Email marketing: what it is and how to implement it

The rate or the opening ratio in email marketing is one of the most important metrics in the area of email marketing.

In this article, you'll learn what open rate is, how to increase it, and some fascinating stats that can be identified across industries.

What is the open rate?

Email marketing opening rate: What it is and statistics by sector

Email open rate is the percentage of recipients who open your messages, and the average rate is between 20 and 30 percent. However, these can vary greatly depending on the type of email, the sender, and the subject line. 

For example, emails from a personal sender with a catchy subject line are more likely to be opened compared to a business email. 

That's why the best way to improve open rates is to experiment with different subject lines, senders, and email types, especially if you're selling your products or services.

How should we interpret the open rate?

Open rates can vary a lot, and you won't be able to measure their effectiveness easily, as they depend on various factors such as the content of your email, the subject line, the sender, and the size of the list. However, there are some general things to keep in mind when interpreting open rates. 

Here we tell you the most important:

• Keep in mind that not everyone who receives your emails opens them right away. It's not uncommon for people to even leave it unread or wait a day or two before opening it.
• Another factor to consider is that open rates can be affected by things like what time of day the email is sent, how often it's sent, and the number of emails you typically share.

For example, if you send a lot of emails at once, your open rates can go down because people are less likely to open them all.

• Also, remember that people can open an email without reading it. Just because someone opened your email doesn't mean they read it. Open rates do not necessarily reflect the success of your message.
• On the other hand, some people may have their email set up so that only the first few words of each message appear in the inbox. If your subject line isn't interesting or relevant, they may never see the rest of your message.
• Also, keep in mind that open rates are just one of the metrics to measure the success of your email marketing campaign. Click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates are also important metrics to consider.

What elements influence the open rate?

The open rate of an email is determined by a series of factors that we have already mentioned above. In this section we break down each one:

• Sender reputation.
• Subject line.
• Mail content.

sender reputation

Sender reputation is one of the most important factors in determining whether an email will be opened. If the recipient knows and trusts the sender, they are much more likely to open the message. If the sender is unknown or has a bad reputation, the email is less likely to be opened.

subject line

The subject line is another important factor in determining whether or not an email will be opened. Why? Because a well-written subject line that accurately describes the content of the email is more likely to be opened than a poorly written or misleading subject line.

Email content

The content of the email is also a decisive factor when it comes to opening it. If it contains information that is relevant and useful to the recipient, they are more likely to open it. However, if the email is full of spam or irrelevant content, the recipient is less likely to bother opening it.

What is the normal opening rate according to industries?

The average open rate for emails is between 20% and 30%. This means that for every 100 emails you send, between 20 and 30 people will open them, in the same way, it will depend on the elements mentioned above.

Similarly, when it comes to email open rates, there are a few factors that come into play. Another one is the sector to which you belong. Some industries tend to have higher open rates than others. 

Here are five industries with relatively high email open rates:

• Technology
• Financial services
• Education
• Health
• Retailers

Technology

The technology sector has always been at the forefront of innovation and the adoption of new trends. This extends to implementing email marketing into their strategies, where they have consistently had some of the highest open rates. In fact, according to a study, the average opening rate of technology companies is around 27% .

Financial services

Financial services companies are another group that tends to have high email open rates. This is probably due to the fact that these companies handle sensitive information that needs to be communicated quickly and efficiently. The average opening rate of financial services companies is around 22%.

Education

An email is a vital tool for educators who use it to communicate with students and parents on a daily basis. So if you are in this industry it is therefore not surprising that you have one of the highest email open rates. This industry also manages one of the highest, with 24%.

Health

Healthcare is another sector where timely communication is crucial. From appointment reminders to test results, there are a wide variety of important messages that need to be delivered quickly and accurately via email. The average open rate for healthcare-related emails is 22%.

Retailers

Retailers also rely heavily on email to keep in touch with customers and promote sales and special offers. That is why their average open rate is 19%.

As you can see, there are a number of industries that have relatively high email open rates. This is probably due to the fact that these industries need to communicate timely and important information to their clients, which could make you think about what and what is the impact yours, so you can use immediacy for your way of communicating.

Tips to improve your open rate

If you want to improve your email open rates, here are some tips.

• Write a good subject
• Keep your emails short
• Use graphic resources sparingly
• Use bold colors and fonts in the design
• Include a clear call to action
• Try different subject lines and email layouts
• Always measure open rates

Write a good subject

The subject line is the first thing recipients will see when they receive your email, so make sure it's something that grabs their attention and makes them want to open the email.

Keep your emails short

Recipients are more likely to read and engage with shorter emails, so try to keep your message concise and to the point.

Use graphic resources sparingly

While images can help break up your email text and make it more visually appealing, too many images can detract from the message and make it hard to read.

So use them sparingly and only when they are intended to add value to your message.

Use bold colors and fonts in the design

Bold colors and fonts can help your email stand out in the inbox, which can increase the chances that recipients will open it. Just make sure you don't go overboard with the layout: Keep it simple and easy to read.

Include a clear call to action

Every email should have a clear call to action (CTA) so recipients know what to do next. Whether you're asking them to click through to your website or respond to your email, make sure the call to action is clear and easy to follow.

Try different subject lines and email layouts

One way to improve is to test what works best with your audience and try different subject lines and email layouts. Try sending two different versions of the same email and see which one gets the most opens and clicks. This way you can adjust your strategy based on your findings. 

Always measure open rates

Open rates are a good way to measure the success of your email campaigns. Be sure to follow up on each of your emails to identify which strategies are working and adapt them as needed.

Importance and how to benchmark for Email Marketing

Email marketing is a key tool for any company that wants to build relationships with its customers and increase its presence on the Internet.

You already know that, however, if you know how your email marketing strategies are performing compared to other companies in your industry, you will be able to set realistic goals, track your progress, and make any necessary adjustments to improve your results.

There are a number of factors to consider when evaluating the performance of your email marketing strategy. We tell you in three steps:

1. First, look at open rates: How many people open the emails you send? 
2. Consider click-through rates: How many people click on the links in the emails you send?
3. Look at conversion rates: How many people take the desired action (for example, make a purchase) after clicking on your email?

Comparing and having different industry benchmarks will help you measure your progress and set goals.

If you find that your performance is below benchmarks, there are still several ways to improve your results, such as segmenting your list, personalizing your messages, and testing different subject lines and call-to-action buttons.

By making small adjustments in your strategy you can see a big difference in your results.

Conclusion, improve your open rates with Escala

So what can you do to increase your open rate? 

Start by testing different subject lines and analyze the results. Try using shorter or longer subject lines, personalizing them, or adding emojis. 

Use dynamic content blocks in your email campaigns to make them more interesting and engaging for recipients. Always remember to segment your lists to send relevant content to the right people.