Sudden Drop of Newsletter Open Rate? What is a Good Open Rate?

Is my newsletter boring??? Why did my subscribers suddenly decide to stop opening my emails? What’s going on? How come I have a sudden drop in newsletter open rate?

If you’re among the group that experienced it this year, you’ll be glad to hear you’re not alone. But that doesn’t feel better, does it?

In the quest to find the answer to the magic question, what should you do to keep your subscribers engaged in 2024? I found that each mailing software and digital marketing tool has its own tactics for doing that and its own average open rates, which are considered good email open rates. So, I’m sharing my insights with you in the hope that they will help you reorganize your email campaigns.

What is a Good Newsletter Open Rate in 2024?

In 2024, a good open rate for email varies by industry but generally falls between 15% and 55%. (I know, it’s quite a range, but bear with me!). This can be influenced by several factors, including the quality of your subscriber list, the relevance of your content, and how often and when you send your emails. Still, it mainly depends on your industry.

Email marketing statistics can indicate where you need to change your approach to run a successful marketing campaign, but you need to dig really deep to discover the root problem.

Since different sources suggest varying benchmarks, it seems impossible to determine the overall average open rate for 2024; it ranges from 16.97% to 39.74%.

If you’re curious, here are some numbers various sources quote for this year:

• Constant Contact provides a comprehensive overview based on 200 million emails sent through their software, suggesting an overall average for all industries is 37.72%. They highlight that some sectors, like child care services, have much higher averages, often exceeding 50%. Non-profit organizations and Family and Social Services also tend to see higher open rates (43%) compared to retail industries (35.65%).
• According to Get Response and their analyses, based on 4.4 billion sent messages in 2023, the all industry average email open rate is 39.64%, going up in 2024. They also have some interesting data related to location. Apparently, the highest open rate is in Oceania (leading with Australia at 57.25%), and the lowest is in Asia (Singapore and Indonesia at 21.67%). The industries with the highest open rates are:
  • Communication (65.14%)
  • Non-profits (54.54%)
  • Arts and Entertaiments (51.19%)

On the other hand, the lowest rates have:

• Internet Marketing (32.62%)
• Travel (32.83%)
• Financial Services (34.70%)

According to their list, the retail email open rate is 41.77%.

• In contrast to the previous two sources, Pipedrive suggests that a good open rate is typically between 15% and 25%, with an average of 16.97%.
• Klaviyo is focused on eCommerce, and through their statistics, we can see that the average open rate for all eCommerce in 2024 is 39.74%

Email Marketing Software and Digital Marketing Tools on Improving Open Rates

Different mailing platforms offer various strategies to improve your email open rates. One thing they all agree upon is that you need to integrate marketing analytics in your email campaigns, and that’s how you can make progress.

Here’s a summary of some of the best advice from popular mailing software:

Semrush – a Digital Marketing Tool Advice

• Email Subject Line: Concise, relevant subject lines resonate with your target audience. Avoid clickbait, ensure the subject line reflects the email content, and give subscribers a reason to click. Keep them short (30-50 characters) to display fully in the inbox. Regularly review and test different styles of subject lines to see what works best.
• Preheader: Utilize preheaders to offer additional context or tease the content of your email. Keep them short and relevant to ensure they display properly.
• Sender Name and Email Address: Use your company name, not just the email address, as the sender name to inspire trust and leverage brand recognition.
• Recipient’s Email Address: Validate email addresses to ensure they are deliverable, especially for outbound campaigns.
• List Segmentation: Segment your email list based on location, interests, and behavior to target engaged subscribers.
• Email Timing: Send emails at optimal times, generally Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., but adjust based on your industry.
• Email Frequency: Avoid email fatigue by finding the right balance; one email per month often sees the highest open rates.

Omnisend – Give Your Email a New Life

• Subject Lines: Personalize subject lines with the recipient’s name and relevant offers to increase open rates. Use a friendly and clear tone, and A/B test to find the best-performing lines.
• Sender Reputation: Omnisend advices you to build and maintain a high sender reputation by gradually increasing email batches, keeping the list clean, and sending relevant content.
• Email List Quality: Segment your list and regularly clean it by removing inactive subscribers. Acquire high-intent contacts through double opt-ins.
• Timing and Frequency: Send emails when subscribers are most active, typically Tuesday mornings, but adjust based on your audience. Maintain a balance in email frequency to avoid overwhelming subscribers.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure emails are responsive and use preheader texts effectively. Optimize CTAs and content for mobile devices.
• Technical Factors: Comply with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to maintain IP reputation and authentication.

Pipedrive – Improve Your Email Campaigns

• Effective Subject Lines: Craft short, relevant, and attractive subject lines. Test different styles, including text-only and those with emojis.
• Call to Action (CTA): Use clear and compelling CTAs to entice clicks. Highlight benefits to the customer.
• Segment Your List: Pipedrive advises you to ensure content relevance by segmenting your list. Re-engage or remove inactive subscribers.
• Testing: Continuously A/B test subject lines, email layouts, colors, and timing to optimize performance.
• Email Automation Schedule: Identify the best times for your audience to receive emails and avoid sending them to spam.
• Spam Avoidance: Notify new subscribers to check their spam folder and whitelist your email address.

