Comments on: Open rates: 6 lessons from digging deeper and a Gmail problem http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:53:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark Brownlow http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html#comment-463 Mark Brownlow Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:27:26 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging-deeper-and-a-gmail-problem.html#comment-463 Hi Kate. That sounds good! If you're comparing to a couple of years ago, then image blocking probably accounts for the open rate drop. You might find <a href="http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/07/declining-open-rates.html" rel="nofollow">this analysis</a> interesting too. Hi Kate. That sounds good! If you’re comparing to a couple of years ago, then image blocking probably accounts for the open rate drop. You might find this analysis interesting too.

]]> By: Kate http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html#comment-462 Kate Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:33:39 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging-deeper-and-a-gmail-problem.html#comment-462 I need to read through this more closely. Overall, it explains partially why I have a declining open rate (2-5%) compared to two or three years ago, but still have higher sales. I mean more people are on the list but percentage wise sales have disproportionately increased even with lower open rates. There goes my regression analysis! I need to read through this more closely. Overall, it explains partially why I have a declining open rate (2-5%) compared to two or three years ago, but still have higher sales. I mean more people are on the list but percentage wise sales have disproportionately increased even with lower open rates. There goes my regression analysis!

]]> By: Mark Brownlow http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html#comment-178 Mark Brownlow Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:42:03 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging-deeper-and-a-gmail-problem.html#comment-178 Thanks Brian.<br /><br />Hi Sean. Great comments.<br /><br />Although it's a B2B list, the Gmail percentage is quite high (another lesson there), though whether it's statistically significant or not to do proper analysis is another issue. But I'm primarily interested in illustration here.<br /><br />Your comments speak to the wider point that it really isn't enough to look at base open rates in isolation and that there is also much to be gleaned from looking at patterns und understanding natural patterns of attrition and attention to compare to.<br /><br />Some of that I've <a href="http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2009/09/slow-death-of-your-email-and-how-to.html" rel="nofollow">covered before</a>. For example, I <a href="http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2009/07/identifying-engaged-subscribers-unique.html" rel="nofollow">found</a> in an analysis last year that only 8% of subscribers "opened" all of the previous 9 issues and 32% "opened" none.<br /><br />Most are opening intermittently, with that frequency naturally declining with time.<br /><br />A critical point you raise is the one about when people have been turned off by your newsletter. It's hard to get them back with super new content, because as you say they're not now opening and won't see it.<br /><br />That point is echoed by the fact that most reactivation campaigns seem to consider single figure responses a major success.<br /><br />Anyway, always welcome and appreciate your great insight. Thanks for sharing. Thanks Brian.

Hi Sean. Great comments.

Although it's a B2B list, the Gmail percentage is quite high (another lesson there), though whether it's statistically significant or not to do proper analysis is another issue. But I'm primarily interested in illustration here.

Your comments speak to the wider point that it really isn't enough to look at base open rates in isolation and that there is also much to be gleaned from looking at patterns und understanding natural patterns of attrition and attention to compare to.

Some of that I've covered before. For example, I found in an analysis last year that only 8% of subscribers "opened" all of the previous 9 issues and 32% "opened" none.

Most are opening intermittently, with that frequency naturally declining with time.

A critical point you raise is the one about when people have been turned off by your newsletter. It's hard to get them back with super new content, because as you say they're not now opening and won't see it.

That point is echoed by the fact that most reactivation campaigns seem to consider single figure responses a major success.

Anyway, always welcome and appreciate your great insight. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Sean Duffy http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html#comment-175 Sean Duffy Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:40:29 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging-deeper-and-a-gmail-problem.html#comment-175 Hi Mark,<br />How big is the Gmail sample? My guess is it is relatively small so not reliable when doing this sort of analysis.<br /><br />Also looking from edition to edition won't show much difference each time - there will never be big spikes or off a cliff moments unless something is dramatically wrong.<br /><br />What you will probably see is as your list gets older a gradual trend decline. Likewise if you start upping the quality of the newsletter in relation to more relevant, valuable content you will see a gradual increase.<br /><br />Why? People are used to your email and will form a perception that it is not for them so will not open and see all the amazing new changes made.<br /><br />Two more reports that will provide more insight are:<br />1) What percentage of your list never opens the email (indeed what is each individuals open rate?)<br /><br />2) What is the open rate per number newsletter received? (I.E. What is the open rate for all of the recipients 3rd email they received compared to their 4th email received?<br /><br />My guess is for Q1 over half would not have opened an email in the last 6 months. Q2 you will see a drop off rate over time, but after 3-4 emails this will accelerate.<br /><br />Sean Hi Mark,
How big is the Gmail sample? My guess is it is relatively small so not reliable when doing this sort of analysis.

Also looking from edition to edition won't show much difference each time – there will never be big spikes or off a cliff moments unless something is dramatically wrong.

What you will probably see is as your list gets older a gradual trend decline. Likewise if you start upping the quality of the newsletter in relation to more relevant, valuable content you will see a gradual increase.

Why? People are used to your email and will form a perception that it is not for them so will not open and see all the amazing new changes made.

Two more reports that will provide more insight are:
1) What percentage of your list never opens the email (indeed what is each individuals open rate?)

2) What is the open rate per number newsletter received? (I.E. What is the open rate for all of the recipients 3rd email they received compared to their 4th email received?

My guess is for Q1 over half would not have opened an email in the last 6 months. Q2 you will see a drop off rate over time, but after 3-4 emails this will accelerate.

Sean

]]> By: Brian S. Pauls http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging.html#comment-174 Brian S. Pauls Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:47:01 +0000 http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2010/03/open-rates-6-lessons-from-digging-deeper-and-a-gmail-problem.html#comment-174 Thanks for a fascinating example of why it is essential to look at what the data actually say, before drawing conclusions about what they mean. It's a lesson everyone who does performance tracking and analysis should take to heart. Thanks for a fascinating example of why it is essential to look at what the data actually say, before drawing conclusions about what they mean. It's a lesson everyone who does performance tracking and analysis should take to heart.

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