Have you been happily watching your email open rates rise since September? Warning: I am about to burst your bubble.
The reason may not be your prowess in writing can’t-miss-this subject lines. It’s likely due to Apple’s new Mail Protection Privacy (MPP) option, launched last September. On Apple devices running the latest operating systems, users can hide their email opens from senders by opting in to MPP.
Logically, you might think this would decrease the open rate, but no. MPP works by capturing each email mid-journey and opening it before it reaches the intended recipient. This “machine open” shows up in the sender’s analytics as an open.
Typically, an OS upgrade is gradually adopted by Apple users over 6-8 months, so the effect of MPP on open rates will likely flatten by May.
Regardless of how many Apple users are on your list, it’s wise to rely less on open rates as a measure of subscriber engagement because multiple factors trigger false positives, as well as false negatives. If you want all the details, I recommend two articles by reliable sources: Campaign Monitor and SendGrid.
Better ways to measure engagement are the click rate (percentage who clicked on a link in your email), the conversion rate (percentage who took the desired action, such as downloading a report or making a purchase), or subscribes and unsubscribes.
To increase your click rate, include at least one call to action (CTA) link in every email. Very few readers will click on a high-commitment CTA such as email me. So always have a low-to-no commitment option that simply links to more information.
None of this is meant to scare you off email marketing. It remains the undisputed #1 in marketing ROI.
Welcome Field Producer Steve Carey
From the creative and visual skills needed behind the camera to the intricacies of post-production, Steve brings a dynamic style to his role as Field Producer. He focuses on the needs of the client while providing leadership on set. His knowledge, experience and ability to build relationships makes him an integral part of our production team.
We’re proud to work with these new clients
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
- Alabama State University
- Rowan University
- Michigan Tech University
- Dino Don Inc.
As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. Thanks for being part of the Allied Pixel family.
Warm regards,
