Summary
Gmail open rates have recently declined due to a multifaceted range of factors. Google has updated its model for identifying promotional content, resulting in more emails being filtered into the 'Promotions' tab, where they experience lower visibility. Additionally, changes to Gmail’s tabs, evolving spam filters, and the increased use of AI in spam filtering contribute to these challenges. Technical issues such as images not loading correctly and temporary deliverability slowdowns further exacerbate the problem. It's also important to note the role user engagement plays, as Gmail's algorithms now prioritize emails with high open and click rates. Strategies to address these issues include optimizing email content, personalizing subject lines, segmenting email lists, cleaning email lists regularly, improving sender reputation (through authentication and avoiding spam triggers), ensuring emails render properly across all devices, avoiding list washing, and focusing on valuable and engaging content that encourages interaction from recipients.
Key findings
- Promo Tab Shift: Google's updated model identifies more emails as promotional, leading to higher placement in the 'Promotions' tab and lower open rates.
- User Engagement Impact: Gmail's algorithm increasingly prioritizes user engagement (opens, clicks), impacting inbox placement and open rates.
- Evolving Spam Filters & AI: Gmail's spam filters adapt over time and now use AI, influencing which emails are filtered and impacting open rates.
- List Quality Critical: List quality, including regular cleaning and avoiding list washing, is essential for sender reputation and open rates.
- Technical Issues Matter: Image loading problems and rendering issues can negatively impact user experience and open rates.
- Deliverability Slowdowns: Temporary deliverability slowdowns might contribute to open rate decreases.
Key considerations
- Optimize Content: Optimize email content to avoid being classified as 'Promotional' and ensure engaging and valuable content.
- Personalize Subject Lines: Personalize subject lines to increase open rates, using compelling and concise language.
- Segment Lists: Segment email lists to send targeted and relevant messages to specific audience groups.
- Improve Sender Reputation: Improve and maintain sender reputation through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), responsible list management, and monitoring spam complaints/bounce rates.
- Ensure Proper Rendering: Ensure emails render correctly across different devices and email clients by testing before sending.
- Focus on Engagement: Encourage user interaction to improve engagement metrics (opens and clicks).
- Stay Updated on Filters: Stay updated on Gmail's spam filtering practices and AI usage and adapt your email strategy accordingly.
What email marketers say
14 marketer opinions
Gmail open rates have recently dropped due to several factors, including changes in Gmail's filtering algorithms, increased placement in the 'Promotions' tab, and shifts in user engagement. Solutions include optimizing email content to avoid the 'Promotions' tab, personalizing subject lines, segmenting email lists, cleaning email lists, improving sender reputation, and focusing on relevant, engaging content. Furthermore, ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and rendering is critical.
Key opinions
- Gmail Algorithm Changes: Gmail's algorithms have changed, leading to increased filtering and placement in the 'Promotions' tab, which often results in lower open rates.
- Tab Placement Impact: Emails classified as 'Promotions' instead of 'Updates' or 'Primary' experience significantly lower open rates.
- Importance of Engagement: Gmail's algorithm prioritizes user engagement; emails with high engagement (opens, clicks) are more likely to land in the primary inbox.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists by removing inactive subscribers and hard bounces improves sender reputation and positively impacts open rates.
- Content Relevance: Focusing on valuable and relevant content will encourage user engagement.
Key considerations
- Content Optimization: Optimize email content to avoid being classified as 'Promotional,' potentially by creating more basic, less sales-focused emails.
- Subject Line Personalization: Personalize subject lines to increase open rates. Use compelling, concise language that creates urgency or curiosity.
- Segmentation: Segment email lists to send targeted and relevant messages to specific audience groups.
- Sender Reputation: Monitor and improve sender reputation by implementing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), warming up new IP addresses gradually and minimizing spam complaints.
- Engagement Analysis: Analyze engagement metrics (opens, clicks) to identify what resonates with your audience and adjust your email strategy accordingly.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that Gmail's tabbed inbox (Primary, Promotions, Social, Updates) can affect open rates. Emails landing in the Promotions tab may have lower open rates compared to the Primary tab.
22 Oct 2021 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks saw open rates drop, and after testing, found it was due to emails being classified as “Promotions” instead of “Updates”. Changing the content to be classified as “Updates” resulted in a 4x higher open rate.
23 Sep 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Gmail open rates have recently dropped due to a combination of factors. Google appears to have altered its method for identifying promotional mail, resulting in more emails being directed to the promotions tab. Engagement is critical for inbox placement. Temporary deliverability slow downs could also be the cause. Additionally, Google is utilizing AI for spam filtering. Avoid washing lists as it can be detrimental. Focus on building an engaged list.
Key opinions
- Google's Promo Tab Changes: Google has changed its method of identifying promotional mail, resulting in more emails landing in the promotions tab.
- Engagement is Key: Engagement is a key factor for inbox placement. Low engagement can result in emails landing in spam or the promotions tab.
- Deliverability Slowdowns: Temporary deliverability slowdowns might contribute to open rate decreases.
- AI Spam Filtering: Google is now using AI to perform spam filtering.
- List Washing risks: Washing lists can be detrimental.
Key considerations
- Focus on Engagement: Prioritize creating relevant and valuable content to increase user engagement (opens and clicks).
- Monitor Deliverability: Be aware of potential deliverability slowdowns and monitor email performance accordingly.
- List building: Focus on building an engaged list and avoid list washing.
- AI consideration: Consider that Google is using AI when crafting emails and avoiding spam triggers.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise discusses the risks of list washing and that users should avoid washing and focus on building an engaged list.
12 Apr 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that engagement is a key factor in inbox placement, and lack of engagement can lead to emails landing in the spam folder or promotions tab, impacting open rates. He suggests focusing on relevant and valuable content to improve engagement.
28 May 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Gmail open rates are affected by various factors, including evolving spam filters, email authentication, rendering issues, and sender reputation. Addressing these areas through proper implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, ensuring correct email rendering, maintaining a positive sender reputation by minimizing spam complaints and bounce rates, and adapting to changing user behavior can help improve open rates.
Key findings
- Evolving Spam Filters: Gmail's spam filters adapt over time, impacting open rates if emails are incorrectly flagged as spam.
- Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication improves email deliverability and open rates by verifying sender identity.
- Rendering Matters: Ensuring emails render correctly across devices and clients is crucial for a positive user experience, leading to improved open rates.
- Sender Reputation: Maintaining a positive sender reputation is critical for email deliverability and open rates. Spam complaints and bounce rates negatively affect reputation.
Key considerations
- Authentication Standards: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails and improve deliverability.
- Rendering Testing: Test emails across different devices and email clients to ensure they render correctly.
- Reputation Management: Monitor and maintain a positive sender reputation by minimizing spam complaints and bounce rates.
- Filter Adaptations: Stay updated on Gmail's spam filtering practices and adapt your email strategy accordingly.
Technical article
Documentation from Litmus explains that ensuring emails render correctly across different devices and email clients can improve user experience and, consequently, open rates. Testing emails before sending is crucial.
13 Apr 2023 - Litmus
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication standards helps verify the sender's identity and can improve email deliverability to Gmail inboxes, positively affecting open rates.
29 Apr 2023 - RFC Editor
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