Why do new Gmail signups or new email templates have low open rates?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 26 May 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
8 min read
It can be incredibly frustrating to launch a new campaign, welcome new subscribers, or even just update your email template, only to see your open rates plummet, especially in Gmail. You might notice that older segments of your list perform normally, while newly acquired Gmail signups or emails sent with a refreshed template suffer significantly, sometimes showing rates as low as 1-3%. I've seen this pattern affect multiple senders across various platforms, suggesting it's not an isolated incident.
This sudden drop, especially for new interactions or new content, points to how Google (and other mailbox providers) handle sender reputation and engagement signals. They are inherently cautious with anything new, and this conservative approach can temporarily impact your deliverability and open rates. It's a common challenge, but understanding the underlying reasons can help you navigate it effectively.
Sender reputation and the 'new' factor
When you introduce new elements to your email program, such as fresh email templates or start sending to a wave of new Gmail signups, Gmail's algorithms scrutinize your sending patterns more closely. This is because new behaviors can sometimes indicate a shift towards less desirable sending practices, or simply a lack of established reputation for that particular variable. It's similar to how human trust is built over time, rather than instantly given. Mailbox providers like Google use sophisticated machine learning models to assess incoming email, and these models tend to be conservative when encountering new data or patterns. This means they might initially place your emails in less prominent folders, like spam (or junk), or filter them more aggressively, leading to lower open rates.
Your domain reputation plays a crucial role here. Even if your overall domain reputation is strong, a new email template or a segment of brand new subscribers can be treated as an unfamiliar variable. Mailbox providers want to see consistent, positive engagement before fully trusting new elements of your sending program. This is a common part of their defense against spam and unwanted mail.
The good news is that this cautious phase is often temporary. If your emails consistently receive positive engagement from these new segments or with new templates, your open rates should recover. It's about demonstrating consistent value and positive interaction over time. You might want to consider sending smaller batches of emails to new signups initially, gradually increasing the volume as you build a positive sending history with them. This is often referred to as IP warming, even when not using new IPs, the concept applies to domain warming or template warming.
Technical considerations and email authentication
Beyond the new factor, certain technical configurations and how you construct your emails can also influence initial open rates. For example, some have theorized that Gmail might be more conservative about prefetching images (which often includes the tracking pixel for open rates) for new templates or new recipient streams. If the images aren't preloaded, the open isn't recorded, even if the email lands in the inbox. This is why you might see email open rates drop after changing email template design.
Proper email authentication is non-negotiable for good deliverability. Ensuring your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly set up helps mailbox providers verify that you are who you say you are, which builds trust. Any misconfigurations can lead to emails being sent to the spam folder, thereby impacting open rates. You can learn more about DMARC, SPF, and DKIM and their importance.
Authentication best practices
SPF record: Ensure your SPF record includes all legitimate sending IPs and domains. Incorrect setup can lead to authentication failures.
DKIM signing: Verify your emails are correctly DKIM signed. This digital signature helps ensure the email hasn't been tampered with.
DMARC policy: Implement a DMARC record to instruct mailbox providers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. This also provides valuable feedback reports.
Template health and rendering
HTML errors: Even minor HTML errors in a new template can cause rendering issues or affect how tracking pixels load, leading to unrecorded opens. Test your templates rigorously across various clients.
Image prefetching: Understand that Google (and other providers) might delay or skip image prefetching for new or less reputable senders, directly impacting open rate metrics.
Regularly testing your email deliverability can help identify if your emails are landing in the spam folder or other tabs. Tools are available to test your deliverability and pinpoint issues related to content, formatting, or technical setup that could be causing a drop in open rates, particularly with new templates.
Engagement and list hygiene
Mailbox providers, especially Gmail, heavily rely on user engagement to determine inbox placement. Low open rates for new signups or with new templates can signal to algorithms that your content isn't relevant or desired by recipients. If new subscribers aren't opening your emails, it can negatively impact your sender reputation for that segment, and subsequently, for your entire sending domain. This often leads to future emails landing in the spam folder or promotional tabs, further suppressing open rates. This is why you should always aim to improve your email deliverability.
Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is paramount. Sending to inactive or unengaged subscribers, or using low-quality email addresses, can significantly drag down your open rates and overall deliverability. It's much better to have a smaller, highly engaged list than a large list with many disinterested recipients. Over time, sending to unengaged users can trigger spam complaints or lead to your emails being directed to the junk folder, even for engaged subscribers.
Common pitfalls
Poor list quality: Acquiring email addresses from unreliable sources or not regularly cleaning your list can lead to high bounce rates and low engagement.
Lack of segmentation: Sending generic content to new subscribers without understanding their interests can result in disinterest and low opens.
Ignoring inactive subscribers: Continuing to send to users who never open your emails signals to Gmail that your content isn't valued, hurting your reputation.
Recommended practices
Implement double opt-in: Ensure new subscribers genuinely want your emails, improving initial engagement.
Segment new subscribers: Send highly relevant content to small batches of new subscribers to build a positive sending history.
Clean your list regularly: Remove inactive subscribers who haven't opened emails in a long time. This boosts overall engagement metrics.
