You can change the Thank You Page in many tools, such as Ecomail. It's a place that is often overlooked but can work wonders. It gives you the opportunity to engage your subscribers and re-sell them the reasons for reading your newsletter. Make sure your thank you page includes a clear headline confirming their subscription (e.g. ‘Thank you for subscribing!’), and content that will encourage them to read future newsletters. You can add an exclusive bonus there (e.g. a promised discount for signing up, a free e-book) or a teaser of upcoming content to spark curiosity.

Ask the subscriber for a small action on your thank you page. The simpler, the better, as it increases the chance of execution. Here are some examples:

💡 Go to your shop: Encourage the subscriber to visit your online shop, for example by linking to a special offer or an exclusive discount for new subscribers. This will not only increase the chance of a first purchase, but will also build engagement from the start.

💡 Click a link that takes you to your inbox to open a welcome message. Not only will this increase the chance of your first email being opened, but it will also add your address to their contact list.

💡 Click to see an offer for a product or service - for example a One Time Offer (works super well). Generating interest right from the get-go increases the chance that the subscriber will stay engaged.

💡 Click to read previous newsletter editions or blog content. This way, the subscriber can get to know your content better and see that it's worth opening future emails.

💡 Fill out a survey (about reader preferences, for example). Surveys help you tailor your content to your subscribers' expectations, which increases the chances of them opening it.

It is in this message that you need to persuade subscribers again why they should read your newsletter. Research shows that a high open rate of the first email influences subsequent opens. Remember to make the subject line of your welcome email intriguing yet relevant. Include four key elements in the body of your welcome email:

• Greeting the subscriber: Make them feel special, e.g. ‘Welcome among our subscribers!".

• Setting expectations: Explain what content will be covered and how often you send out newsletters, e.g. ‘Expect news every Friday at 10am’.
  

• Information on how the newsletter will help them: Highlight the benefits that subscribing will bring, e.g. ‘You'll find tips that will help you increase your sales by 20%.’
  

• Action: Encourage the subscriber to interact, e.g. ‘Add our address to your contact list so you don't miss future editions!’

Testing subjects in the welcome sequence is key to increasing the open rate over time. In practice, this means experimenting with different styles, lengths and emotions included in the title. Remember that people are more likely to open emails that arouse curiosity, such as ‘3 steps to better emailing’ rather than ‘Thank you for signing up’. Monitor the results and adapt the subject lines to what works best.

It is now important to maintain a high open rate for your newsletter. Avoid resending newsletters to less engaged or inactive subscribers. The algorithms of email systems such as Gmail may consider your emails less valuable if they regularly land in SPAM. It is better to focus on active subscribers to maintain a high OR rate and build a positive domain reputation.

Don't be afraid to remove inactive users from your list. By doing so, you will lower the cost of the tool, and your list will be engaged and your domain's reputation will gradually increase.

Domain authentication (e.g. SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is key to maintaining high deliverability. This gives you more control over where your emails go and recipients can be confident that you are the sender of the message.

Once the open rate drops below 15%, it is worth focusing on your most engaged subscribers. Build a new list based on the people who regularly open your messages. Send them emails for 1-2 months to improve your OR rate. This strategy allows you to increase engagement and rebuild a positive sender reputation. After this period, gradually extend the mailings to the rest of the list, watching how the open rate changes.

Including a profile photo or GIF in your email account settings can make your messages more noticeable in subscribers' inboxes. In a flurry of emails, messages with a clear, human element such as a photo are seen as more authentic and secure, increasing the chance of them being opened. A profile picture that depicts you or your brand logo builds trust and makes subscribers feel they are communicating with a real person rather than an impersonal automaton. This helps you stand out from the competition and encourages people to open your message.

The sender name that subscribers see in their inbox can influence whether they choose to open an email. It is worth testing different variations of the sender name, such as a first and last name (e.g. ‘John Smith’), a company name (e.g. ‘Your Brand’) or a combination of both (e.g. ‘John from Your Brand’). Different audiences may prefer a different approach - some trust messages sent by individuals more, while others prefer communication from a recognisable brand. With A/B testing, you can see which option generates a higher open rate and resonates better with your target audience.

Before you send a campaign to your entire list, it's a good idea to test your messages using tools such as Mailtester.com. This will help you find out whether your emails have a chance of reaching the main inbox rather than spam, and whether they contain technical errors that could reduce deliverability. This is a key step that can help increase your open rate, as only well-delivered emails have a chance of being opened.

Alongside this, it's worth sending test emails to your email inboxes to see how they look on different devices - both desktop and mobile. Also check how the message looks in dark mode, which is becoming increasingly popular with users. Often, graphics or text may not be very readable in dark mode, which can discourage the recipient from opening further messages.

By testing in this way, you will ensure that your emails look attractive and are readable in any scenario. This increases the likelihood that recipients will open your messages, which directly translates into a higher open rate.

And above all.

Nothing replaces valuable content that responds to your subscribers' needs. Create emails that provide concrete benefits, inspire or solve problems for your audience.

If your emails are interesting and useful, subscribers are more likely to open them in the future. Remember that every message is an opportunity to build relationships and trust, which translates into increased engagement and a higher open rate.