What Is the Average Open Rate for Email Marketing in 2024?

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The average open rate for email marketing in 2024 is 37.72% across all industries. It is a pivotal benchmark for businesses to gauge the effectiveness of their marketing campaign strategies.

However, most marketers still struggle to meet or even beat this industry standard. There are several reasons for this.

So, in this guide, let’s look at why your average open rate is low and how you can improve it.

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7 reasons why your average open rate is low

Email open rates matter, especially if you want to run successful marketing campaigns. On average, the email open rate is 37.72% across all industries.

However, most businesses still struggle to hit that benchmark. Here are some top reasons most businesses have low average email open rates.

1. Poor email list

Most businesses fall into this category because they rarely clean their email lists or opt to buy them. Purchasing email lists from vendors is a bad bet because they’re unreliable.

Think about it: The list barely knows your brand or products. That is why they will mark your email as spam, delete it, or unsubscribe. 

Another factor is that businesses rarely clean their email lists to remove inactive and outdated addresses. Inactive email addresses are the reason your email campaigns get high bounce rates.

2. Lack of segmentation

Segmentation is crucial in any marketing strategy because you must create targeted campaigns for specific groups. Sending generic email blasts without a target audience impacts deliverability. 

Generic content is spammy, and that’s why your subscribers won’t find it relevant, impacting open rates. So, segmenting your audience is a priority to create better campaigns based on user-defined criteria.

3. Poor subject lines

Subject lines are the first point of contact in emails with recipients. Since the average office worker receives 100+ emails daily, making the subject line stand out is crucial. 

Sending emails with vague or spammy subject lines is a sure way to get ignored. 

So, ensure they are clear, concise, and catchy. Marketers should also a/b test the subject lines to see which connects better with the audience.

4. Content lacking in value

Emails that lack content that inspires, educates, or entertains get ignored. Your subscribers opted to receive your emails to get helpful content. So, sending regular emails that are salesy and promoting products makes them look spammy. 

So, focusing on providing value establishes you as a trusted source and builds loyalty. In the end, the audience will buy from you if they get value.

5. Bad timing

Timing is crucial when sending emails. Sending them at the wrong time will lower your open rates. Studies show that emailing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday gets a higher open rate.

So, creating a schedule to send on those days is a good starting point to test and see the impact.

6. Sender information

The ‘from’ part of your email address can also impact your email open rates. Emails with (AOL, Yahoo, or Gmail) get tossed easily to the spam folder.

However, using a branded email address makes the emails recognizable and less likely to get ignored.

7. Using spam trigger words

Email providers often categorize certain words as spam. For instance, using phrases that create a sense of urgency, like ‘before it’s too late’ or ‘urgent,’ can trigger spam filters.

Other words that are red flags are exaggerated claims like ‘100% free’ and money-related terms like ‘Earn cash.’

Carefully crafting email copy that adds value, is relevant, and highlights the benefits of the products goes a long way.

Factors to consider when creating an email marketing plan to improve average open rates

Outlining a marketing plan on the type of content to create, who to send it to, and how often can improve average open rates. Implementing such a strategy with all aspects working in tandem can help businesses achieve their goals.

Studies show businesses with a solid email marketing plan have a 30% chance of achieving their goals. So, how can companies increase their email campaign’s average open rates?

Here are some tips.

Start using email marketing automation software

The automation software streamlines the marketing campaigns and removes barriers or errors. It coordinates processes like lead nurturing, tracking subscriber behavior, and more. 

Businesses can forge deeper connections with their subscribers through email sequences tailored to them. Some common email marketing automation tools are HubSpot, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and more.

Double opt-in your email list

Send your subscribers emails with a double opt-in option to confirm they want to receive communication. Blasting people with promotional emails they have not subscribed to is a sure way to get ignored. 

Double opt-in helps clean your email list, improving deliverability, conversion, and engagement. Studies show that offering double opt-ins improves open rates by 72.2% and CTR by 114% compared to single opt-ins.

Personalize the email content

It starts with the email subject line, where using a subscriber name adds a personal touch. However, it goes beyond that.

Understanding their preferences, pain points, and behavior allows them to connect deeply with the brand. Studies show that personalizing increases open rates by 26% and conversion by 20%.

Integrate social media

Email marketing and social media can work together to amplify the brand. Leveraging social networks like Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook can help build more extensive email lists.

Not only that, but they can also drive engagement and improve email open rates.Studies show integrating social media into email marketing boosts engagement by 73%. It also increases referrals by 39% and new customers by 57%.

Optimize the emails for mobile devices

Studies show that 41.4% of people use mobile devices to access their emails. That is a huge number to ignore. So, optimizing emails to render quickly on mobile devices is crucial.

It is one way of eliminating barriers and can improve email open rates.

How can you measure email open rates?

There is a formula for calculating the email open rate. 

(Emails read/delivered emails) x 100 = email open rates

calculating email open rates

The good thing is that most email marketing tools display the open rates and other KPIs on the dashboard.

Now, collecting data and analyzing email marketing performance is essential in determining its success. Continued analysis and monitoring allow businesses to optimize campaigns for better open rates and conversion.

Wrap Up

Email marketing benchmark data is vital, especially for businesses struggling with below-average open rates. The data can help marketers create better strategies to improve their campaign performance.

However, improving the open rates metrics isn’t easy, but with the tips in this guide, you can create a plan that works.

FAQs

What is the average click through rate for email marketing?

The average CTR for email marketing was 2.00% across all industries. It is down 0.3% from 2021, with legal and technological services leading with 3.3%.

Why is your open rate so low?

Several factors can impact an email marketing campaign’s open rates. Common ones are generic email subject lines, unsegmented email lists, and more.

Constant Contact

Create effective email marketing and other online marketing campaigns to meet your business goals.

Get started free

Jessica Pereira helps SaaS and digital marketing brands build long-lasting customer relationships with meaningful content. Her favorite topics include career development, productivity, and email marketing.