How Do Your Email Stats Compare?

As an internet consultant, I am often asked for average numbers for the clicks and open rates in the media industry in regards to emails and specifically email blasts.  Constant Contact reports that the publishing industry has an average open rate of 18.6%, a bounce rate of 8.6% with a click thru rate of 23.7%.  (See source link below for the full report.)  The media clients that I work with often report numbers that are slightly lower.  I compared 10 of my magazine clients to provide you these numbers…. an average open rate of 16.5%, a bounce rate of 6.6% with a click thru rate of 21.5%.  The two data sets are very close.


So, what do you do to raise your open rates and click thru rates?

1. Test your subject line:  Experts that say “subject line importance is old school” need to go back to school.  In 100% of all my tests with media clients, a well written subject line out performed a generic subject line.  I also found that lists are very popular.  Some great examples… “10 ways to grow your small business revenue”, “5 Hot Parenting Tips”, “10 Ways to market your business for under $100”.
2. Test your sending time: One way to boost your open rate is to look at when people who open your emails are doing so. Is it 8am, noon, 3pm, 10pm?  Try splitting your list in half. Send to half the people at your normal time, and to the other half on a different day or at a different time of day to see if one results in a higher open rate.
3. Check your “from” name: Most emails that are quickly ignored or deleted are those with an unrecognizable "from" name or address. Is your "from" name easily recognizable?  For publishers, try sending the email from the publishers name rather than editor@my-magazine.com or the name of the magazine.  Or, come up with a persona for your emails like Rex Reed to Mary Daniels.
4. Test and Re-test:  Use A-B testing often and really look and digest the results.     

Emails are an important part of every media business that I work for.  Yet, so very often, these simple tips are overlooked due to a busy schedule or staff that is just plain lazy.  Yes, I said it.  As a media centric internet consultant you pay me to shoot it straight.  So, you heard me right, check for lazy tactics that are being deployed by lazy staffers.  When it comes to subject lines, many times they are the last thing written and they often say, “eNews fromOur-Magazine.com”, Or “Hot news from Our-Magazine.com”.   Review subject lines just like headlines.  Ask for detailed reports and testing from your team.

In the end, email will be a serious pat of your revenue plan, so it needs to be perfect.

Source:  http://constantcontact.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3194

About this blogger:  Ryan Dohrn is an award wining internet consultant, international business speaker and is the President and founder of Brain Swell Media, a boutique internet revenue consulting firm with a detailed focus on ad sales training, internet consulting and media revenue generation.  Internet consultant and business speaker Ryan Dohrn travels the globe teaching media sales training classes and offers detailed coaching help to business owners and media companies looking to make money online.  http://www.BrainSwellMedia.com

Ryan R. Dohrn
President/Founder
Brain Swell Media LLC
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Brain Swell Media, LLC is an interactive internet media consulting firm. We focus on five key business areas; online strategy consulting, website development, media sales training, HD video production and strategic planning. We provide business owners and publishing companies with the tools and resources they need to optimize their presence on the Web and boost revenue.