On average, email campaigns returned open rates of 22.2% during the second quarter, down 4.8% from the first quarter (but up 0.4% over 2Q10 levels). Campaigns generated click rates of 5.2% on average in the second quarter, down 0.7% from 1Q11.
Below, key findings from the Q2 2011 North America Email Trends and Benchmarks Results, by the Epsilon and the Direct Marketing Association's Email Experience Council, based on the analysis of 7.7 billion emails sent during the second quarter of 2011:
- Average per-client email volumes increased 16.2% in the second quarter over 1Q11 levels, but fell 14.3% over the same period one year earlier.
- Unique click to conversion rates increased 14.6% over the previous quarter, and grew 6.2% over 2Q10 levels.
- Average order size registered a slight improvement (0.9%) over 2Q10 levels.
- Unique click to conversion rates increased 14.6% over 1Q11 levels, and 6.2% over 2Q10 levels.
- Revenue per email decreased less than 1% from 2Q10 levels, but improved 17.3% over 1Q11 levels.
Business Publishing/Media General, Consumer Services General, Retail General and Retail Specialty registered increases in open rates of at least 5% compared with the same period a year earlier, whereas Consumer Service Telecom, Financial Services CC/Banks, and Retail Specialty had an increase of at least 5% in click rates over 2Q10 levels:
- The highest open rates were in Financial Services CC/Banks (33.7%), Financial Services General (29.7%), and Retail General (25.2%).
- The highest click rates were in Consumer Services Telecom (9.0%), Consumer Products CPG (8.0%), and Financial Services CC/Banks (6.5%).
- Consumer Products CPG (46.9%) and Consumer Services Telecom (40.7%) had the highest click to open rates.
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Performance by Message Type
Marketing messages delivered lower open and click rates than acquisition and editorial messages in the second quarter, and much lower rates than service messages over the same period.
About the data: Findings are from an analysis of 7.7 billion emails sent by Epsilon in April, May and June 2011, across multiple industries and approximately 130 participating clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon's proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.