Mailmunch – Email Metrics

• Content Relevancy: Use relevant content to engage your audience. Test different subject lines and writing styles.
• Send Time: Email timing is crucial; sending emails during business hours or peak times can increase open rates.
• Frequency: Balance your email frequency to maintain engagement. Start with less frequent emails and gradually increase based on engagement rates.
• Email List Quality: Use opt-in forms and social media to build a high-quality email list. Regularly clean the list to remove inactive subscribers.
• Email Copy Content: Make the email copy compelling, easy to read, and avoid clutter. Use short subject lines (9-60 characters) for better open rates.

DesignRush – How to Improve the Open Rate for Email Marketing

• Subject Line: Make it short, specific, and include a compelling CTA.
• Content: Keep emails brief and relevant to increase open rates.
• Personalization: Use the recipient’s name and other personalization tactics to increase engagement.
• Email Length: Shorter emails are more likely to be read.
• Email List Quality: Track subscriber engagement and adjust the list as needed.
• Email Frequency: Less frequent emails generally receive better responses.
• Email Design: Create visually appealing emails to capture attention.

MailerLite – The Best Time for Email Marketing Campaigns

• MailerLite focuses on the time.
• They analyzed over a million email marketing campaigns and found that email marketers favor sending campaigns on Tuesday, closely followed by Wednesday.
• However, MailerLite points out that Thursday generates the highest open rates, closely followed by Monday.
• The peak times for email opens are between 11 a.m.-12 p.m., with another peak between 6–7 p.m. and an interesting late-night bump at 2 a.m. in the sender’s time zone.
• They emphasize the importance of basing sending times on specific subscribers’ preferences and continuously testing to learn what works best.

GetResponse – Email Marketing Benchmarks

• GetResponse’s 2024 Email Marketing Benchmarks report highlights a surge in engagement, with average open rates increasing to 39.64% and click-through rates rising to 3.2% from the previous year.
• Automated emails consistently outperform regular newsletters in terms of engagement.
• Emails sent early in the morning (4-6 AM) and late in the afternoon (5-7 PM) have higher engagement rates.
• Higher email volumes during Q4 see increased engagement rates.
• They stress the importance of trust and relevance in content over quick-win tactics and recommend tailoring strategies based on industry, location, and audience specifics.

No-No Words in Your Email Newsletter

Did you know that some words you constantly use in your emails might cause them to be marked as spam? (We all know that this is one of the main reasons the open rate drops.) Yes!

If your email starts with “Hello,” “Dear,” or “Friend,” you’re in a red zone! So, no more “Hello dear friends” greetings – get right to the point!

Your subject line should not consist of any words suggesting a “free” thing (there’s no such thing as a free meal, even the bots know that :D)

Oh, and your call-to-action buttons… yeah, you need to change them as well. It seems spammy if you use “Get,” “Sign up Free Today,” or even “See for yourself” or any other line that suggests urgency…

There’s a whole list of the no-no words if you want to prevent your email from ending up as spam, and it would hijack this article if I would put them all in this blog post. But you can always download them here.

Hey Google, What’s New With You?

There’s nothing new here, just a few spam policy updates. 🙂 If you’re wondering if this could be the reason your open rate dropped, check them out and decide for yourself.

Google Spam Update and Its Impact on Email Open Rates

Google has introduced significant updates to its spam filtering rules for Gmail in 2024, which are designed to enhance email security and reduce spam in users’ inboxes. These changes can affect open rates, especially if a significant portion of your subscribers use Gmail accounts.

Key Changes in Google’s Spam Filtering Rules

1. Email Authentication:
   • Requirements: Bulk senders must authenticate their emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. Ensuring these are properly set up helps verify the sender’s identity and reduces the chances of emails being marked as spam.
   • Impact: Failure to authenticate can result in emails being blocked or sent directly to spam folders. This is crucial as unauthenticated emails have decreased by 75% since Gmail started enforcing these rules.
2. Spam Rate Thresholds:
   • Requirements: Bulk senders must keep their spam complaint rate below 0.3%, with a recommended threshold of 0.1%. If a higher percentage of recipients mark emails as spam, it negatively impacts the sender’s reputation.
   • Impact: High spam rates can lead to emails being filtered out or blocked entirely, significantly reducing open rates.
3. One-Click Unsubscribe:
   • Requirements: Emails must include an easy one-click unsubscribe option. Recipients should be able to opt-out quickly, and unsubscribes must be processed within two days.
   • Impact: Not providing a straightforward unsubscribe option can increase spam complaints, affecting your sender’s reputation and email deliverability.
4. TLS Encryption:
   • Requirements: Emails must be sent using TLS connections to ensure secure transmission. This adds an extra layer of security against spoofing and phishing attacks.
   • Impact: A lack of TLS encryption can flag emails as less secure, increasing the likelihood of them being marked as spam.

