Summary
Determining a 'good' click-through rate (CTR) for email marketing is not a straightforward task, as it depends heavily on a multitude of factors. Industry averages generally hover around 2-3%, with some sources citing slightly higher or lower figures. However, these averages should be taken with a grain of salt due to the significant influence of factors such as industry, the type of email (e.g., newsletter, promotional campaign), audience demographics, and overall campaign goals. Experts and marketers agree that a 'good' CTR is context-specific and emphasizes the importance of setting realistic benchmarks based on your unique situation. Instead of solely relying on industry averages, it's crucial to track your own email program's trends, compare current performance against past performance, and continuously strive for improvement. Furthermore, a healthy CTR is intrinsically linked to sender reputation and deliverability, while a low CTR can signal problems with content relevance, targeting effectiveness, or technical deliverability issues. Improving CTR involves a holistic approach that incorporates strategies such as segmentation, personalization, strong calls-to-action, mobile optimization, and A/B testing. In essence, CTR should be viewed as one of several key performance indicators (KPIs) and analyzed in conjunction with other metrics like open rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates to gain a comprehensive understanding of email marketing performance.
Key findings
- Context-Dependent: A 'good' CTR is highly context-dependent and varies based on industry, email type, audience, and goals.
- Industry Averages are Benchmarks: While industry averages exist (around 2-3%), they serve only as general benchmarks and should not be the sole determinant of success.
- Focus on Trends: Tracking and analyzing trends within your own email program is more valuable than comparing against external benchmarks.
- Sender Reputation Impact: CTR directly influences sender reputation and email deliverability.
- Holistic Performance: CTR is best analyzed as part of a broader set of KPIs, including open rates, conversions, and unsubscribes.
Key considerations
- Segment Your Audience: Segment your email list to send more targeted content and improve relevance.
- Optimize Content: Craft compelling, relevant content that resonates with your audience.
- Call-to-Action Clarity: Use clear and persuasive calls-to-action to drive clicks.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure emails are mobile-optimized for a seamless user experience.
- Personalize Emails: Personalize email messaging to increase engagement and relevance.
- Regularly Test and Optimize: Conduct A/B testing on various elements (subject lines, content, layout) to optimize for higher CTR.
- Monitor Deliverability: Monitor email deliverability to identify and address any potential issues affecting CTR.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Determining a 'good' click-through rate (CTR) in email marketing is complex and depends on various factors. Industry averages typically fall between 2-3%, but benchmarks can vary significantly based on industry, email type, audience, and business goals. Rather than relying solely on averages, it's crucial to analyze your own email program's trends and set realistic benchmarks. Improving CTR involves strategies like personalization, strong calls-to-action, mobile optimization, and A/B testing. A healthy CTR contributes to a positive sender reputation and better deliverability. Open rate is still a valuable metric for identifying trends, especially when evaluating click-through rates. Ultimately, a 'good' CTR is one that consistently improves over time and contributes to overall marketing objectives.
Key opinions
- Industry Averages: Industry averages for email CTR are around 2-3%, but this varies significantly by industry.
- Context Matters: A 'good' CTR depends on your specific industry, email type (e.g., newsletter vs. sales email), and target audience.
- Monitor Trends: Focus on tracking CTR trends within your own email program rather than solely relying on external benchmarks.
- Holistic View: CTR is one of several KPIs and should be evaluated alongside open rates, conversion rates, and other relevant metrics.
- Open Rate Consideration: Open rate trends still matter for identifying trends when evaluating click-through rates.
Key considerations
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to send more targeted and relevant content, which can improve CTR.
- Call-to-Action: Use clear, compelling calls-to-action to encourage recipients to click.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly for a better user experience and higher engagement.
- Personalization: Personalize your email messaging to make it more relevant to each individual recipient.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with different subject lines, content, and layouts to optimize your emails for higher CTR.
- Sender Reputation: A low CTR can negatively impact your sender reputation and deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SuperOffice explains that CTR is an important metric for measuring engagement but should be considered alongside other metrics like open rate and conversion rate. They highlight the importance of setting realistic benchmarks based on your specific context.
8 May 2025 - SuperOffice
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot suggests various strategies to improve CTR, including personalization, clear calls-to-action, mobile optimization, and A/B testing. Notes that a good CTR is one that consistently improves over time.
2 Jul 2024 - HubSpot
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts emphasize that a 'good' CTR is highly contextual. It depends on the email type, audience, and campaign goals. A low CTR indicates issues with content, targeting, or deliverability, requiring strategic reevaluation. Focus on continuous improvement and comparing current performance against past data to define success.
Key opinions
- Contextual Definition: A 'good' CTR varies based on email type, audience, and campaign goals.
- Engagement Gauge: CTR is valuable for gauging engagement and identifying potential problems.
- Continuous Improvement: Focus on continuously improving your CTR rather than achieving a specific number.
Key considerations
- Strategy Reevaluation: Low CTR indicates a need to reevaluate content, targeting, and deliverability strategies.
- Performance Tracking: Track CTR performance over time to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Data Comparison: Compare current CTR performance against past performance to assess progress.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the definition of a 'good' CTR changes depending on the type of email, the audience, and the specific goals of the campaign. They suggest focusing on continuous improvement and comparing your current performance against your past performance.
18 May 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource shares that CTR is valuable for gauging engagement. A low CTR might indicate problems with your content, targeting, or deliverability, necessitating a closer examination of your email strategy.
15 Apr 2024 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Documentation emphasizes that a 'good' CTR is relative to specific goals and KPIs, advocating for tracking trends within your own program. A healthy CTR positively impacts sender reputation and deliverability, while low CTRs signal potential irrelevance to ISPs. Overall relevance and engagement, reflected in CTR, are crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation and avoiding spam filters.
Key findings
- Relative to Goals: A 'good' CTR is defined by your specific goals and KPIs.
- Sender Reputation: Healthy CTR contributes to a positive sender reputation and deliverability.
- Relevance Matters: Relevance and engagement are crucial for avoiding spam filters.
- ISPs Signalling: Low CTRs signal potential irrelevance to Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Key considerations
- Set Specific Goals: Define clear and measurable goals for your email campaigns.
- Monitor Trends: Track CTR trends within your email program to identify areas for improvement.
- Improve Relevance: Focus on delivering relevant and engaging content to your subscribers.
- Maintain Reputation: Take steps to maintain a positive sender reputation and avoid spam filters.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Search Central notes that while they don't directly address email CTR, relevance and engagement (which CTR reflects) are important for maintaining a good sender reputation and avoiding spam filters.
30 Sep 2024 - Google Search Central
Technical article
Documentation from Sendinblue emphasizes that a healthy CTR contributes to a positive sender reputation, which can improve deliverability. Shares that low CTRs can signal to ISPs that your emails are not relevant to recipients.
12 Jun 2023 - Sendinblue
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