Email Marketing terms

Engagement Rate

A metric that measures how recipients interact with an email, combining opens, clicks, replies, and other actions.

What is an engagement rate in email marketing?

Engagement rate in email marketing refers to the measure of how users interact with your emails. It is a key metric that helps marketers understand how well their email marketing efforts are resonating with their audience. This rate is typically calculated by dividing the number of engagements (like opens, clicks, replies, forwards, or any other action a user might take upon receiving an email) by the total number of emails sent, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.

The engagement rate can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your email content, design, and overall strategy. A high engagement rate indicates that your emails are relevant and interesting to your audience, while a low rate may suggest that your emails are not capturing your audience's attention or that your email list contains many inactive or uninterested users. Therefore, monitoring and optimizing your email engagement rate is crucial for successful email marketing.

How is engagement rate calculated in email marketing?

Engagement rate in email marketing is calculated by measuring the interaction of recipients with the emails they receive. This includes actions such as opening the email, clicking on links within the email, forwarding the email, or responding to the email. The engagement rate is typically expressed as a percentage of the total number of emails sent.

To calculate the engagement rate, you first need to decide which actions you consider as engagement. For example, if you only consider opening the email and clicking on links as engagement, you would add the number of opened emails and the number of clicks, then divide by the total number of emails sent, and multiply by 100 to get the percentage. If you include other actions such as forwarding or responding, these would also be added to the numerator. The higher the engagement rate, the more effective the email marketing campaign is considered to be.

What is a good engagement rate for email marketing?

A good engagement rate for email marketing can vary depending on the industry and the specific goals of the campaign. However, as a general benchmark, an open rate of around 20-25% is often considered good. This means that about a quarter of the people who receive the email actually open it to read the content.

In addition to open rates, click-through rates (CTR) are also an important measure of engagement. A good CTR is typically around 2-3%. This means that 2-3% of the people who open the email click on a link within it. These rates can be significantly higher for highly targeted or personalized campaigns. It's important to remember that these are just averages and the success of an email marketing campaign should be measured against its specific objectives and the previous performance data.

How can I improve the engagement rate in my email marketing campaign?

Improving the engagement rate in your email marketing campaign can be achieved through several strategies. Firstly, ensure that your content is relevant and valuable to your audience. This can be done by segmenting your email list based on the preferences and behaviors of your subscribers. Personalizing your emails, such as including the recipient's name in the subject line or body of the email, can also increase engagement.

Secondly, make your emails visually appealing and easy to read. Use a responsive design that looks good on all devices, and break up text with images, bullet points, and subheadings. Also, include a clear and compelling call-to-action that tells the reader exactly what you want them to do. Lastly, test different elements of your emails, like the subject line, send time, and layout, to see what works best for your audience.

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