Definition

Open rate refers to the percentage of recipients who opened an email message out of the total number of emails delivered.

Description

Open rate is a metric used to measure the effectiveness of email marketing campaigns. It is calculated as the percentage of email recipients who opened an email message out of the total number of emails delivered. For example, if an email campaign was sent to 1000 subscribers and 200 of them opened the email, the open rate would be 20%.

Source: SuperOffice CRM

Open rate is an essential metric for email marketers because it provides insights into how well their email campaigns perform. A higher available rate indicates that the email content was relevant and engaging to the target audience, while a low open rate indicates that the email subject line or content did not resonate with the subscribers.

However, the open rate should not be used as the only measure of email campaign success. It does not necessarily indicate whether the email content led to a desired action, such as a click-through to a website or a conversion. Therefore, email marketers should also track metrics such as click-through rate, conversion rate, and revenue generated from email campaigns.
Factors affecting open email rates include the subject line, sender name, email content, and the time and day of the week the email is sent. Testing and optimization of these factors can improve open email rates over time.

Importance of Open Rate

Open rate is important:

• Email marketers need to know their open rate because it provides insights into the effectiveness of their email campaigns. By tracking open rates over time, marketers can determine whether their email content and subject lines resonate with their target audience.
• A high open rate indicates that the email content is relevant and engaging to subscribers, while a low open rate may mean that the content needs improvement.
• Knowing the open rate can also help marketers identify opportunities for optimization and testing. For example, they can test different subject lines or sender names to see which ones result in higher open rates. They can also experiment with the timing of their email campaigns to determine when subscribers are most likely to open their emails.
• Tracking open rates can help marketers better understand their subscribers and preferences. By analysing open rates by segment or demographic, marketers can gain insights into what types of content most appeal to different groups of subscribers. This can help them tailor their email campaigns to better meet the needs and interests of their target audience.
• Knowing the open rate is an important aspect of email marketing that can help marketers improve their campaigns, build stronger relationships with their subscribers, and achieve their business goals.

How to optimise open rates?

There are several strategies that email marketers can use to optimise their open rates:

• Write compelling subject lines: The subject line is the first thing subscribers see when they receive an email, so it is important to make it compelling and relevant to the content of the email. Marketers can use personalization, curiosity, and urgency to encourage subscribers to open their emails.
• Segment your audience: Sending targeted emails to specific audience segments can help improve open rates. By sending relevant content to subscribers based on their interests or behaviours, marketers can increase their chances of opening and engaging with the email.
• Use a recognizable sender name: Using a recognizable sender name can help build trust and credibility with subscribers. Marketers can use their company name or the name of a relevant team member to make the email feel more personal and trustworthy.
• Optimize the email preview text: The preview text is the short snippet of text that appears below the subject line in the email inbox. Marketers can use this space to provide additional context and entice subscribers to open the email.
• Test and optimize: Marketers should continuously test and optimize their email campaigns to improve open rates. A/B testing different subject lines, sender names, and email content can help determine which elements most encourage subscribers to open and engage with the email.
• Maintain a clean email list: Regularly cleaning your email list by removing inactive or unengaged subscribers can help improve open rates. A smaller, more active list is more likely to result in higher open rates and better campaign performance.

Future Strategy for Open Rate

Best strategies to improve email open rates is to:

•  Leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies to better understand subscriber preferences and behaviour. By analysing data such as email engagement history, browsing behaviour, and social media activity, AI algorithms can predict which types of content and messaging are most likely to resonate with each subscriber.
• Another strategy is incorporating more interactive elements into email content, such as animated GIFs, videos, and gamification. These interactive elements can increase engagement and encourage subscribers to open and interact with the email.
• Personalization and customization will continue to be essential strategies for improving open rates in the future. Marketers can use data such as location, interests, and past purchase behaviour to tailor email content to each subscriber, making the email more relevant and engaging.
• Incorporating emerging technologies such as voice assistants and augmented reality (AR) into email campaigns may become more common. For example, subscribers may be able to interact with email content using voice commands or see products in 3D through AR overlays. These innovative features can help make emails more engaging and memorable, leading to higher open rates and better campaign performance.

Example

A clothing brand sends an email campaign promoting its new summer collection. The email’s subject line reads “Get Ready for Summer with Our New Collection” and includes personalised product recommendations based on the recipient’s browsing history on the brand’s website.

After sending the email campaign to its subscriber list, the brand tracks the open rate to determine its effectiveness. They find that the open rate for the campaign is 25%, which means that 25% of the recipients opened the email.

Based on this data, the brand can analyse what worked well and what can be improved in future email campaigns. For example, they may determine that the personalised product recommendations effectively increase open rates and decide to include more customised content in future email campaigns.

By consistently tracking open rates and using the data to optimise their email campaigns, the clothing brand can improve engagement with their subscribers and drive more sales.

FAQ

What is the open rate?
Open rate is the percentage of recipients who opened an email sent by a marketer.

Why is an open rate significant?
Open rate is important because it provides insight into the effectiveness of an email campaign. A higher open rate indicates that the subject line, sender name, and preview text effectively encouraged recipients to open the email.

How is the open rate calculated?
Open rate is calculated by dividing the number of emails opened by the total number of emails sent, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.

What is a good open rate?
A good open rate varies depending on the industry, audience, and type of email being sent. However, on average, an excellent open rate is around 20-25%.

How can I improve my open rate?
Strategies for improving open rates include writing compelling subject lines, segmenting your audience, using a recognizable sender name, optimising the email preview text, testing and optimising, and maintaining a clean email list.

What are some future strategies for improving the open rate?
Future strategies for improving open rates include leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, incorporating more interactive elements into email content, personalization and customization, and incorporating emerging technologies such as voice assistants and augmented reality.