Why have email engagement rates dropped significantly for large broadcast sends since February?

Email marketer from WebmasterWorld suggests that sudden drops in open rates could indicate a problem with IP reputation or placement on a blocklist. He recommends checking IP/domain reputation, reviewing recent sending practices, and verifying DMARC/SPF/DKIM configurations.

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that declining engagement rates can stem from various reasons: list fatigue (sending to uninterested subscribers), irrelevant content, poor timing, deliverability issues, and unoptimized mobile experience. Strategies include list cleaning, better segmentation, A/B testing, and improving email design.

Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailExpert suggests that algorithm changes by ISPs and email providers can cause fluctuations in engagement. They advise monitoring feedback loops, maintaining good sender reputation, and adjusting sending strategies to adapt to these changes.

Email marketer from Mailchimp suggests that low campaign open rates can be attributed to changes in subscriber behavior, spam filters, list quality, and subject line effectiveness. They recommend cleaning your list, improving segmentation, using compelling subject lines, and ensuring your emails are mobile-friendly.

Email marketer from Litmus shares that email client privacy changes (like Apple's Mail Privacy Protection) have made open rates less reliable. This affects the ability to accurately measure engagement. Focus should shift to click-through rates and conversion rates as key metrics.

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor emphasizes the value of segmentation in improving email engagement. Sending targeted emails based on subscriber interests, demographics, and behavior leads to higher open and click-through rates, therefore boosting overall engagement.

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that large sends often perform worse than automations due to fingerprinting based on send behavior (speed/amount) or header differences. Mimicking automation send speeds for campaigns can help.

Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that declining engagement could be due to a number of factors, including changes in audience interests, poor email design, irrelevant content, inconsistent sending schedules, deliverability issues, and not optimizing for mobile. Regularly analyze metrics, segment your audience, and refresh your email marketing strategy.

Email marketer from HubSpot shares that re-engaging inactive subscribers can improve overall engagement rates. Strategies involve sending targeted re-engagement campaigns, offering incentives, and ultimately removing unresponsive subscribers from your list.

Expert from Spamresource.com highlights that removing unengaged users from your list is critical for maintaining good deliverability. Sending to inactive addresses decreases sender reputation and thus email engagement.

Expert from Email Geeks believes that ISPs fine-tuning filters in Q1 and senders implementing or changing DKIM settings en-masse could contribute to engagement drops.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection inflates open rates without representing actual reads. Engagement metrics based on opens alone are now unreliable; marketers need to focus on other indicators like clicks and conversions.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sending too much email, even if wanted at first, can lead to list fatigue. This then reduces engagement and increases complaints. Marketers should carefully monitor frequency and relevance to maintain list health.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests breaking down engagement drops by domain and using inbox testing to check for spam folder placement. The February correlation could be due to DKIM/DMARC implementation or changes resetting domain reputation at Gmail or Yahoo.

Expert from Email Geeks mentions another client experiencing similar issues starting in February, with emails going to spam at Yahoo due to low engagement/interest as measured by Yahoo.

Documentation from IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) describes SPF (Sender Policy Framework) as an email authentication method designed to prevent sender address forgery. Incorrect SPF records can lead to emails being marked as spam and a drop in email engagement.

Documentation from Microsoft highlights the importance of proper authentication, list management, and content relevance for bulk emails. They also warn that sudden increases in email volume, especially from new IPs, can trigger spam filters and hurt engagement.

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that factors such as sender reputation, spam complaints, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and list hygiene significantly influence email deliverability and engagement. Sudden changes to sending practices can negatively impact reputation and thus engagement.

Documentation from SparkPost explains that gradually increasing sending volume (IP warm-up) is crucial for new IPs or domains. Sudden large sends can trigger spam filters. Adhering to established sending limits is essential for maintain deliverability and engagement.

Documentation from RFC Editor (RFC 9137) answers question about DMARC and its impact on deliverability. It explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is designed to combat email spoofing and phishing. Implementing DMARC incorrectly or making changes to DMARC policies can significantly affect email deliverability and, consequently, engagement rates.