Why Email Open Rates and Click-Through Rates Matter
Your emails don’t matter if no one opens them.
Harsh? Maybe. But if subscribers are ignoring your emails, opportunities are slipping through the cracks—lost sales, missed engagement, and brand loyalty left untapped.
Low open and click-through rates often signal weak subject lines, poor timing, or content that simply doesn’t resonate. The key to fixing this? Understanding what drives engagement and implementing data-backed strategies that ensure your emails don’t just land in inboxes but actually get opened and acted upon.
The good news? These numbers are fixable.
With the right tweaks, your emails can go from overlooked to unmissable. Let’s break down how to craft compelling subject lines, send at the right time, and test your way to stronger performance so your emails become your most powerful marketing asset.
Subject Lines That Demand Attention
The subject line is your email’s front door. If it doesn’t look intriguing, no one’s stepping inside. Think of it as your first and only shot at convincing someone to open your email—so it has to work hard and fast.
What Makes a Subject Line Effective?
- Curiosity & Intrigue – A hint of value or a question that sparks interest.
- Urgency & Scarcity – Time-sensitive language that encourages action.
- Personalisation – A first name or reference to past behaviour feels tailored.
- Clarity & Relevance – Straightforward, benefit-driven copy converts better.
- Mobile-Friendly Length – Keep it between 40-50 characters for visibility.
Subject Line Examples That Work:
- “Still thinking it over? Here’s something to help”
- “Exclusive offer inside – but only for a short time”
- “You left this behind – and it won’t last long”
- “Unlock your exclusive reward – time is running out”
Crafting a compelling subject line is only half the battle—getting readers to engage with your content once they open the email is where the real strategy kicks in. Let’s talk about how to keep them hooked and drive action.
Personalisation = More Clicks, More Conversions.
Generic emails get ignored. Personalised emails feel like a conversation, not a broadcast. They create a sense of connection between your brand and the recipient, making your emails more relevant and engaging.
But did you know that emails with personalised subject lines see a 26% higher open rate, and customised content dramatically boosts clicks?
Ways to Personalise Emails for Higher Engagement:
- Use the recipient’s first name in the subject line and greeting.
- Reference past purchases or browsing behaviour to suggest relevant products.
- Segment your list based on demographics, location, or interests.
- Send triggered emails based on user actions, such as abandoned cart reminders or product recommendations.
When done right, personalisation transforms your emails into valuable, relevant experiences that make recipients feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Now, let’s talk timing—because even the best emails fall flat if they hit inboxes at the wrong moment.
Timing is Everything: When to Hit Send.
Even the best email won’t work if sent when your audience isn’t paying attention. Sending at optimal times ensures that your carefully crafted content lands in front of engaged, active readers who are more likely to take action.
Don’t know where to start with when to send out your emails? In general:
Best Days to Send Emails:
- Tuesday and Thursday tend to see the highest open rates.
- Wednesday is another strong option for engagement.
- Avoid Mondays when inboxes are flooded from the weekend.
Best Times to Send Emails:
- 8-10 AM – Many people check emails first thing in the morning.
- 12-2 PM – Lunchtime can be a great window for engagement.
- 6-9 PM – Evenings are effective, particularly for B2C audiences.
The key is to test different send times and analyse which ones yield the best results for your specific audience. The best way to determine optimal sending times is by monitoring your own email analytics. Most email marketing platforms, such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and HubSpot, provide insights into when your audience is most active. By tracking open rates and engagement patterns over time, you can tailor your send times to maximise effectiveness.
And if you’re having preformance issues, I got you!
A/B Testing: Your Secret Weapon for Better Performance
If you’re not testing, you’re guessing.
Read that again.
A/B testing (split testing) helps uncover what actually works, allowing you to optimize campaigns over time and ensure your emails evolve with your audience’s preferences. It’s time to break out a spreadsheet and start tracking the following:
Key Email Elements to A/B Test:
- Subject Lines – Test different phrasing, lengths, and tones.
- Call-to-Action (CTA) Placement – Try placing CTAs at different points in the email.
- Email Layout and Design – Compare text-heavy emails vs. image-driven ones.
- Send Times – Test morning vs. evening and different days of the week.
- Personalisation Levels – Measure the impact of including a name or location in the email.
Testing regularly and using data-driven insights ensures that your emails are always improving and adapting to your audience’s preferences. By testing different elements, you can make data-driven decisions that improve engagement.
Start by testing one variable at a time to measure its impact accurately. Begin with subject lines, as they have the most immediate effect on open rates. From there, experiment with email design, CTA placement, and send times to see what resonates best with your audience.
Email Design & CTA Placement for More Clicks
The structure and design of your email play a key role in encouraging clicks. A cluttered email with too many distractions will lose engagement quickly. A great way to learn this is to keep swipe files of all the emails you personally click on and then those you buy from. Start looking for patterns within the email and when and where you read them.
A few handy tips to start:
Best Practices for Email Layout and CTA Placement:
- Use a Clear and Concise Layout – Keep text short and scannable.
- Place Your CTA Above the Fold – Ensure the reader sees the main action quickly.
- Use Contrasting Colours for CTAs – Make buttons stand out.
- Limit the Number of Links – Too many CTAs can overwhelm and reduce clicks.
A clear, structured email with a single, strong CTA increases conversions significantly. Ensure that every email serves one clear goal, eliminating unnecessary distractions. Don’t worry you’re almost there!
What’s Next? Time to Optimise & Scale
Mastering email open rates and click-through rates isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy. It is an ongoing process that requires testing, analysis, and adaptation. Yes, the evil time word. Patience and consistency is your friend here. Think of this as a snowball that you want to get bigger over time.
Here’s Your Next Steps:
- Test and refine your subject lines to improve open rates.
- Implement personalisation techniques to increase engagement.
- Experiment with send times and days to find the optimal schedule for your audience.
- A/B test key elements like CTAs, layout, and content.
- Monitor your results and continuously optimise based on data.
Want to see where your email strategy stands?
Get a free email audit today and uncover quick-win optimisations to increase engagement & conversions.
