Getting Into the Inbox Is Only Half the Battle
Average email open rates hover around 20-25% depending on industry. That means 75-80% of your carefully crafted emails are never read. Improving open rates is one of the highest-leverage activities in email marketing because every other metric — clicks, conversions, revenue — depends on the email being opened first.
Subject Line Optimization
Your subject line is the single biggest factor in whether an email gets opened. Keep it under 50 characters (mobile screens truncate longer ones). Create curiosity without being clickbaity. Use numbers when relevant (“5 Ways to…” performs well). Personalize with the recipient’s name or company when appropriate.
Subject Line Formulas That Work
- Question format: “Are you making this SEO mistake?”
- How-to format: “How to double your website traffic”
- List format: “7 tools every marketer needs”
- Urgency format: “Last chance: Free audit expires Friday”
- Personal format: “Quick question about your website”
Sender Name and Address
Emails from people get opened more than emails from companies. “Sarah from Brandastic” outperforms “Brandastic Marketing.” Use a recognizable, consistent sender name and a professional email address.
Send Time Optimization
Test different days and times to find when your audience is most responsive. Generally, Tuesday through Thursday mornings (9-11 AM) perform well for B2B. B2C varies more by audience. Use your email platform’s send-time optimization feature if available.
List Hygiene
Remove inactive subscribers who haven’t opened an email in 6-12 months. A smaller, engaged list performs better than a large, unresponsive one. Dead subscribers hurt your deliverability, which affects open rates for your entire list.
Preheader Text
The preheader (preview text) appears next to or below the subject line in most email clients. Use it to complement and expand on your subject line, providing additional reason to open.
Boost Your Email Performance
Brandastic creates email campaigns with optimized subject lines, segmentation, and timing for maximum engagement. Get a free email marketing consultation.
