Why have email open rates dropped suddenly even though inbox placement is fine?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks asks about the presence of `List-Unsubscribe-Post` and suggests checking server logs for Google's POST requests to the unsubscribe URL, and also to check if there any rate limiting is impacting Google POSTing to those URLs.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that increased sending frequency without providing valuable content can lead to subscriber burnout and decreased open rates. Even if emails are inboxing, subscribers may simply be overwhelmed and choose to ignore them.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that decreased open rates despite good inbox placement can stem from list fatigue. Subscribers may be receiving too many emails or the content is no longer relevant, leading to disengagement. Regular list cleaning and segmentation are recommended to target the right audience with the right content.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that lack of segmentation can lead to decreased engagement. Sending the same email to everyone on your list, regardless of their interests or past behavior, can result in irrelevant content and lower open rates, even with good inbox placement.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor Blog explains that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) inflates open rates, masking true engagement. A drop after its implementation doesn't necessarily mean a deliverability issue, but rather a more accurate reflection of actual opens. Focus should shift to other metrics like clicks and conversions.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow notes that a sudden shift in subject line performance (becoming less engaging) can cause a drop in open rates. Suggests A/B testing new subject lines.
Email marketer from Quora answers that even with good inbox placement, external factors like holidays or seasonal trends influence open rates. Subscriber behaviour may change based on these external influences.
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that if an email isn't rendering correctly on certain devices or email clients, subscribers may delete it without opening. Test emails across various platforms to ensure optimal viewing experience and maintain engagement.
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions Google having issues with the lack of one-click unsubscribe and asks if the one click unsubscribe header is implemented, also if the link is HTTPS and if the additional header under it that defines the unsubscribe as one click post is present.
Email marketer from Gmass explains that the emails might be getting clipped above your open tracking pixel which results in the email not being tracked as opened.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that if the content is no longer resonating with subscribers, they will stop opening emails even if they land in the inbox. Analyze subscriber behavior, gather feedback, and adjust content strategy to align with their interests and needs.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests checking open and click rates by recipient domain to identify if a specific mailbox provider is experiencing issues. Single-digit open rates often indicate spam placement and recommends checking Google Postmaster Tools.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that even with emails reaching the inbox, a sudden drop in open rates could signify a decline in domain reputation. ISPs might be throttling your emails or placing them in less prominent inbox tabs due to perceived reputation issues. Regularly monitor your domain reputation and ensure compliance with sending best practices.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a sudden drop in open rates despite good inbox placement can be caused by mailbox providers implementing graymail suppression. This means that emails are being delivered but filtered out of the primary inbox, effectively hiding them from users. This can be triggered by low engagement and is something senders need to actively monitor and address.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that Google prioritizes correct implementation of one-click unsubscribe and advises checking that aspect first. They also suggest sending email to aboutmy.email to identify potential issues and sharing the results for further advice.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Google explains that if mail lands in spam, it doesn’t record spam complaints. Google Postmaster Tools is a tool to check the deliverability and spam rate of emails sent from your domain.
Documentation from RFC explains about implementing `List-Unsubscribe-Post` and ensuring that the URL is a domain that can control. Also checking if logs show Google making POST requests to the URL and if yes, what's the response?
Documentation from Microsoft explains that maintaining a positive sender reputation is crucial. Sudden drops in open rates might indicate a decline in sender reputation, even if emails are still reaching the inbox. Review sending practices, authentication methods, and engagement metrics to identify and address any issues affecting reputation.