Monitoring how Gmail handles your emails for new signups is key to addressing any sudden drops. If you notice a consistent pattern of low open rates for new subscribers, it's worth investigating your list acquisition methods and initial engagement strategy. Learn how to improve low Gmail open rates and get your messages to the inbox.
Content and subject line impact
While deliverability and reputation are foundational, the actual content of your emails and your subject lines play a direct role in open rates. A compelling subject line is the first impression your email makes, and it's what encourages recipients to click. For new subscribers, this first impression is even more critical. If your Gmail open rates are low, it could also indicate that your subject lines aren't resonating with your audience. You can find insights into email open rate tracking here.
It's also important to consider the relevance of your content. Are you sending messages that align with what new subscribers signed up for? If there's a disconnect between expectation and reality, new subscribers are less likely to open future emails. Personalization, even basic, can make a significant difference. Tailoring your content to different segments of your audience can boost engagement and open rates.
A/B testing your subject lines and even your email content for new segments can provide valuable insights into what resonates best. Don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches to find what captures the attention of your Gmail audience and encourages them to open. Sometimes, a sudden drop in engagement can indicate your content isn't reaching its intended audience effectively. You may also be interested in our guide on how to troubleshoot a sudden drop in Gmail open rates.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Start with a warm-up phase for new email templates and subscriber segments, gradually increasing sending volume to build trust with mailbox providers.
Consistently monitor your sender reputation metrics in Google Postmaster Tools, looking for any shifts in spam rates or domain reputation for Gmail.
Regularly clean your email list by removing unengaged subscribers to improve overall engagement signals and reduce the risk of hitting spam traps.
Ensure all your email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured and aligned, as this is fundamental for trusted email delivery.
Continuously A/B test your subject lines and preheader text to optimize for open rates, especially for your initial welcome series.
Provide highly relevant and valuable content in your first few emails to new subscribers to encourage strong initial engagement.
Common pitfalls
Sending a large volume of emails to entirely new Gmail signups without a proper warming-up strategy, which can trigger spam filters.
Abruptly changing email template designs without thoroughly testing their rendering and tracking pixel loading across different email clients.
Neglecting to monitor Google Postmaster Tools for new domain reputation or spam rate issues after significant changes in sending patterns.
Failing to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers from your list, which dilutes engagement metrics and can negatively impact your sender score.
Using generic subject lines for new subscribers, leading to low initial open rates and a poor first impression with mailbox providers.
Not having robust email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) in place, making it harder for mailbox providers to trust your emails.
Expert tips
Prioritize engagement metrics beyond just open rates, such as clicks and replies, as these signals are increasingly important to mailbox providers.
Consider segmenting new subscribers and sending them a dedicated, highly engaging welcome series to build early positive interaction.
If using an ESP, understand how they handle image prefetching and tracking pixels, as this can affect reported open rates for new campaigns.
Investigate any sudden drop in open rates for new segments using specific deliverability testing to pinpoint the exact cause.
Focus on clear calls to action and valuable content to encourage interaction, signaling positive engagement to mailbox providers.
Be patient, as building trust and reputation with new sending patterns or new subscriber segments takes time and consistent positive signals.
Marketer view
A marketer from Email Geeks says they noticed a widespread issue where new Gmail signups had extremely low open rates (around 1%) compared to normal performance, which then surprisingly recovered to over 30% after a short period, suggesting a conservative approach from Gmail towards new email streams.
2021-10-05 - Email Geeks
Expert view
An expert from Email Geeks says they believe Gmail might not be prefetching images for new recipients or new email templates, which would cause the tracking pixel (web bug) not to load and thus, an open not to be recorded.
2021-10-05 - Email Geeks
Navigating initial performance dips
Dealing with low open rates for new Gmail signups or new email templates can be challenging, but it's a common hurdle that email senders face. It often boils down to Google's cautious algorithms and your sender reputation. By understanding that new elements are treated with a degree of skepticism, you can adjust your strategy to build trust more effectively.
Focus on maintaining strong email authentication, creating compelling and relevant content, and practicing meticulous list hygiene. Patience and consistent positive engagement are your best allies in overcoming these initial dips. Remember, the goal is to consistently deliver value and encourage interaction, which will naturally lead to improved Gmail open rates over time. Don't forget, if your emails are going to spam, we have a guide on how to fix it.
Gmail. You might notice that older segments of your list perform normally, while newly acquired Gmail signups or emails sent with a refreshed template suffer significantly, sometimes showing rates as low as 1-3%. I've seen this pattern affect multiple senders across various platforms, suggesting it's not an isolated incident.
Google (and other mailbox providers) handle sender reputation and engagement signals. They are inherently cautious with anything new, and this conservative approach can temporarily impact your deliverability and open rates. It's a common challenge, but understanding the underlying reasons can help you navigate it effectively.
SPF record includes all legitimate sending IPs and domains. Incorrect setup can lead to authentication failures.
DKIM signed. This digital signature helps ensure the email hasn't been tampered with.
DMARC record to instruct mailbox providers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. This also provides valuable feedback reports.
