Let’s Talk About Email Open Rates

Email Open Rates

“Let’s talk about RATES, BAYBEEEE….Let’s talk about you and MEEEE.”

HA!!  Now YOU have that stuck in your head too!!  😀

Today I want to talk about email open rates!!  Why?  A) Because it’s MY blog and I can…and B) because I think they are underrated and confusing for anyone new to the email game!  We’ve talked about the basics of emailing before…so this MIGHT not come as new news to some of you.  BUT, when an email is sent to a group of people, not EVERYONE is going to see that email.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

You send an email to 1,000 people.

Due to the email being auto sorted into the “Promotions” tab and the spam box (hopefully not if you’ve read this blog post) only about 70% of that 100 will end up even being able to SEE your email.

Next, your email might be seen…but it might not be OPENED.  This might be because someone doesn’t watch their inbox closely, your email’s headline is sucky (or simply doesn’t pertain to that particular reader), or they’ve been meaning to unsubscribe for a while but just haven’t gotten around to it.

Now, your open rate is most likely down to 30-50%.  THIS is a strong open rate…so if yours is lower than that, you’re going to want to look at two things…your email’s title and your actual audience.

ConvertKit, my email homies for life, (*ahem* accept we ended up switching in 2018, simply because we outgrew them. No love lost for the CK, though!) launched a BRAND NEW FEATURE last week specifically to help you increase your open rate! Have you ever heard of A/B testing?  A/B testing is the method of testing one title against another title.  In the past, it’s generally been done with sales pages to see which page converts better with customers.

ConvertKit’s new A/B system allows you to write TWO titles for one email.  Then, the system automatically sends each title out to a small chunk of subscribers.  At the end of 24 hours, the email with the highest open rate and click rate gets sent to the REST of the list that hasn’t received it yet.  I tried it yesterday for the first time…and can I just say WOW!!!

I have a list of a little over 6,000 subscribers.  GENERALLY when I send an email, I’ll get anywhere between 5-13 unsubscribes…and an open rate of around 40%.  Not too shabby!! BECAUSE of this segregated method of sending, my open rates are currently around 60%!

Why?  Having the ability to test your email’s title is absolutely KEY here!!  Instead of sending one title and hoping your readers love it…you can make SURE your readers love it by using a small selection of them as guinea pigs. (Adorable, well fed and loved guinea pigs with names like Mary Pigford and Lana Turder).

Anyhoo…POINT IS, more important than how many people are ON your list…you should be 110% focused on how many people are ENGAGING with what you have to say. No matter which platform you use, make sure it’s giving you a clear idea of how well you are doing on the open rate and with your headlines.

The Top 4 Ways to Increase Your Open Rates:

Want to make sure your headlines are on point and impressive?  I have a few tips for you!

1. Make sure your headlines are strong! Infuse some emotion into your titles such as intrigue, excitement,  Try using the Co-Schedule headline analyzer!!!  It’s been a SUPER tool for me over the last few years!   When you plug in your first draft of your title, Co-Schedule will analyze it and let you know if it needs to be pumped up with emotion, a list like title…or a ton of other options!
2. Do a quick search on social media platforms like Pinterest or Twitter and take note of which titles are getting the most shares and re-pins. Which pins do YOU want to click on and why?
3. Segment your email list yourself! Instead of sending this email to your entire list, can you send it to a segment of your list that you believe will REALLY connect with its message? A segmented email list has generally been proven to be amazing for open rates and clicks.
4. Make sure you are creating a title that does two things…intrigues your reader and tells your reader which problem you are going to solve or them.  If a reader believes your email is going to take care of an annoyance or issue they’ve been having…they’ll be WAY more likely to open it!

Real quick, before I hop off, I want to talk about what you SHOULDN’T be doing with your email titles.  Sure…these methods get more open rates, but they’ll also piss off your readers quicker!

1. DON’T use tricks like “Re: Bla Bla Bla” or “Cc: Bla bla Bla”.  These methods are ACTUALLY illegal (NOT kidding…) and can get you in serious trouble as a business owner.  Not to mention…these are not forwards, CC’s, or anything of the sort!! You are simply lying for clicks.
2. DON’T promise one thing in your title…then never deliver.  I highly recommend writing your email FIRST, then working on your title.
3. DON’T use all caps.  FOR GOD’S SAKE!!!!  DON’T YELL AT PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN INBOX!!!  That is LITERALLY the equivalent of standing in someone’s house and screaming at them for a glass of water. Head/desk.

This post was a relatively short one…just one I thought was important for you guys!!!  Take time to REALLY check out your open rates and see where you need to improve!!

PS…take advantage of this free training!! I’ll show you my favorite system for keeping this organized in my business (and yes…that includes emails!!)