Why are welcome email templates getting higher open rates on Gmail?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 31 Jul 2025
Updated 15 Aug 2025
6 min read
High open rates for welcome emails, especially on Gmail, are common. It is exciting to see new templates performing well, sometimes with significantly higher open rates compared to older versions, even with identical subject lines and similar layouts.
This kind of jump, especially if it is pronounced with Gmail subscribers but less so with other ISPs like Yahoo, can raise questions. While it is tempting to attribute such a spike to bot activity, which can inflate metrics, there are often more nuanced deliverability factors at play, particularly with Gmail's sophisticated filtering.
I will explain the underlying reasons why your welcome email templates might be seeing these impressive open rates on Gmail, focusing on how Gmail's systems perceive and deliver your messages based on content and user engagement.
The initial engagement advantage
Welcome emails inherently benefit from high subscriber anticipation. When someone signs up for your list, they are actively expecting that first email. This immediate and positive intent translates directly into higher engagement rates, as recipients are more likely to open, read, and click through content that they are looking forward to receiving.
Gmail's algorithms heavily factor in this initial engagement. A strong positive interaction right out of the gate signals to Gmail that your emails are valued by recipients. This positive signal helps establish a good sender reputation, which is crucial for consistent inbox placement. If Gmail sees that subscribers consistently open and interact with your welcome messages, it is more likely to place subsequent emails in the primary inbox.
This strong initial engagement also means welcome emails often bypass tabs like Promotions or the Spam folder. When an email lands directly in the primary inbox, its visibility increases dramatically, leading to higher true open rates. This contrasts sharply with general marketing emails that might struggle for attention in crowded inboxes or specific tabs.
Template content and its impact on deliverability
The actual content within your email template plays a critical role in how Gmail categorizes and delivers your messages. Even subtle changes in a template can drastically alter its perception by Gmail's filtering systems. If an older template contained elements that Gmail deemed less reputable or spam-like, it could have been consistently directed to the bulk folder or other tabs, suppressing its true open rates.
Factors such as specific URLs, embedded images, overall HTML structure, and even certain keywords can influence Gmail's content filters. For instance, using a URL for an asset that has a low reputation score could flag your entire email. A new template, free from such problematic elements, might initially bypass these filters, leading to better inbox placement and, consequently, higher reported open rates. This directly ties into why new email templates affect deliverability with Gmail.
Best practices for email content
Avoid suspicious links: Ensure all linked domains and URLs have a clean reputation. This is crucial for avoiding being added to a blocklist (or blacklist).
Optimize images: Use images responsibly, avoiding excessive sizes or pixel tracking issues. Gmail's image proxy can impact tracking if not handled correctly.
Clean HTML: Maintain well-structured and concise HTML, avoiding bloated code that can trigger spam filters.
Relevant copy: Keep your messaging clear, concise, and highly relevant to the subscriber's expectations. Welcome emails should set the tone for future communications.
Email size can also inadvertently impact open rates, particularly with Gmail. Gmail has a 102KB size limit for emails. If your email's raw HTML content (including images base64 encoded, if any) exceeds this limit, Gmail will truncate the message, showing a "View entire message" link. If your open tracking pixel is placed towards the end of a truncated email, it might not load, leading to artificially lower open rates, even if the user opens the email. You can check your email's raw size by:
How to check email size
Send the email to yourself.
Open the email in your mail client.
View the original message or raw source (usually an option in a dropdown menu like "Show original" or "View source").
Copy the entire content and paste it into a text file.
Check the file size on your computer.
The role of Gmail's filtering mechanisms
Gmail's filtering system, including its anti-spam measures and categorization, is dynamic and constantly learning. It assesses various signals, including sender reputation, content quality, recipient engagement, and even the historical performance of specific email templates. When a new template is introduced, it effectively starts with a "clean slate" regarding content-based reputation. This can lead to differing deliverability outcomes.
While some open rate spikes might be attributed to security scanners or bot activity, especially from corporate firewalls, it is less common for this to be the primary cause of a sustained increase, particularly when observed predominantly with Gmail. Unlike general security scans which might check for hostile content, Gmail's proxy generally only loads images, including tracking pixels, when an email is placed in the primary inbox and genuinely opened by a user. This suggests the higher open rates are more likely due to improved inboxing, not just bot activity, as an expert from Email Geeks noted. If your emails are landing in the primary inbox, it drives real opens, helping to improve Gmail email open rates.
Old template deliverability
The old template might have been consistently landing in the Promotions tab or even the spam folder due to content or historical engagement issues. This would naturally lead to lower visibility and, consequently, lower open rates, which can make you wonder why Gmail open rates are lower.
New template deliverability
The new template, perhaps lighter in content or with different imagery and links, might be interpreted by Gmail as more personal or transactional, thus landing in the primary inbox. Increased primary inbox placement directly correlates with higher engagement metrics, including opens. For more insights, learn how Gmail decides where to put emails.
Maintaining high welcome email performance
To sustain high open rates for your welcome emails on Gmail, focus on consistent deliverability best practices. The initial positive reception of a new template can be a fleeting advantage if not maintained with ongoing good sending habits. Continuously monitor your sender reputation and email performance metrics to catch any dips or changes early. This is especially true for new subscribers and welcome emails.
Robust email authentication, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, is fundamental. These protocols verify that your emails are legitimate and prevent spoofing, which builds trust with ISPs like Gmail. Ensuring proper authentication can significantly improve your chances of landing in the primary inbox. You can find out more about how simple DMARC helps deliverability.
Ultimately, the higher open rates for your new welcome email templates on Gmail likely stem from improved inbox placement, driven by content quality and positive initial engagement signals. By understanding these factors, you can optimize your email strategy not just for welcome emails, but for all your communications, ensuring consistent deliverability and meaningful interactions with your subscribers.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Segment recipients based on their engagement and interests to ensure highly relevant content.
Regularly audit all content within your emails, including links and images, for reputational issues.
Proactively manage your sender reputation by monitoring feedback loops and abuse reports.
Ensure all email authentication protocols, such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, are correctly configured.
Common pitfalls
Ignoring Gmail's email size truncation, which can hide tracking pixels and lower reported opens.
Failing to analyze open and click patterns segmented by recipient domain to pinpoint issues.
Assuming all sudden increases in open rates are due to bot activity without deeper investigation.
Neglecting to test new email templates thoroughly before full deployment to a large audience.
Expert tips
Use Google Postmaster Tools for detailed insights into your Gmail deliverability and sender reputation.
Review historical data for older templates to identify specific content elements that might have been problematic.
Test the placement of your open tracking pixel to ensure it is not affected by email truncation.
Focus on long-term engagement and build positive sending habits to maintain high inbox placement.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says bot activity would not be their first thought when analyzing a sudden increase in open rates.
2020-12-22 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says to investigate patterns broken down by recipient MX or domain and examine the IPs associated with opens and clicks.
Gmail as more personal or transactional, thus landing in the primary inbox. Increased primary inbox placement directly correlates with higher engagement metrics, including opens. For more insights, learn how Gmail decides where to put emails.
Gmail. Ensuring proper authentication can significantly improve your chances of landing in the primary inbox. You can find out more about how simple DMARC helps deliverability.
