What to Do If Your Email Open Rates Drop
Overview
A sudden or significant decline in your email open rates can be concerning—but it’s often reversible with a few targeted steps.
This guide outlines common causes of open rate drops and provides actionable steps to help you diagnose and resolve the issue.
1. Check If You’re Sending from a Verified Custom Domain
Why it matters
As of February 2024, Gmail, Yahoo, and other inbox providers require verified domain authentication (DKIM, SPF, DMARC) for bulk email senders. Sending from a non-compliant domain can cause your emails to land in spam or be blocked entirely.
What to do
Go to Account settings > Domain setup in your Flodesk account
Use the automatic domain verification process (via Entri) or follow the manual domain setup steps
Ensure all three authentication protocols are properly configured:
DKIM
SPF
DMARC
We also encourage you to check your email compliance status using Google's Postmaster Tools.
Learn more about Gmail/Yahoo’s 2024 sender requirements
2. Recently Switched to a Custom Domain? Expect Temporary Changes
If you’ve just moved from a free email (e.g., Gmail) to a custom domain, a temporary dip in open rates is common.
Why?
Inbox providers treat a new sending domain as “unknown” and need time to evaluate your sender behavior again. This short-term dip typically resolves in 2–3 weeks of consistent sending.
What to do during this period:
Send to small, highly engaged segments
Gradually increase send volume
Keep email content highly relevant
Avoid major list or format changes during the warm-up
Learn how to warm up your new sending domain
3. Review Your Email Content for Spam Triggers
Content changes may cause emails to be filtered or deprioritized.
Spam filters may flag:
Aggressive sales language or misleading subject lines
Too many images and not enough text
Link shorteners (e.g., Bitly)
Missing HTTPS links
What to do
Follow Flodesk’s content best practices for deliverability
Run your email through Mail-Tester to identify spam risks
Test send your email using the paper plane icon in the builder to your own Gmail address
Review its appearance and placement (inbox vs. spam)
Read this overview of the most common reasons why your email may go to spam and what to do about it.
4. Check for Gmail Clipping
What is Gmail clipping?
If your email exceeds 102KB, Gmail clips the message. When this happens, opens are underreported, because Gmail does not register the open unless the subscriber clicks “View entire message.”
How to test
Send a test email to a Gmail address
Look for a “View entire message” link at the bottom
If it appears, reduce content or split the email into multiple campaigns
5. Additional Tips to Boost Open Rates
Encourage subscribers to add your sender address to their contact list
Regularly clean your list to remove unengaged contacts
Avoid resending to unopens during domain warm-up phases
Include a clear reminder of why subscribers are receiving your emails
Maintain consistent sending frequency and volume
6. Still Seeing Low Open Rates?
If, after following the above recommendations, your open rates are still low, we encourage you to submit this report. In the details section on the second page, you can use the following:
Emails sent with my ESP, Flodesk, may be delivering to the spam inbox as open rates have dropped significantly, from X% to X%. We have added the necessary DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records for compliance.
Summary
Checklist | Action |
|---|---|
✅ Domain authentication | Ensure DKIM, SPF, and DMARC are set up |
✅ Sending behavior | Warm up your domain slowly and consistently |
✅ Content review | Avoid spam triggers and optimize format |
✅ Engagement | Focus on active segments and avoid low-performing tactics |
✅ Technical testing | Use Gmail test sends and spam checkers like Mail-Tester |
✅ Compliance | Follow new Gmail/Yahoo sender requirements |
Maintaining high open rates is a balance of technical setup, content quality, and consistent engagement. With the right steps, open rates can return to normal—and even improve.