 How These Changes Affect Open Rates

• Gmail Users: Since these changes primarily impact emails sent to Gmail users, bulk senders who do not comply may see a decrease in open rates as more emails get filtered into the spam folder.
• Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is more critical than ever. Regularly monitoring your spam rate via Google Postmaster Tools and keeping it below the required thresholds will help ensure your emails reach the inbox.
• List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive subscribers can help maintain low spam rates and improve overall engagement.

Additional Tips on Improving Click-to-Open Rate for Emails

• Monitor Spam Rates: Use tools like Google Postmaster to keep an eye on your spam rates and take corrective actions if needed.
• Engage Subscribers: Focus on creating high-quality, relevant content that encourages positive engagement (opens, clicks, replies) from your recipients.
• Compliance: Ensure your email practices comply with the new guidelines to avoid deliverability issues.

Meanwhile… In the Land of Non-Opened Emails & Low Click-Through Rates

I needed more than the research that I had done, so I started looking on forums and communities to see the flip side of the coin. Surprise, surprise, what did I find? Since February/April 2024, many users have reported significant drops in open rates across various platforms.

But that’s not the only surprise waiting for me. Apparently, the issue with the sudden drop in the open rate is nothing new. Users of various mailing software solutions had been reporting the problems in May 2023 as well, but in that case, out of the blue, the problem fixed itself.

Do you remember what was going on with your email campaigns last year? You see, that’s why it’s always good to keep an eye on statistics and implement email tracking for your campaigns, not only for the current time but for a longer period. And if you, in the meantime, switched to another mailing service, there’s a huge possibility you’ve lost the data.

That’s the reason I always advise downloading reports or, even better, using some sort of integration tool that will keep all your data in one place – that’s how you can compare the statistics from different periods regardless of the tool you use.

Here are some insights and common issues raised by users on Reddit and community forums:

Reddit Insights on Email Campaigns

• Sudden Drop in Open Rates: MailChimp users have reported sudden and unexplainable drops in open rates, sometimes by as much as 50%. Everything remained the same; nothing changed within the campaigns, yet an unpleasant surprise awaited them—open rates not exceeding 20%. And all their efforts to increase the rate were without good results.
• Suggestions: Common suggestions include checking deliverability settings, proper segmentation, improving the content, using warmup tools, and ensuring that emails are not being marked as spam. Oh, and don’t forget to check whether your IP is blocked.
• Checking Up Tool: Since these drop rates mainly affect those whose subscription list primarily consists of Gmail subscribers, one user suggested checking the emails using Google Postmaster. It’s a free service that comes in handy for cracking the code of what you are doing wrong with your email campaigns.
• Reasons for the drop: Among the possible reasons for the drop are inevitably low-quality content, usage of tracking domains/URLs within your email flagged/listed by Razor, incorrect technical setup, and IP, Subnet, or Domain reputation. However, I have to mention that Google and Yahoo are tightening their spam policy as well. It’s fishy that everything drops when Google comes up with a new update, including opening rates, so I would also pay attention to that detail.

HubSpot Community on open rates for email campaigns

• Significant Drops: HubSpot users have noted significant drops in open rates at the beginning of the year (February – May 2024).
• Suggestions: It was recommended that they focus on subject line testing, list segmentation, and ensuring high deliverability standards. If you’re changing the mailing software, make sure to transition gradually. Another good advice is to create a list of bounced contacts and exclude them from the sending list (but make sure not to exclude the soft bounce). Check DMARC Setup and data source, review all DNS (DKIM and SPF) technical configurations, and use the HubSpot feature “send emails in recipient’s timezone.”
• Checking Up Tool: Besides Google Postmaster, there’s a suggestion to check up on technical stuff first, or call for HubSpot tech support.
• Reasons for the drop: You might have changed the mailing software, and the new one has different measurement criteria, your mailing list is not segmented right, and your subject lines don’t hit the target. Oh, and one more thing (again mentioned): Email service providers (Apple and Google) made some changes (stricter parameters) when using a bot to scan emails, which might decrease the rate of “open” emails. As a result, the open rate is also not the metric it once was. Now, let’s not forget that most of the non-opened emails end up in the spam folder, so it’s always a good idea to check DKIM and SPF setup on DNS systems

Customer.io Community: struggling to reach a good email open rate

• Drop in Onboarding Flow Emails: Users on Customer.io have reported drops in open rates, specifically in onboarding flow emails, with suggestions to re-evaluate the timing and content of these emails.

To maintain a healthy open rate in 2024, stay proactive, test different strategies, and keep your content relevant and engaging.

And Finally, Does the Average Email Open Rate Matter?

Yes, I know we all have KPIs, and most of the time, newsletter open rate is among them, but seriously, how does that help your business? What is the effectiveness of your email campaigns? Do we have to go through all these troubles just to see 55% of our subscribers open the email? But how many of them became your customers? How many returned to buy more? And how do these email campaigns help your e-commerce business?

When it comes to email campaigns, there are many things to consider, depending on the industry, your email subscribers, and the type of marketing campaign.

Somehow, I think this KPI truly matters, not whether you experienced an open rate or the click rate drop. In the end, it boils down to how many of them bought your service or product. (Except if you’re aiming for brand awareness, but that’s a different story.)