My email open rates dropped from 30% to 8%
I run an email newsletter for my small business. My open rates used to be around 30% which I thought was decent. Suddenly they dropped to 8% over the past 2 weeks. I didn't change my subject lines or my send schedule. What happened?
1 Answer(s)
An 8% open rate means one of three things happened. Let's troubleshoot.
1. You got flagged as spam. Check your spam folder — are YOUR emails landing there? If so, your domain or IP might be blacklisted. Go to MXToolbox.com and check your domain's blacklist status. If you're listed, you need to submit a delisting request to Google and Microsoft.
2. Gmail changed how it handles bulk mail. In February 2024, Gmail started requiring bulk senders (5,000+ emails/day) to authenticate with new requirements. If you're using a regular Gmail account to send newsletters, you might be getting throttled. Use a proper ESP like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or Brevo.
3. Your list got stale. If you haven't cleaned your list in 6+ months, you probably have thousands of dead emails (people who left the company, changed jobs, etc.). High bounce rates tank your deliverability. Remove anyone who hasn't opened an email in 90 days.
Fix these 3 things and your open rates should bounce back to 25%+ within 2-3 weeks.