Email Marketing

Discover the Secrets of Email Open Rates in Different Industries

Published on October 25, 2023

Do you know what your email open rate means? Let’s break it down! Today, we’ll explore what an open rate is, what kind of open rates you should aim for, and what the average open rates are in different industries.

So, what exactly is an email open rate?

It’s a metric in email marketing that shows the percentage of subscribers who actually open your emails.

For example, if you have 100 subscribers and 20 of them open your email, your open rate for that email would be 20%.

There are two formulas to calculate it. The less precise formula is: Open rate = (Emails opened/Emails sent) x 100.

Let’s take an example. You have 1789 subscribers, out of which 367 opened your latest email. What’s the open rate? It’s 20.51%.

Now, there’s a more precise formula that accounts for the bounce rate: Open rate = (Emails opened/(Emails sent – Emails bounced)) x 100.

For instance, if 29 subscribers didn’t receive your email due to bouncing, the open rate would be 20.85%.

The small difference between the less precise and more precise formulas is not surprising, as bounce rates are usually very low. However, precision becomes more important as your email list grows.

Let’s say you have 1,000,000 email subscribers, and 100,000 open your latest email. With the less precise formula, you get an open rate of 10%. But with the more precise formula, it’s 10.01%. That 0.1% difference translates to 100 email opens, which is significant.

But don’t worry, you won’t have to calculate open rates manually. Your email marketing apps will take care of that for you.

Now, let’s talk about the open rate you should aim for. In 2022, MailerLite analyzed data from over 40,000 customers and discovered the following benchmarks:

Average open rate: 37.65%
Average click rate: 3.36%
Average click-through rate (CTR): 8.93%
Average unsubscribe rate: 0.24%
Average bounce rate: 0.30%

However, don’t consider the average open rate as your benchmark because it varies across industries. It’s crucial to know the average email open rate in your specific industry.

So, how can you increase your email open rates? Here are some tips:

Pay attention to email deliverability. Ensure your emails reach the subscriber’s inbox by choosing a reputable email marketing service provider, guarding your reputation as a sender, and asking people to reply to your welcome email.

Craft compelling subject lines. Grab your audience’s attention with intriguing subject lines that entice them to open your emails.

Personalize your emails. Make your subscribers feel special by addressing them by name and tailoring the content to their interests.

Experiment with sending times. Test different days and times to find out when your audience is most likely to open your emails.

With these strategies, you can boost your email open rates and engage more effectively with your subscribers. Happy emailing!

Are you tired of having a large email list but low engagement? It’s time to take action and improve your email marketing game. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Prune Your Email List:

As your list grows, you’ll inevitably have inactive subscribers. Don’t let them weigh you down! Implement an automation that prunes inactive subscribers. Send them an email after 3 months of inactivity, asking if they want to keep receiving emails. If they confirm, great! If not, unsubscribe them. Don’t be afraid to remove inactive subscribers – quality over quantity!

Use Email Segmentation:

Not every subscriber is the same, so why treat them that way? Segment your list based on location, traffic source, interactions, browsing history, and purchase history. This way, you can tailor your emails to specific segments, making them more relevant and engaging.

Craft Compelling Subject Lines:

The subject line is the first impression your email makes. Make it count! Whether you use benefit-driven, curiosity-driven, or pattern-interrupt subject lines, be sure to grab your subscribers’ attention and entice them to open.

Add Value with Every Email:

Don’t just send empty emails. Make sure each one provides value to your subscribers. If they consistently find value in your content, they’ll keep opening and engaging with your emails.

But what if you struggle with writing compelling emails? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. “Copywriting Secrets” is a shortcut for busy entrepreneurs who want to write emails that convert. This book teaches you how to use the power of words to get more clicks, make more sales, and gain more subscribers. And the best part? You can get a free paperback copy, just cover the shipping!