How to Write Emails That Get High Open & Click Rates

Email marketing is still one of the highest-ROI channels in digital marketing—but only if your emails actually get opened, read, and clicked. The truth is, your subscribers aren’t waiting eagerly for your next newsletter. Their inboxes are crowded, attention is limited, and poorly structured emails get ignored fast.

The good news? High open rates and click-through rates (CTR) are not luck—they are the result of intentional strategy, psychology-driven writing, and smart optimization. In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn how to craft emails that your audience wants to open and loves to click.

Throughout this article, you’ll get frameworks, examples, and expert steps, along with natural internal references to topics like 10 Common Email Marketing Mistakes Beginners Must Avoid, Best Email Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses (2025 Edition), and What Is Digital Marketing & How Email Marketing Fits Into It to help deepen your mastery of the email marketing ecosystem.

Why Open Rates & Click Rates Matter More Than Ever

Open rates reveal whether your subject line and sender identity are strong enough to earn a reader’s attention. Click rates indicate whether your content is persuasive and relevant enough to move readers toward action.

When both metrics improve, everything else improves with them:
✅ Revenue
✅ Conversions
✅ Deliverability
✅ Sender reputation
✅ Engagement quality

Mastering these two metrics is at the core of any sustainable email marketing strategy.

Foundations of Emails That Get Opened

1. Understand What Makes Someone Open an Email

People don’t open emails because they “should”—they open them because something triggers interest, urgency, curiosity, or personal relevance.

Three psychological elements drive open rates:

Curiosity

Hints at value without giving everything away.

Relevance

Feels specifically useful to the reader.

Trust

The sender appears reputable and consistent.

A strong email combines all three.

2. Craft High-Performing Subject Lines

Your subject line is your headline—it determines whether the email survives.

Best practices for writing effective subject lines:

• Keep it between 38–55 characters
• Use clear, simple language
• Avoid spam-trigger words
• Personalize when appropriate
• Create curiosity without being clickbait
• Use numbers or specifics when possible
• Consider using a conversational tone

Examples of strong subject lines:

• “Your marketing plan is missing this one thing”
• “Quick question about your website traffic”
• “The 5-minute guide you asked for”
• “You’re going to like this improvement”

Avoid vague subject lines such as “Newsletter #25” or “Updates inside.”

3. Optimize the Preview Text

Preview text is often a “second subject line.”
Use it to expand the message:

✅ Add context
✅ Reinforce curiosity
✅ Clarify the benefit
✅ Continue the sentence of the subject line

Example:
Subject: “Your open rates are dropping…”
Preview: “…but here’s why it’s not your fault—and how to fix it fast.”

4. Sender Name Matters More Than Most Marketers Think

Subscribers open emails from people they trust.

Best practices:

• Use a real name + brand (e.g., “Amit from BrightDigital”)
• Stay consistent; avoid changing your sender identity
• Avoid generic names like “noreply@” or “Customer Service”

If you’re unsure which performs better, run A/B tests.

How to Write Emails That Get Click-Throughs

High open rates mean nothing if readers don’t take action.

Your goal is not just to inform—it’s to lead the reader to a valuable next step.

1. Start Strong With an Irresistible Opening

Avoid generic openings like:
“Hope you’re doing well.”

Instead, start with:

• A relatable insight
• A bold statement
• A promise
• A short story
• A surprising fact
• A clear benefit

Example:
“You’re losing 20–40% of potential clicks simply because of how your second paragraph is structured.”

Now the reader is hooked.

2. Use Clear, Concise, Benefit-Driven Copy

People skim emails. Long blocks of text kill engagement.

Write with:

✅ Shorter sentences
✅ Clear benefit-led messaging
✅ Natural language, not corporate jargon
✅ A direct connection to the reader’s problem

Example:
Instead of:
“Our platform offers comprehensive tools to meet your marketing needs.”

Try:
“You’ll get everything you need in one place—without juggling multiple tools.”

3. Add a Single, Strong Call-to-Action

One email = one primary action.

Too many CTAs confuse readers.

