Email Marketing Optimization: Key Things to Consider

In one of our previous posts, we covered what to keep in mind when preparing the content of an email marketing campaign, from the right format and technical requirements to the importance of sending only to a list you own. In this post, we will focus on optimizing your sends and explain how to improve key metrics such as inbox placement rate, open rate, and click-through rate.

1. Find the Right Time to Send

Before you send any emails, analyze your target customers and predict when they are most likely to read emails in your category, such as shopping or news. If you cannot predict this, you can run A/B tests over a month, sending emails every day at one- or two-hour intervals, and use the results as your starting point. For example, if you send to an international audience and most of your customers are in Europe, sending at the time that best suits that region is the right choice.

If periods such as the start of the month, specific seasons, or industry-specific times like the summer holidays fit into your campaign plan, do not overlook them either. The timing data and seasonal windows you identify here are useful beyond email marketing as well. If you have a mobile app, you can use them to time your push notifications too.

2. Clean Up Your Email List Regularly

If your list contains addresses that show no engagement at all, move them into a separate segment. If they still do not respond after a while, remove them from your list entirely. This not only lowers your sending costs but also helps keep your sender score high. Another option is to try winning these customers back over time with highly exclusive offers. This approach is most often used in campaigns that offer discounts or special deals on a first purchase.

3. Use a Consistent Template and Track Links with UTM Parameters

Sending your campaigns with a standard template matters because, over time, it helps your customers recognize your emails at a glance. At this stage, adding utm_source and utm_medium parameters to the links embedded in your campaign’s HTML can be the most effective way to measure and optimize performance.

4. Check Your Sender Reputation and Blocklist Status

Before every send, check whether the IP address of your sending domain is on a blocklist and review its reputation, since both can change at any time. ISPs and mailbox providers also recommend sending from a dedicated IP address that only you use, whenever possible.

5. Test Your Emails Across Browsers and Email Clients

Some users may read their emails in different email clients. That is why it pays to test how your content looks in different browsers and email clients before you send. The results of your first campaigns will show you which clients to focus your tests on. Adding links such as “View in browser” or “View online” so recipients can open the email content on a separate page can also bring you extra conversions.