Why did my email open rates drop after changing email template design?

Summary

A drop in email open rates after changing the email template design can be caused by various interconnected factors. The core issues revolve around subscriber recognition, deliverability problems, and technical implementation flaws. The new design may not resonate with subscribers, causing them to ignore emails. Changes can inadvertently trigger spam filters due to content, formatting (including image-to-text ratio), and header issues. These can result in emails landing in the promotions tab or being blocked outright. Technical factors such as CSS inconsistencies, accessibility issues, and lack of mobile optimization can negatively impact rendering and user engagement. Additionally, the changes could break authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and lead to a poor user experience and result in emails flagged by different systems. A/B testing is a recurring recommendation. Monitoring ISP specific issues, changes to Google prefetching and checking spam complaints is crucial.

Key findings

  • Unfamiliar Design/Recognition: Subscribers may not recognize the new template, leading to lower engagement.
  • Spam Filter Triggers: New design elements can trigger spam filters, affecting inbox placement and deliverability.
  • Technical Implementation Issues: CSS, accessibility, mobile optimization, and header formatting flaws can lead to rendering problems.
  • Authentication Problems: Changes can break email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), severely impacting deliverability.
  • ISP Specific Placement: Gmail's placement and prefetching can be affected, sending messages to promotions or otherwise.
  • User preferences: New design can lead to being flagged by spam checkers.

Key considerations

  • A/B Testing and Gradual Rollout: Thoroughly A/B test design changes before wide deployment and make design changes gradually.
  • Spam Filter Audits: Review the template for spam triggers and ensure a balanced image-to-text ratio.
  • Accessibility and Rendering Checks: Ensure the template is accessible and renders correctly across various clients and devices.
  • Authentication Verification: Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records after any template modifications.
  • Monitor Complaints and User Behavior: Monitor spam complaints and user feedback to adjust the design accordingly.
  • Test Inbox Placement: Conduct inbox placement tests using seed lists and personal accounts to confirm deliverability.
  • Monitor system flags: Be wary of being suddenly flagged by different spam checking systems.

What email marketers say
12Marketer opinions

A drop in email open rates after changing the email template design can stem from various factors. These include changes that make the email unrecognizable to subscribers, triggering spam filters due to elements like excessive images or unusual formatting, or poor rendering across different email clients due to CSS issues or lack of mobile optimization. A/B testing design changes is a common recommendation. Also, issues like image-to-text ratio imbalance or potential authentication problems (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can affect inbox placement and deliverability.

Key opinions

  • Unfamiliar Design: Subscribers may not recognize the new design, leading to decreased engagement.
  • Spam Triggers: New templates can inadvertently trigger spam filters due to content or formatting.
  • Rendering Issues: CSS inconsistencies or accessibility problems can cause display issues in different email clients.
  • Mobile Optimization: Lack of mobile optimization negatively impacts user experience and open rates on mobile devices.
  • Image-to-Text Ratio: A poorly balanced ratio can lead to emails being classified as promotional.
  • Authentication Failures: Changes can break SPF, DKIM, or DMARC authentication, hurting deliverability.
  • ISP Specific Issues: Changes can affect specific ISPs like Gmail impacting inbox placement, sometimes due to inbox placement issues.
  • Layout preferences: If users don't like the new layout they may not engage.

Key considerations

  • A/B Testing: Thoroughly A/B test design changes to gauge audience reaction before widespread implementation.
  • Spam Filter Review: Review the template for elements known to trigger spam filters.
  • Accessibility: Ensure the template is accessible and renders correctly across various email clients and devices.
  • Authentication Checks: Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records after any template change to maintain email authentication.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Prioritize mobile-friendly design to ensure a positive user experience on mobile devices.
  • Image Balance: Maintain a healthy text-to-image ratio to avoid being flagged as promotional.
  • Consider users expectations: If a user suddenly has a very different layout from what they are used to, they may be cautious of opening it.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that inaccessible email designs can lead to rendering issues in some email clients, affecting how the email is displayed and potentially decreasing open rates. Ensure your template is accessible.

January 2023 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog recommends A/B testing design changes, subject lines and sender information to see how your audience reacts. Sometimes these changes are unexpected to your audience causing your emails to preform differently.

June 2022 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Pardot responds that a poorly balanced image-to-text ratio in the new template can lead to spam filters classifying the email as promotional, impacting inbox placement and open rates. Maintain a healthy text-to-image ratio.

May 2023 - Pardot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that Google doesn’t care about the layout or number of links in emails and suggests looking at the template to understand why users don’t like it.

January 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the next newsletter's open rates returned to normal after reverting from the problematic layout.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow User 'EmailDev' shares that changes to CSS, especially inline styles, can cause rendering inconsistencies across email clients, leading to display issues and lower engagement. Thoroughly test on various clients.

August 2023 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user /u/TemplateTester responds that If the redesigned template isn't properly optimized for mobile devices, it can negatively impact user experience and open rates. Ensure a responsive design.

