Are your digital emails being swept away in the digital depths? And you are not alone in this. Standing out and boosting email open rates is trickier than ever.
But here is the truth.
Email marketing still works really well. You see some unrecognizable things, such as putting in $1 and getting back about $36 in great returns, which only shows how remarkable it can be. That’s a big return!
As you will notice, the median email open rate for the year is only around 42.35 percent. And with new privacy rules and more competition, it’s harder to track results and grab attention.
Why is it necessary to improve email open rates?
Because if people don’t open your emails, they won’t click, buy, or stay loyal to your brand. It all starts with the opening.
Here’s the good news:
This guide will provide you with 9 clear and proven tips to enhance email open rates, backed by data and real-world examples, to help you increase the number of people opening your emails and improve your email results.
What You Need to Know About Email Open Rates in 2025
Before you get into the tips, let’s first understand what email open rates really mean and why they matter so much in today’s world of marketing.
What Does “Email Open Rates” Mean?
An email open rate is the percentage of people who open your email compared to the total number of emails that were actually delivered (not including the ones that bounced).
Greater interest in your content, such as news, updates, or special holiday offers, is indicated by a higher email open rate. It’s the proportion of recipients who open your email out of all those sent.
Why Are Email Open Rates Important?
Email open rates aren’t just nice numbers to look at—they play a big role in how well your emails perform:
📌 Email Engagement
If your email is opened, there’s a chance the reader might take action—like reading more, clicking a link, or buying something. But if it stays unopened, that chance is lost.
📌 Clicks and Sales
You can’t get people to click or buy if they don’t open the email first.
📌 Sender Reputation and Deliverability
High open rates show email providers that your content is valuable, helping your emails reach inboxes instead of spam folders.
Using tools like List Janitor to remove fake or spam emails can help you improve your reputation, email open rates, and inbox placement.
Improve Email Open Rates with the Best 9 Strategies
Strategy 1. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first thing people see, and sometimes, it’s the only thing they’ll read. A good one can make a big difference in whether someone opens your email or not.
📏 Keep It Short
Try to keep your subject lines under 50–60 characters so they look good on all devices. Shorter lines are easier to read, but it’s not just about length; what you say matters too.
📝 Use Strong Words and Emojis
Words like “urgent” or “exclusive” grab attention fast. Adding 1-2 emojis can increase open rates by up to 45% if they match your message, so email open rates will skyrocket.
🎯 Make It Personal (Beyond Just Names)
Use details like where someone lives, what they’ve bought, or how they’ve interacted with your emails. Example: “Your top picks in New York are back!”
⏰ Add Urgency
Phrases like “Only 24 hours left” or “Just 3 spots remaining” to encourage quick action, but don’t use them too often or they’ll lose impact.
Strategy 2: Make the Most of Your Preheader Text
The preheader text shows up next to your subject line in most inboxes. You can improve email open rates by using the additional space it provides to grab the reader’s attention and persuade them.
💡 Use the “Sneak Peek” Trick
Give readers a quick preview of what’s inside.
For instance:
Subject: You’ve got a special invite!
Preheader: “Click to discover what 90% of others are overlooking.”
✅ Good Example:
Subject: “Black Friday Deals Are Here”
Preheader: “Up to 70% off until midnight!”
❌ Bad Example:
Subject: “Flash Sale ends now”
Preheader: “Flash Sale Ending Soon” (repeating adds no value)
🚫 Avoid Boring Defaults
A dull preheader like “View this email in your browser” is not enough. Always write something custom that supports your message.
Strategy 4 : Personalize Beyond the Name
Just adding someone’s name in an email isn’t enough anymore. Consumers expect more. Sending emails that are appropriate for each individual requires you to use what you know about them in order to truly connect.
✨ Show Different Things to Different People
Use smart tools to change pictures, offers, or parts of your email based on each person’s info. For example, when people are looking for vacation packages, show them summer outfits.
📩 Send Emails Based on Actions
Did someone leave items in their cart or view a product but not buy it? Sending them a reminder email can help you achieve high email open rates. These kinds of emails get 50–100% more opens!
Finally, keep in mind the personalization factors that will be important, such as recent purchase history, location, device usage, and administrative preferences and habits.
Strategy 5: Always Use A/B Testing
You may already know about this, but it’s easy to overlook. A/B testing (also called split testing) is a quick and smart way to learn what works best to boost your email open rates.
