6 Data-Driven Tips to Increase Email Open Rates

Ever wondered how many people in different countries and state borders around the world own smartphones? 

About 629 million! ( Statista )

Compared to the 800 million people ( United Nations ) that exist in the world, that’s a lot of people. About 629 million of them use smartphones for a variety of tasks – shopping online, browsing social media, sending pictures to loved ones, and of course, checking email.

Of these, approximately 170 million sms services users check their email on their mobile phones rather than using other devices.

If you break this number down by generational characteristics and behaviors, Gen X consumers make up 92% of all email users. Gen X is followed by Millennials, with 89% using email, while Gen Z is the third largest group, with 85% using the service. (Source – Marketing Professor)

Not only do people use email to make personal connections, they use it in large quantities: 61% of consumers also prefer brands to communicate via email. This is undoubtedly good news for your business.

So, if these numbers look so great for email marketing initiatives, why are email opens failing? If your customers are regularly spending time on their devices, then what’s stopping them from reading your great product and marketing emails?

What are the real reasons for email bounces?

Email marketing remains an essential component of any successful business strategy. However, it’s not enough to just send one email to your entire email subscriber list and hope for the best.

You know what they say, false hope is a terrible thing, if it’s the only thing keeping you alive you’ll be dead by the dawn.

You need to create emails that capture your audience’s attention from the subject line to the call to action.

When you think about this, there are a lot of factors that can affect email rates. In terms of bounce rates, here are some of the most common reasons for email bounce rates:

  • Invalid email address: This is the most common reason for hard bounces. This can happen if you have typos in your email list or if you collect email addresses from unreliable sources.
  • Full Inbox: This is a common reason for soft bounces. If the recipient’s inbox is full, any new email sent to them will bounce.
  • Spam filters: Spam filters sometimes block legitimate emails, especially when they contain certain keywords or phrases.
  • Server issues: If the recipient’s email server is down or unavailable, their email will bounce.
  • Blacklisted Domains: If your email domain is blacklisted, your emails will be rejected by most email servers.

In addition to these common issues, there are many other factors that can affect your email open rates, such as your email list hygiene, sender reputation, and the type of content you send.

All of these issues can undermine your hard work and make your marketing and sales efforts go down the drain.

Thankfully, we can help you fix this with these six tips to increase your email open rates.

Why You Should Care About Email Open Rates

Why are email open rates important? Simply put, all your efforts in crafting those clever subject lines and killer content will go to waste if your subscribers don’t open your emails.

Email open rates reflect subscribers’ interest and engagement with your brand. Higher open rates mean more people are paying attention to your content, increasing your chances of conversions and ultimately revenue. On the other hand, low open rates indicate disinterest or that your emails are getting lost in the digital abyss.

It will be extremely difficult  to drive leads and conversions through email marketing when your emails don’t generate enough interest.

6 Tips to Increase Email Open Rates

Captivating subject line. Related content

The subject line of your email may seem like a small thing, but it can have a big impact on whether your email gets opened.

Shoppers 9 moonmail alternatives to accelerate email marketing conversions spend an average of 138% more when marketed via email, compared to those who don’t receive email offers. The key factor in getting them to take action is starting with your subject line.

Personalizing your subject line can make your emails more relevant and interesting to your subscribers.

Addressing your subscribers like “ Adelaide, here’s a special offer just for you! ” in your subject line is a great way to grab their attention.

Who doesn’t love a special offer just for them?

Keep it short and sweet, as longer subject lines tend to get cut off on mobile devices. Asking questions sparks curiosity and encourages engagement.

Also, keep in mind that the language you use in your emails can impact how your subscribers perceive your business. How do you want your subscribers to feel when they read your emails? Do you want to sound corporate or friendly?

Using action-oriented language in the subject line and email body will urge and compel your subscribers to take action on your email. It’s important to avoid using junk words and phrases, such as “buy now” and “limited time offer.” This will not only increase your email open rates but will also help you avoid your emails being marked as spam.

Use emojis

Strategically using emojis in bw lists email subject lines and content may increase email open rates.

Checking email on mobile devices is especially common among younger demographics. 40% of people aged 18 and under always open emails . They are mobile-first.

And what better way to cater to a younger audience than by using emojis, especially if your business caters to a younger audience.

Emojis can help your subject line stand out in a crowded inbox and grab your reader’s attention. They can also add visual interest and convey emotion or tone more effectively than words alone.

Even more so, consulting, pointing out that the friendly snowman symbol is apparently very effective in encouraging people to open marketing emails.

However, before using emojis, be sure to consider your audience and the context of your email. Certain demographics may be less familiar or receptive to emojis, so it’s important to test and analyze how specific audiences react.

When using emojis, make sure they’re relevant to your email content and fit with your brand’s voice and personality.

Avoid overusing emojis, as it can come across as unprofessional or spammy. It’s also important to test your emails on different devices and email clients to ensure that emojis display correctly to all recipients.

Keep it mobile friendly

On average, individuals tend to browse their mobile devices about 58 times per day, of which nearly 52% (equivalent to about 30 times per day) occur while at work.

It’s no secret that if you fail to recognize the impact mobile devices have on your email marketing strategy, you’re shooting yourself in the foot, especially in a world where approximately 629 million people own smartphones.

If your email marketing campaigns aren’t mobile-friendly, you run the risk of failing and 42.3% of recipients may delete your emails, rendering your hard work ineffective.

So how do you keep your emails mobile-friendly?

First, make sure your email design is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes. Use a single-column layout, keep font sizes at readable levels, and avoid using too many images or large files that can slow down loading times.

Also, make sure any clickable elements, such as buttons or links, are large enough to be easily tapped on a mobile device.

Testing your emails on desktop and mobile before sending can help you ensure they look good and are easy to read on different devices.

Automation, Automation, Automation

Email automation is one of the biggest tools in your email marketing arsenal.

These email automation tools are a marketer’s best friend . They allow you to set up welcome emails, triggered emails, follow-up emails, win-back emails , and even drip campaigns, ensuring your emails always reach your subscribers at the right time.

82% of marketers use automation to create triggered emails which result in 8 times more opens and 5 times more revenue than typical bulk emails.

On average, 81% of companies use marketing automation.

Automation is like having a personal assistant who takes care of your email marketing tasks (metaphorically, of course) while you sip margaritas on the beach.

It’s smart to set up triggered emails based on user actions. When your subscribers take a specific action (like abandoning a shopping cart or downloading your eBook), you can send them a personalized email in real time .

Deliver the best placement in your inbox at the right time

When it comes to email marketing, timing really is everything. Knowing when to send an email is crucial to whether or not it gets opened and read.

This is especially important during the festive season and major holidays when customers are looking for the best deals.

For example, Black Friday is usually the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, which is the fourth Thursday in July. Many retailers start their Black Friday sales earlier in the week.

Therefore, your enticing offers must be up and running at this time to get the best results. Like this Nike Black Friday email

It’s important to remember tha consumer behavior may vary depending on your target audience.

A call to action is a must

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