Your email open rate is one of the clearest signals of how well your programme is working. At TouchBasePro we get asked regularly how to push that number up, so here are the tactics that consistently make a difference.
Before anything else, the relationship starts at sign-up. Be clear with new subscribers about what they will receive and how often. If someone signs up for a monthly newsletter and you start sending daily promotional mailers, expect unsubscribes and ignored emails. Setting honest expectations upfront protects your open rate before you even send a single campaign.
Keep your database up to date and clean
Emailing your list regularly stops contacts going stale, but even active senders end up with inactive subscribers over time. Run re-engagement campaigns every six to twelve months. Anyone who still does not respond after that should be removed.
A good re-engagement hook is asking subscribers to update their details in exchange for something useful, a discount on their next purchase or access to gated content. You get accurate data; they get a reward. That kind of exchange tends to work well.
Send segmented campaigns
Sending one email to your entire database and hoping for the best is the quickest way to drive down open rates. Find out what different groups of subscribers actually care about and build your segments around that.
The right segments will vary by business, so take the time to build a segmentation strategy that reflects your audience. Segmented campaigns consistently produce higher open and click rates, and lower unsubscribe rates, compared to broadcast sends.
Provide value to your readers
Before you build a campaign, ask yourself: what does my subscriber get from opening this? Not every person on your list is ready to buy right now. To keep those subscribers engaged, your campaigns need to offer them something beyond a sales pitch.
Blog articles, videos, and case studies are practical ways to add that value. Mixing editorial content with promotional content keeps your emails worth opening even for subscribers who are nowhere near a purchase decision.
Test your subject line
You cannot know how a subject line will land with your specific audience until you test it. A/B testing subject lines should be standard practice, not an occasional experiment.
Start by picking one variable you think will have the biggest effect on opens, then test it properly before moving on to the next. Here are four worth running:
- Length: Does a short subject line outperform a longer one? Test it.
- Personalisation: Does including the subscriber's name lift opens? Test that too.
- Offers: Do your subscribers respond better to a discount code than free delivery? Run the test.
- Emojis: Do emojis in subject lines help or hurt with your audience? You will only know once you test.
Use your preheader text
The preheader is the short line of text that appears after the subject line in a subscriber's inbox, before they open the email. It is most visible on mobile email clients, but desktop clients show it too.
That space is prime real estate. Use it to complement your subject line and give readers enough context to feel they need to open the email. A subject line and preheader that work together will outperform a strong subject line paired with placeholder or auto-generated preview text every time.
Send emails that your readers love
This one sounds obvious, but it is easy to lose sight of. If subscribers open an email and find nothing useful, they are less likely to open the next one. Engagement and open rates are linked directly. One disappointing email can quietly erode the goodwill you have built up over months.
Send what your subscribers signed up for. Deliver value consistently. That is the most reliable way to maintain a healthy open rate over the long term.
The infographic below summarises all the tips covered above.
With roughly 306.4 billion emails sent and received every day as of 2020, standing out in the inbox takes more than a good product. If you need help putting any of these tactics into practice, get in touch with the TouchBasePro team.
Frequently asked questions
- How often should I run re-engagement campaigns for inactive email subscribers?
- Every six to twelve months is a sensible cadence. Offer inactive subscribers a reason to update their details, such as a discount or access to gated content. If they still do not respond after a re-engagement campaign, remove them from your active list.
- What should I test first in an email subject line A/B test?
- Pick the single variable you believe will have the biggest impact on your open rate and start there. Common starting points are subject line length, personalisation, specific offers, and emojis. Test one variable at a time so the results are clear.
- What is preheader text and why does it matter for open rates?
- Preheader text is the short line of copy that appears after the subject line in an inbox preview, most prominently on mobile. It gives you a second chance to convince a subscriber to open the email. A preheader that works with your subject line, rather than repeating it or showing default placeholder text, can meaningfully lift open rates.
- Does segmenting my email list actually improve open rates?
- Yes. Segmented campaigns consistently produce higher open and click rates and lower unsubscribe rates than bulk sends to a full database. The more relevant the email is to the recipient, the more likely they are to open it.