Worried your emails just aren’t getting read? If you’re putting the time into email list building and designing marketing content, it’s frustrating to fall at the first hurdle.

So, how do you get those emails opened? Read on for some helpful tips from our email marketing experts. But first, you need to know what a decent open rate is and how you measure up.

According to data from Campaign Monitor, the average open rate across all industries in 2021 was 21.5%. A good open rate is anywhere between 17% and 28%, depending on your industry.

If you’re falling short, it’s time to rethink your approach. Here’s where to start:

Spring clean your list
Not everyone on your email list still wants to hear from you. This could be affecting your open rates, as your emails are simply ignored, deleted or destined for the spam folder.

Refreshing a stale list is easy to do, but you will need to set up a schedule for removing inactive subscribers. Do this every 6-12 months or so. Alternatively, you can move them onto a nurturing list, with a targeted campaign to win them back as customers (hint – a juicy discount is a great way to do this).

You can also directly check in with subscribers to gauge their interest levels. Ask if they’d like to update their preferences and information, and remind them what you still have to offer.

Segment and personalise
There are a few reasons that people click on an email when it lands in their mailbox. A sense of value or benefit is near the top of the list, but relevancy can be just as important.

By segmenting your subscriber list, you can group contacts by interests, previous purchase, age, location and many other useful categories. This enables you to send personalised emails to each specific segment, with subject lines and messaging that’s more likely to appeal to them.

You can even use automated email marketing tools to step up your personalisation efforts, which also has the added bonus of saving you time.

Avoid the dreaded spam folder
Your emails may not be getting opened because they’re nowhere near the main inbox. You could inadvertently be ending up in the spam folder. To prevent this from happening, run through this quick checklist of solid email marketing practices:

Keep your code clean.
Make sure subscribers have actually opted in – this is also super important for GDPR purposes.
Include an easy one-click button for subscribers to opt out.
Make sure your content matches your subject line – a ‘bait and switch’ technique is only likely to frustrate recipients if they do open your emails.
Use merge taps to personalise the recipient field.
Avoid overly ‘salesy’ language, such as spam trigger words like ‘clearance’, ‘cash’ or ‘discount’.

Need expert help improving your email campaigns? Work with Nextgen Marketing, a leading email marketing agency in the UK. Get in touch to find out how we can help.