It helps you compare two versions of something—like subject lines—to see which one gets more people to open your emails. This gives you a better idea of what’s not working in your campaign and how to fix it.
You can A/B test not just subject lines or message content, but also images, buttons (CTAs), email designs, and more. It is a trusted way to test your emails and improve results by understanding what your readers like.
Strategy 6: Emojis can be a great help
Some people think emojis don’t help much in emails—but that’s not really true. Emojis can actually be a smart way to connect with your readers.
😊 Emojis Add Emotion and Personality
They help your emails feel more friendly and human, not like a boring message from a robot. Keep in mind that emojis aren’t just useful for building relationships; they also help you gain trust and make things feel more personal.
🎯 Help You Stand Out
This can help your email stand out in a crowded inbox and grab someone’s attention, especially new readers.
Using emojis isn’t unprofessional if you do it the right way. In fact, they can help make your brand feel warm, relatable, and real. So don’t be afraid to use them—they might be the little touch that gets your email opened!
Strategy 7: Clean Your Email List Often
Inactive subscribers hurt your email performance. They increase bounce rates, lower your sender reputation, and may send your emails to spam.
So What to Do:
➕ Improve inbox delivery by removing inactive contacts with List Janitor. As a result, in the coming year, you will see a higher ROI and increased email open rates.
➕Before removing a subscriber it’s important to retrieve their email address. Words like “it’s the first and last time” or “we missed you” can serve as bait and bring back memories.
➕Remove inactive users if they haven’t opened your emails in 3–6 months. It helps boost your open and click rates.
Strategy 8: Always Check Your Emails Before Sending
Many companies or startups skip this step, but it’s very important.
Once you finish writing an email, take time to read it again. Look at your message carefully—check if the main idea or hook is strong and convincing enough, and see if anything needs to be fixed.
Even small grammar mistakes or boring wording can turn people away. You don’t want to lose readers just because of a missing comma or a wrong word like “are” instead of “were.”
Give final checks to help you get through email, find minor errors, correct them, and make it a crisp and professional email.
Strategy 9: Don’t Send Too Many Emails
In order to increase email open rates, the final tactic is to avoid sending too many emails, which may irritate your actual subscribers.
Even though staying in touch is important, sending emails all the time can have the opposite effect—people might unsubscribe.
Instead of flooding inboxes, use email tools like Sendster or Constant Contact to schedule and manage your emails smartly.
Don’t send too much; only enough to stay in touch.
Future Trends and Advanced Tips to Improve Email Open Rates
Email marketing is changing fast—thanks to AI growing quicker than ever. Around 60–75% of digital marketers feel unsure about it, but AI should be seen as a tool, not a threat. It can help you write better subject lines, run A/B tests, and grow your results faster.
A. Emerging Technologies:
AI and machine learning are making email smarter, which will work wonders in terms of click-through and email open rates. They help with:
- Personalizing emails for each person
- Sending emails at the best time
- Choosing the right content for each subscriber
With this smart tech, you can send the right message to the right person at the right time. This can greatly improve how many people open your emails.
B. Interactive Email Content:
In 2025, smart email strategies focus more on what customers like. Email will still be the main way to connect, but tools like SMS and chat apps will make communication even better.
With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Blogi, you can also incorporate interactive elements. Polls, surveys, and dynamic content are becoming commonplace. These make emails more interesting and help boost engagement.
C. Privacy-First Marketing:
In 2025, being clear about how you use people’s data is more important than ever. Always:
- Use clear opt-ins
- Make unsubscribing easy
People trust brands that respect their privacy.
Conclusion
Getting more people to open your emails isn’t about trying every method all at once. It’s about testing what works best for your audience and making small improvements over time. The 9 strategies in this guide give you a strong starting point, but real success comes from using them regularly and improving as you go.
Begin by implementing two or three strategies to increase email open rates that are relevant to your current needs. Try writing better subject lines, organizing your email list into smaller groups, and keeping your tools clean and updated.
Focus on building honest relationships with your subscribers instead of just chasing high numbers. With helpful tools like List Janitor for cleaning and managing your list, Sendster and Mailmeteor for sending emails, and Blogi AI for content ideas, you can offer real value and build lasting trust while also boosting your open rates.
The future of email marketing belongs to those who balance personalization with privacy, use technology smartly, and keep a human touch. Stay flexible, keep learning, and apply these tips to achieve strong results.
