So, you’ve spent valuable time writing the perfect email, crafted a strong subject line, and finally hit “send.” But now what? How do you actually know if your email marketing is working? Two of the most important metrics to watch with email marketing are your email open rates and click-through rates (CTR). Understanding these numbers is crucial, as they basically reveal whether your audience is engaging with your emails. These rates are essential for measuring the success of your campaigns. If you’re curious about how to increase email open rates or how to increase your click-through rate, you’re in the right place! In this post, we’ll break down what these metrics mean, why they matter, and how you can improve them to get better results from every email you send.
Need help analyzing your data, or creating a strategy that actually works? I offer 1:1 Zoom coaching calls to help you boost engagement and build a smarter email marketing plan. Click here to book a 30 or 60 minute session!
What is an Open Rate?
The Open rate tells you the percentage of subscribers who opened your email out of the total number who received it. The open rate is extremely important. If your subscribers aren’t opening your emails they certainly won’t be clicking through, or achieving your CTA (call to action.)
| Open Rate Formula: |
| Open Rate = (Emails Opened ÷ Emails Delivered) x 100*For example: If 500 out of 1,000 delivered emails were opened, your open rate is 50% |
Open rates are often influenced by:
- Your subject line- personalized subject lines have a much higher open rate
- The timing and sometimes the day of your send
- The sender name
- How clean and engaged your email list is
A strong open rate usually falls between 20–35%, depending on your industry. Keep reading for my top tips on how to increase your email open rates and connect more effectively with your audience!
Tips for Increasing your Email Open Rates
If you’re wondering how to increase email open rates, here are some tried-and-true strategies to help more of your subscribers actually open your emails:
- Write compelling subject lines that spark curiosity or offer a clear solution to a problem. This is often the first (and sometimes only!) chance to grab your reader’s attention.
- Use a familiar sender name. People are more likely to open emails from real humans. If your business name is more recognizable than your personal one, that’s totally okay just make sure it’s consistent.
- Avoid spammy trigger words like “free,” “guaranteed,” or “act now.” These can land your email in the junk folder before anyone gets a chance to read it.
- Send emails consistently. I can’t stress this enough. Whether it’s once a week or a few times a month, pick a schedule that’s sustainable for you and stick with it. Your subscribers should know when to expect you without feeling overwhelmed. I generally recommend sending emails 1–3 times per week.
- Segment your list so you can send more relevant content to specific groups of subscribers. Tailored emails perform better, and most email marketing platforms make it easy to automate this process.
- Send emails from a paid domain. Avoid using free email addresses (like Gmail or Yahoo) for your marketing emails. Messages from paid domains are far less likely to end up in spam folders.
- Make your emails mobile-friendly. With the majority of users checking email on their phones, mobile optimization is a must. Use clean layouts, large fonts, and clear CTAs that are easy to tap.
If your open rates are below 20%, you’re unsure how to improve them, or you have no idea where to start; I can help! Book a 1:1 Zoom session with me to review your email strategy and start increasing your open rates with confidence! Click here to schedule your coaching call.
What Is a Click-Through Rate (CTR)?
Click-through rate tells you how many subscribers clicked a link within your email, compared to how many received the email.
| Click- Through Rate Formula: |
| CTR = (Clicks ÷ Emails Delivered) x 100 For example: If 100 people clicked a link out of 1,000 delivered emails, your CTR is 10%. |
CTR shows how engaging and relevant your content is, especially your call to action (CTA). It’s not just about getting opens; it’s about inspiring action.
A solid CTR is usually around 2–5%, but this varies by niche and email type.
How to Increase Click-Through Rates in Your Emails:
Getting your subscribers to open your emails is only half the battle . The next step is getting them to take action. That’s where your click-through rate (CTR) comes in. Here are a few strategies to help you boost engagement and improve your results:
- Keep your content clear and skimmable. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and headers to make your emails easy to read, especially on a mobile.
- Focus on one strong CTA (call to action). Too many options can confuse or overwhelm your reader. Choose one clear next step and place your CTA near the top of the email. Then repeat it once more toward the end for emphasis.
- Make your links and buttons stand out. Use bold colors, noticeable placement, and strong action words like Download Now, Shop the Sale, or Get the Freebie.
- Offer real value. Think beyond promotions — offer useful downloads, exclusive content, helpful tips, or limited-time discounts that solve a problem or meet a need.
- A/B test different elements. Try different CTA button styles, placements, subject lines, or layouts to find what resonates best with your audience.
- Include visuals and rich formatting. Graphics, icons, and styled text can make your content more engaging and clickable. Just make sure they don’t slow down load time.
If you’re wondering how to increase click-through rates and aren’t sure where to start, I’ve got you! In just 30 or 60 minutes, we can develop a custom strategy that works for your business. Click here to book a 1:1 strategy session.
Don’t Obsess Over the Numbers (But Do Track Them!)
Open and click-through rates are incredibly helpful but remember, they’re just part of the bigger picture. Instead of stressing over the performance of a single email, focus on the overall trend. If your engagement is improving month over month, that’s a win!
Understanding how to increase email open rates and how to increase your click-through rate starts with tracking the right data. But keep in mind, certain privacy updates (like Apple Mail Privacy Protection) can impact how open rates are reported. So, if you notice unexpected changes, it might not reflect actual engagement. That’s why many marketers consider click-through rate (CTR) a more reliable performance metric.
If this seems overwhelming, or you want another set of eyes to look over your data, I’d love to help! Feel free to book your 1:1 zoom support call here.
Final Words
Think of your open and click-through rates as your email marketing report card. These metrics help you see what’s working, what needs adjusting, and how your audience is engaging with your content.
The more you understand and optimize these numbers, especially if you’re focused on how to increase email open rates and how to increase your click-through rate the more effective (and enjoyable!) your email marketing strategy will become.
Ready to improve your email strategy?
Book a coaching call with me, Melissa, CEO of Not Another VA. Book a Zoom call to ask your burning questions. During our Zoom session, you’ll get expert guidance, customized feedback on your email content, list segmentation, and performance metrics all tailored to your business goals.If you want all my email marketing tips, join my email list to be notified of all my exciting products, offerings, and tools. If you join my email list, you will receive freebies for exclusive blog subscribers!
