Summary
After a template redesign, a drop in email open rates with stable click rates can be caused by a wide array of factors. These range from technical issues with image loading and rendering across various email clients to deliverability concerns related to spam filtering and sender reputation. User-related aspects like image blocking, email fatigue, and the effectiveness of the subject line and preview text also play a role. Additionally, some experts question the reliability of open data itself. Click rates remain consistent because those who can see the email and are interested in the subject are still clicking through. All of this points to changes in deliverability metrics and a possible shift in who is seeing and engaging with the email, but not necessarily in the engagement of the recipients who do see the email.
Key findings
- Tracking issues: Image caching, incorrect image paths, oversized images, and image blocking can stop opens from being tracked.
- Rendering Problems: The email may not be rendering correctly on all email clients.
- Deliverability Issues: The redesigned template may be triggering new spam filters, or the sender's reputation may have been affected.
- Change interpretation: ISPs may see a large template change as a potential sign of a spammer.
- Subject Line Impact: Changes to the subject line or preview text may be negatively affecting open rates.
- Authentication issues: Inconsistencies with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records may affect the deliverability.
- Engagement levels: Changes may affect a small number of the overall subscriber list who are already engaged.
- Accessibility Issues: The new template may be inaccessible, affecting open rates.
- User Perceptions: Changes may be less appealing for the users causing less opens.
- Open data: Open data could just be wrong.
Key considerations
- Run A/B tests: Carefully A/B test any design changes to minimize deliverability issues.
- Review rendering: Test the email across all email clients to ensure it is rendering correctly.
- Check deliverability: Check the deliverability of your emails after the template redesign.
- Examine authentication: Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly set up.
- Check spam filters: Check the new email on a spam checker for common flags.
- Review images: Check for image issues such as blocking, file size, and caching.
- Investigate Calculations: Check how the click rates are calculated.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
After a template redesign, email open rates may drop while click rates remain constant due to various factors affecting deliverability and user perception. These include image blocking, changes in subject line relevance, rendering issues across email clients, triggering spam filters due to alterations in code or content, sender reputation impacts, accessibility issues, email fatigue, preview pane optimization, and the calculation of click rates. The consistent click rates suggest that those who do receive and open the emails are still highly engaged with the content.
Key opinions
- Image Blocking: Increased image usage can lower open rates if recipients have image blocking enabled, as the tracking pixel won't load.
- Subject Line Relevance: Changes in subject line presentation or perceived relevance can affect open rates.
- Rendering Issues: Incorrect rendering across different email clients can lead to lower open rates.
- Spam Filter Triggers: Redesigns can inadvertently trigger spam filters, reducing inbox placement.
- Sender Reputation: Template changes can impact sender reputation, affecting deliverability.
- Accessibility Issues: Inaccessible templates can prevent some users from viewing emails properly.
- Email Fatigue: General email fatigue may lead to fewer opens.
- Click Rate Calculation: Click rate remains stable because it is calculated based on number of opens rather than emails sent.
Key considerations
- Email Client Testing: Thoroughly test templates across various email clients to ensure proper rendering.
- Spam Score Checking: Check spam scores after redesigns to avoid triggering filters. Make sure the correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are setup.
- Accessibility Audit: Ensure templates are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
- Image Optimization: Optimize images to reduce file size and avoid triggering image blocking.
- Monitor Engagement: Closely monitor engagement metrics after template changes to identify potential issues.
- Review preview text: Ensure preview text is not affected after template change, and users can easily see core message.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SuperOffice explains that the subject line and preheader combination are the first things the recipient sees in their inbox. If the new design has caused a change here, this may influence the users decisions whether to open the email.
2 Sep 2024 - SuperOffice
Marketer view
Email marketer from Hubspot shares that even without A/B testing, changes in template design can be interpreted as such by mailbox providers. An abrupt change could temporarily affect your sender reputation and deliverability, impacting open rates while click rates hold steady among those who receive the email.
29 Jul 2021 - HubSpot
What the experts say
9 expert opinions
After a template redesign, a drop in email open rates with stable click rates can stem from multiple technical and deliverability issues. It's crucial to verify the statistical significance of changes and ensure accurate reporting. Issues with tracking images (handler changes, truncation, placement), email size, and image caching can affect open tracking. New layouts can trigger spam filters, impacting inbox placement. Changes in design affect sender reputation with ISPs. As well as this the accuracy of open data is questioned.
Key opinions
- Statistical Significance: Verify statistical significance of changes to ensure they are not random.
- Tracking Image Issues: Changes to tracking image handler, truncation, or bottom placement can cause open tracking failures.
- Email Size: Large email sizes may lead to truncation, preventing tracking pixels from loading.
- Image Caching: New images may not be cached, delaying open tracking.
- Sender Reputation Impact: Template changes can negatively impact sender reputation, affecting deliverability.
- Layout and Filtering: New layouts can trigger spam filters due to changes in text-to-image ratio or formatting.
- Questionable Open Data: Open Data is not a reliable data point.
Key considerations
- Validate Reporting: Ensure statistical significance of A/B results.
- Examine Tracking: Check tracking image configurations and placement.
- Reduce Email Size: Optimize email size to avoid truncation.
- Assess Sender Reputation: Monitor sender reputation after template changes.
- Audit Layout and Code: Review layout and code to minimize spam filter triggers.
- Analyze Recipient MX: Break down open rates by recipient MX to find deliverability issues.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests using a Statistical Significance calculator against the raw numbers to confirm the changes are significant and to check if reporting is done after a fixed point each time.
20 Aug 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that mail clients that pre-cache images might only look for images in some number of k at the front of the email on the assumption that the important stuff is above the fold.
22 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
A drop in email open rates after a template redesign, while maintaining consistent click rates, can be attributed to several technical factors outlined in email client documentation. Google's Gmail image caching may be affected by changes in image structure or hosting, leading to delayed or missed open tracking. Microsoft Outlook's use of the Word rendering engine can cause rendering issues with unsupported HTML/CSS, impacting open rates. Additionally, the redesign could expose underlying issues with email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), causing stricter filtering and reduced deliverability.
Key findings
- Gmail Image Caching: Template redesigns can disrupt Gmail's image caching, delaying open tracking.
- Outlook Rendering Engine: Outlook's rendering limitations can lead to incorrect display and lower open rates.
- Email Authentication Issues: Redesigns may expose underlying email authentication problems, leading to stricter filtering.
Key considerations
- Optimize Images: Ensure image structure and hosting are optimized for Gmail's caching policies.
- Review HTML/CSS: Use HTML and CSS that are compatible with Outlook's rendering engine.
- Verify Authentication: Regularly verify and maintain proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings.
- Test across clients: Always test email across all clients to ensure emails are displaying correctly.
Technical article
Documentation from IETF explains that the new template might inadvertently expose issues with your email authentication setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Changes in sending patterns or server configurations could trigger stricter filtering. This primarily affects deliverability and open rates, leaving click rates among delivered emails relatively unchanged.
20 Apr 2024 - ietf.org
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains that Outlook uses the Microsoft Word rendering engine, which has specific HTML/CSS support limitations. If the new template relies on unsupported code, emails might not render correctly, leading to lower open rates. Click rates can remain unaffected from the proportion of users who can still see the email and engage with it.
25 Nov 2024 - Microsoft Developer Network