Examples of clean CTA prompts:

• “Download the checklist”
• “See how it works”
• “Read the full guide”
• “Start your plan”

Use buttons or bold text to draw attention, but don’t over-style it.

4. Make Your Email Mobile-Optimized

Most emails are opened on mobile devices.

Mobile optimization checklist:

• Short subject lines
• Narrow paragraphs
• Bullet points and spacing
• Large, tappable CTA buttons
• Minimal images
• Clean formatting

Mobile-friendly emails get more clicks.

5. Use Smart Personalization (Not Just First Names)

Modern email personalization goes beyond “Hey John.”

You can personalize based on:

• User behavior
• Past purchases
• Interests
• Email engagement
• Browsing patterns
• Location or time zone

Tools like Brevo, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or HubSpot make this easier without requiring advanced skills.

The Email Engagement Framework (Value-Added Section)

Here’s a unique, expert framework to help you maximize both opens and clicks.

THE A.C.T.I.O.N. Framework for High-Engagement Emails

A — Attention Trigger

Craft magnetic subject lines and preview text.

C — Clear Message

Make the main point obvious within the first 3–4 lines.

T — Trust Signals

Use a consistent sender name, clean formatting, and a helpful tone.

I — Intent-Based Structure

Write the email around the reader’s intent—not your topic.

O — One CTA Rule

Give readers only one main action to take.

N — Nudge Psychology

Use FOMO, curiosity gaps, contrast, or benefit highlighting to increase clicks.

Comparison Table — Good Email vs Poor Email (Text-Based)

Element	High-Performing Email	Low-Performing Email
Subject Line	Specific, curiosity-driven	Generic or spammy
Opening	Hooks instantly	Slow, generic, predictable
Length	Concise & skimmable	Long & blocky
CTA	One clear action	Multiple competing actions
Tone	Conversational & helpful	Robotic or promotional
Value	Solves a problem	Talks only about product
Personalization	Behavior-based	Only uses first name

Expert Insight (Exclusive Section)

After years of writing thousands of emails for brands, agencies, and online businesses, one pattern consistently stands out: Your best emails come from writing for one person—not an audience.
When you imagine the subscriber as a real individual with a specific problem, the tone becomes warmer, the message becomes clearer, and the CTA becomes naturally stronger. This “one-person focus” dramatically increases both open rates and CTR because it creates emotional relevance—something no template or automation can replicate.

Conclusion

Writing emails that get high open and click rates isn’t difficult once you understand the psychology, structure, and strategy behind reader engagement. Small changes—like improved subject lines, cleaner formatting, intent-based writing, and stronger CTAs—create significant improvements over time.

Use the frameworks and tactics in this guide consistently, and your email performance will steadily increase. If you want to go even deeper into email marketing mastery, explore related topics like 10 Common Email Marketing Mistakes Beginners Must Avoid, Best Email Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses (2025 Edition), and What Is Digital Marketing & How Email Marketing Fits Into It to strengthen your foundation even further.

FAQ

1. What is the best subject line length for high open rates?

Most experts recommend keeping subject lines between 38–55 characters to ensure they display well on mobile devices.

2. How many CTAs should an email have?

Ideally, one primary CTA. Secondary CTAs may be included, but they should not distract from the main action.

3. How often should I email my subscribers?

Consistency is more important than frequency. Many businesses perform well emailing 1–3 times per week, depending on audience expectations.

4. What affects click-through rates the most?

A strong hook, clear benefits, persuasive copy, simple formatting, and a focused CTA are the biggest contributors to higher CTR.

5. How can I reduce unsubscribe rates?

Send relevant content, avoid overly promotional emails, maintain consistent frequency, and provide real value in every email.

6. Should I personalize my emails?

Yes—behavior-based personalization (e.g., past purchases, browsing activity) greatly increases open and click rates.

7. Which email tools can help improve my email performance?

Tools like Brevo, Mailchimp, HubSpot, ConvertKit, and others offer automations, segmentation features, and A/B testing that support better engagement without needing advanced technical skills.