What is a good open rate for email?

An email open rate is a metric that shows the percentage of subscribers who received an email and also opened it. Depending on the type of emails you send and the industry you’re in, a good average email open rate for campaigns is 39.74%.

An email open rate lets you measure the overall performance of your email campaigns and flows to see how well your target audience connects with them.

Disclaimer: Email open rates have been a fraught metric since Apple iOS 15, which can inflate numbers. However, open rates can help you improve deliverability by culling subscribers who rarely open your emails and can indicate which subject lines are most effective.

How to improve your email open rates

Higher email open rates can drive more conversions and better return on investment (ROI). Here are some useful methods for improving the open rates of your emails:

1. Craft engaging subject lines

Create a subject line that piques curiosity by hinting at something subscribers don’t know but want to. Include intriguing words or phrases that grab their attention to encourage them to open your messages.

Keep your subject line brief and to the point. It should be shorter than 50 characters and readable on mobile devices.

2. Optimize your email content

The content of your email should be relevant, include a valuable offer, or establish some common ground with your target audience.

Make sure your content has a clear structure by including:

Headings
Numbered lists
Bulleted lists
Short paragraphs
Visual assets, including images and GIFs
Engaging and strong calls to action (CTAs)

3. Fine-tune your send time strategy

For optimal send times, identify when your target audience is most active and adjust your email sending schedule accordingly.

Here are some tactics for fine-tuning send time:

Cross-reference open rates with send times: Look at what you’ve sent so far and notice patterns.
Correlate email type with send time: Determine send time by considering read time and action. For example, a limited-time sale event email should be sent based on when people are most likely to buy, whereas newsletters that take longer to read should be sent when people have more time on their hands.
Use automation to determine send time: Some marketing platforms use send time optimization to determine the best local time to send emails.

4. Send targeted messages

Avoid sending irrelevant emails to your subscribers through email blasts. Instead, segment your email list into relevant groups based on their demographics, habits, or behavior. This way, you can tailor your email content to match the preferences of each segment.

Klaviyo is a leading marketing automation platform for creating audience segments and sending highly targeted messages. Use Klaviyo AI to create personalized campaigns and flows, receive predictive analytics, refine your email marketing strategy, and increase open rates.