February 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that a significant design change can impact engagement as recipients may not recognize the new format, affecting open rates. They suggest A/B testing design changes to gauge audience reaction.

January 2023 - Mailjet Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user /u/EmailExpert responds that a new template could trigger spam filters if it contains elements typically associated with spam (e.g., excessive images, unusual formatting). They suggest reviewing the template for potential spam triggers.

June 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor shares that a redesigned email template might not resonate with subscribers if it deviates too much from their expectations. They recommend focusing on a clean, mobile-friendly design that aligns with brand identity.

October 2021 - Campaign Monitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that open pixels track machine interactions, not user interactions, and the size/structure of emails can impact how they are fetched. Recommends concentrating on clicks or interactions within the email instead of open rates.

June 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares experiencing a similar issue with a redesigned template, where the open rate plummeted for Gmail but remained the same for other ISPs, suspecting a Gmail inbox placement problem.

May 2023 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

A drop in email open rates after changing the email template design can be due to emails landing in the promotions tab instead of the primary inbox, potential seed list inaccuracies, or changes in Gmail prefetching behavior. It's important to verify the display name hasn't changed, as that affects open rates. Furthermore, new templates can inadvertently alter email authentication, causing deliverability issues, or lead to being flagged by different systems, potentially causing a bad user experience and lower engagement. Checking SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is crucial.

Key opinions

  • Promotions Tab Placement: Emails may be directed to the promotions tab instead of the primary inbox.
  • Seed List Inaccuracies: Seed lists may not accurately reflect inbox placement; test on personal Gmail accounts.
  • Gmail Prefetching: Changes in email prefetching by Gmail could explain discrepancies between primary and promotions tabs.
  • Display Name: A change in display name can influence whether recipients open the email.
  • Authentication Changes: Template changes can inadvertently affect email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
  • System Flagging: Changes may cause being flagged by different systems, potentially causing a bad user experience.

Key considerations

  • Inbox Placement Testing: Test inbox placement using personal Gmail accounts to confirm accurate delivery.
  • Display Name Verification: Ensure the display name remains consistent to avoid impacting open rates.
  • Authentication Record Review: Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to ensure proper email authentication.
  • Monitor Systems Flags: Monitor your Emails for any signs of being flagged by spam checkers.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests ensuring the display name didn't change, as if the email goes to the primary tab and isn't clipped, the only explanation is fewer people opened it, unrelated to email size before opening.

February 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that prefetching might explain discrepancies between primary and promotions tabs in Gmail.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that a new template might inadvertently change the email's authentication, leading to deliverability problems and lower open rates. Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records post-template change.

May 2021 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that Sudden changes to template could lead to your Emails being flagged by a different system, therefore having a bad user experience when the Email is opened.

December 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks guesses the issue is that the mail is going to the promotions tab rather than the primary inbox, and suggests the seed lists may be wrong, advising to test on personal Gmail accounts.

November 2021 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

A drop in email open rates after changing the email template design can be attributed to several factors, including changes in design, subject lines, and sender reputation. Spam filter updates are a significant influence. Changes to email content or template structure may negatively impact sender reputation and trigger spam filters. Increased spam complaints due to the new design will hurt deliverability and open rates. Improper header formatting in the new template causes rendering and deliverability issues. Finally, changes to headers may break DKIM or SPF authentication, which severely decreases deliverability.

Key findings

  • Multifactorial Influence: Open rates are influenced by design, subject lines, sender reputation, and spam filters.
  • Reputation Impact: Sudden changes can negatively impact sender reputation and trigger spam filters.
  • Increased Spam Complaints: Design changes leading to more spam complaints will hurt deliverability.
  • Header Formatting: Improper header formatting can cause rendering and deliverability problems.
  • Authentication Breakage: Changes to email headers may break DKIM/SPF authentication.

Key considerations

  • Gradual Changes: Introduce changes gradually to maintain consistency and sender reputation.
  • Monitor Complaints: Monitor spam complaint rates and adjust the design accordingly.
  • Adhere to Standards: Ensure strict adherence to email formatting standards (RFC 5322).
  • Use Valid Authentication: Use valid authentication methods (DKIM/SPF) and ensure headers are properly configured.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that changes in email design leading to increased spam complaints can significantly hurt deliverability and open rates. Monitor spam complaint rates and adjust design accordingly.

March 2021 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Litmus explains that email open rates are influenced by various factors, including changes in email design, subject lines, sender reputation, and spam filter updates. A sudden drop might indicate a combination of these factors.

May 2023 - Litmus
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid states sudden changes in email content or template structure can negatively impact sender reputation and trigger spam filters, leading to lower open rates. Maintain consistency and gradually introduce changes.

June 2024 - SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from RFC 5322 explains that improper header formatting introduced during the template change can cause rendering issues and deliverability problems, impacting open rates. Ensure strict adherence to email formatting standards.

January 2022 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from the IETF explains that Changes to the email headers introduced in a template may break DKIM or SPF authentication, significantly decreasing deliverability. Use valid authentication methods.

October 2022 - IETF