then, test out the options on someone in your office.
Ask them which subject line and headline drew their interest. If you can spark their curiosity, you could increase your average open rate for email marketing.
5. Adjust Your Frequency and Timing
You don’t want to risk frustrating your subscribers. If you send too many messages, they won’t open your emails. Instead, they’ll unsubscribe.
How often you send emails can impact your open rate. Try to start with one email a week. You’ll need to test your frequency to determine the right number.
In some industries, sending an email every day is ideal. The right frequency depends on your distinct target audience.
If you notice an increase in unsubscribes, it’s time to reduce your send volume.
Take a look at your data. When is your open rate at its highest? Reviewing the data from your campaigns can help you determine the right timing.
Different audiences prefer to open emails at different times. For example, a busy working mom might prefer to open emails around their lunch break. Teenagers might prefer to open emails after school.
Take the time to experiment with different days of the week and times.
For example, Thursdays have the highest open rates at an average of 18.6%. Wednesday comes in second with an average open rate of 18.3%.
Sundays have the worst open rate, at an average of 17.1% for all industries.
6. Avoid Spammy Buzzwords
Adding the wrong buzzwords to your emails could impact your open rate, too. Remember, you want to create compelling subject lines. If it looks like spam, the user will delete your email and unsubscribe.
Spammy buzzwords can impact your brand’s reputation, too. You could come off as shady, needy, or cheap.
Avoid words like:
- Re
- FWD
- Cheap
- Cash
- F r e e
- 100% Free
- Discount
- Save %%
- !!!
- Bargain
Make sure you don’t send emails you wouldn’t want to receive yourself. Low-value emails will frustrate your subscribers. They’ll unsubscribe, leading to a lower open rate.
Meanwhile, you’ll have fewer leads to nurture into paying customers.
After you create each email, set it aside. Come back to it in 24 hours. Then, read it again.
Does it seem spammy or annoying? Try to picture yourself as one of your customers.
Make sure it’s an email you’d want to find in your inbox.
7. Segment Your Lists
Take the time to segment your email lists, too. Segmentation will help you better personalize your emails. Personalization can help you connect with your target audience.
You can appeal to their distinct needs and show them you understand them. You can also use your emails to focus on a specific pain point. Then, hint at a solution within your subject lines.
Marketers who create segmented campaigns experience as much as a 760% increase in revenue. Relevant emails drive 18 times more revenue than broadcast emails, too.
The majority (67%) of marketers say they need to better personalize their emails. Marketers are using personalization to:
- Tailor promotions and messages by audience segment
- Offer product or content recommendations by audience segment
- Send personalized messages at spend time
- Trigger emails based on user behaviors
Personalized email marketing messages generate an average ROI of 122%. Personalized subject lines generate 50% higher open rates than standard lines, too.
Start researching your customers. Then, segment your audience based on psychographics and demographics. You can also segment groups based on where the customer is in the buyer’s journey.
Then, develop personalized content with each group in mind.
Otherwise, mistargeted and inconsistent communications could hurt your campaigns. In fact, 68% automatically delete emails. Another 54% unsubscribe.
Meanwhile, 45% mark these emails as junk or spam.
8. Leverage FOMO
You can use urgency to leverage the fear of missing out (FOMO).
For example, you can offer a limited-time discount code. You can also hint at an exclusive sale.
Exclusivity could help draw more people to open your emails. Your followers will feel special. They’ll want to see what gift you have waiting for them.
9. Clean Up Your Email List
As you use these tips and start improving email marketing campaigns, don’t forget to review your email lists. An old list could have an impact on your open rates, too.
Look for and weed out inactive recipients.
Otherwise, avoid purchasing email lists. Purchased emails could hurt your open rate, too. People will mark you as spam and unsubscribe.
Many lists are full of inactive accounts, too.
You can learn more about email validation and hygiene here.
10. Analyze and Optimize
In order to make more informed decisions regarding your email marketing campaigns, use A/B testing. For example, you can A/B test two subject lines for the same email. Then, determine which tactic helped boost your open rate.
You can use A/B testing for your clickthrough rates, too.
Over time, you’ll start learning what subject lines, send times, and other factors impact your open rate. Then, you can optimize your future email campaigns and generate more opens!
Kick Up Clicks: 10 Tips for Boosting Your Average Open Rate for Email Marketing
Don’t rush to create your email marketing campaigns. Instead, use these tips to improve your average open rate for email marketing. With these tips, you can generate more opens and appeal to more customers.
Then, you can generate more leads and sales, improving your ROI in the process.
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