Your open rates are flat. You’re sending email after email, but not enough people are actually opening them, let alone clicking through.
It’s not your product. It’s not your audience. It’s how your emails are landing.
That’s why you need a smarter strategy. With a few simple tweaks, you can turn low open rates into high-impact results — more clicks, more engagement, and more revenue.
Here’s how to fix what’s holding your emails back — and get more eyes on every send.
Why should you focus on open rates?
With email marketing, there’s a lot you should track — open rates, click-through rates, click rates (yes, they’re different).
But open rates are where it all starts.
- Higher open rates mean:
More opportunities for sales - Better sender reputation — helping you avoid spam folders
- A stronger long-term relationship with your subscribers
Quick reality check:
The average open rate for ecommerce emails sits around 29.81%.
If you’re sitting around that 30% mark, you’re tracking pretty well — but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
1. Hook them with a subject line they can’t ignore
Subject lines are your first — and sometimes only — chance to get noticed.
A killer subject line can spike your open rate overnight. A bad one? Your customers will head straight for the delete button.
Here’s what works:
- Lead with your offer: If you’re offering 20% off, say it in your subject line. So many brands think they’re making the offer clear, but most people only glance at their inbox. You need to hit them between the eyes with exactly what they’re getting, fast.
- Keep it short and direct: Ideally under 50 characters — short enough to show fully on mobile.
- Pique their curiosity: Give a hint, tease a benefit, or pose an intriguing question.
- Add urgency when it matters: If the sale’s ending soon, tell them.
Examples:
Not leading with the offer
Too long or convoluted
Generic, unpersuasive language
Vague or confusing
2. Get to the point — and make it interesting
Once someone opens your email, you have about 5 seconds to convince them to keep reading.
Here’s how to get it right:
- Restate your offer immediately: Remind them why they clicked.
- Stick to short, snappy copy: Keep sentences and paragraphs tight.
- Highlight the value clearly: What’s in it for them? Save money, get exclusive access, solve a problem?
- Include the essentials early: Sale cut-off dates, minimum spend and important T&Cs.
Pro Tip: Use your hero image to repeat the offer visually. Images draw the eye first, so including clear text about the offer helps reinforce your message before they’ve read a word.
3. Get the click with a killer CTA
A strong call-to-action (CTA) is what moves your reader from interested to taking action.
