Why have email open rates suddenly dropped and what can I check?

Email marketer from StackExchange suggests if deliverability is proven and content is of good quality, the issue might come down to how you are emailing or who you are emailing. Check you haven't suddenly started blasting out to unengaged people who are dragging your email into the spam folder.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that with a recent drop in email opens it may be caused by users flagging your email as 'not spam' meaning that your email isn't landing in the inbox and going directly into the user's mail stream.

Email marketer from StackExchange suggests that you ensure your IP isn't blocked, your content hasn't suddenly failed checks, ensure that the 'preview text' isn't misleading/spammy and that you are not hitting spam traps.

Marketer from Email Geeks recommends verifying complaint rates in Google Postmaster Tools (GPT v2 spam rate dashboard) to ensure the reported rates from other tools via API access are accurate, as there have been reports of discrepancies.

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that several factors can cause a sudden drop in open rates, including changes in recipient behavior, list hygiene issues (like inactive subscribers), and deliverability problems related to sender reputation or spam filters. They recommend checking sender reputation, reviewing email content for spam triggers, and segmenting lists to improve engagement.

Email marketer from Litmus Blog describes factors that could be affecting your open rates, including sending frequency, subscriber engagement, subject line performance, and deliverability issues. They suggest a variety of measures to improve rates like re-engaging old subscribers, cleaning lists, testing subject lines, and improving authentication.

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog suggests several strategies for improving low email open rates, including personalizing subject lines, segmenting email lists for more targeted content, cleaning up email lists to remove inactive subscribers, and A/B testing different elements of the email to optimize performance.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that sudden drops often come from a spike in hard bounces, increase in spam complaints or a poorly timed campaign - perhaps if it clashes with other marketing or global/national events.

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that changes in content, such as increased image usage, might lead to a reduction in open rates due to the footer pixel firing less frequently.

Email marketer from Gmass Blog explains that if email opens suddenly stop, the first things to check are spam folder placement, blacklisting, and IP reputation. They recommend using tools to diagnose deliverability issues and adjusting sending practices to improve placement in the inbox.

Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that declining email engagement may be caused by factors like changes to email content, a shift in the target audience, or a decrease in sender reputation. They recommend analyzing the previous campaign's performance, checking content relevance, and verifying that the target audience is still active and engaged.

Expert from Spamresource.com explains that a sudden drop in open rates can be linked to a damaged sender reputation. This can occur due to various factors like increased spam complaints, hitting spam traps, or changes in email content that trigger spam filters. Check sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and ensure compliance with email authentication standards.

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that poor list hygiene is often the culprit when open rates decline. This includes having a large number of inactive or unengaged subscribers. Regular list cleaning, segmentation, and re-engagement campaigns are crucial to maintaining healthy engagement rates and avoiding deliverability issues.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests sudden volume changes or a poorly performing campaign as possible causes for the drop in open rates. He also asks if there has been a spike in negative behaviors like FBLs/complaints and whether the audience has changed.

Documentation from DKIM explains that DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email authentication method that allows an organization to take responsibility for a message in a way that can be validated by a recipient. It ensures that the message was truly sent by the domain it claims to be from and hasn't been altered in transit. A missing or invalid DKIM signature can negatively affect your email's reputation and deliverability, leading to reduced open rates.

Documentation from Microsoft Docs describes the importance of maintaining a clean IP address and domain reputation to ensure email deliverability to Outlook.com users. A sudden drop in open rates could indicate issues with your sender reputation. They recommend adhering to best practices for sending email, such as authenticating your email, avoiding spam traps, and providing an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe.

Documentation from RFC explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method designed to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. If your SPF record is misconfigured or missing, some email providers may filter your messages or mark them as spam, which reduces your open rate. You should review your SPF record and make sure it is valid.

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that Postmaster Tools provides data on your sender reputation, spam rate, and other key metrics. A sudden drop in reputation could lead to lower open rates. They recommend monitoring these metrics regularly and addressing any issues identified, such as high spam complaints or authentication problems.