Email Marketing Statistics 2021: A Look Back at Key Trends and Performance
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 9:03 am
Email marketing remained a powerful tool for businesses in 2021. Data from that year shows how companies used this channel to connect with customers and drive results. We can learn a lot by looking at the numbers from that time.
Average Performance and Key Metrics
In 2021, the average open rate for emails across all industries was around 21.5%. This was a solid increase from the previous year. The average click-through rate was about 2.3%. This shows that people were not just opening emails, they were also clicking on the links inside. The average click-to-open rate was 10.5%.
For every dollar spent on email marketing in 2021, businesses saw a indonesia telegram data very high return on investment (ROI). Some reports showed an ROI of $36 for every $1 spent. This really highlights the value of email. The high ROI was a main reason why many businesses, especially small ones, used email as a top way to get and keep customers. In fact, 81% of small businesses used email for customer acquisition.
Performance by Industry
Email marketing performance varied by industry. Industries with higher open rates included education, with an average of 28.5%, and agriculture, which saw a 27.3% open rate. These high numbers make sense. Schools needed to talk to students and parents more than ever. Other industries with strong open rates were financial services and nonprofit organizations.
On the other hand, some industries had lower open rates. Retail was one of these, with an average open rate of 17.1%. This might be because people get so many retail emails. Yet, even with this lower rate, the retail sector still had a big jump in open rates from the year before.
When it came to click-to-open rates, the real estate, design, and construction industry led the way with 17.2%. This shows that when people in that industry opened an email, they were very likely to click on something inside.
The Power of Personalization and Automation
Personalization was a big theme in 2021. Emails that had a personalized subject line had a 50% higher open rate. This shows that people like feeling that an email is just for them. It is important to make a connection.
Many businesses used automation to help with their email efforts. Automated emails, like welcome emails, performed very well. Welcome emails had a very high open rate, often over 80%. Automated emails also had a much higher click-through rate. In 2021, automated workflows generated much higher returns compared to one-off email campaigns. This shows that using technology to send the right message at the right time was a smart move.
Looking Ahead from 2021
The statistics from 2021 taught us a lot. They showed the importance of a good subject line and relevant content. They also showed that knowing your audience is key. Overall, email marketing was a powerful channel for many businesses. It delivered strong results. It was a go-to tool for getting customers and building loyalty. The data from 2021 helped set the stage for how businesses would use email in the years to come.
Average Performance and Key Metrics
In 2021, the average open rate for emails across all industries was around 21.5%. This was a solid increase from the previous year. The average click-through rate was about 2.3%. This shows that people were not just opening emails, they were also clicking on the links inside. The average click-to-open rate was 10.5%.
For every dollar spent on email marketing in 2021, businesses saw a indonesia telegram data very high return on investment (ROI). Some reports showed an ROI of $36 for every $1 spent. This really highlights the value of email. The high ROI was a main reason why many businesses, especially small ones, used email as a top way to get and keep customers. In fact, 81% of small businesses used email for customer acquisition.
Performance by Industry
Email marketing performance varied by industry. Industries with higher open rates included education, with an average of 28.5%, and agriculture, which saw a 27.3% open rate. These high numbers make sense. Schools needed to talk to students and parents more than ever. Other industries with strong open rates were financial services and nonprofit organizations.
On the other hand, some industries had lower open rates. Retail was one of these, with an average open rate of 17.1%. This might be because people get so many retail emails. Yet, even with this lower rate, the retail sector still had a big jump in open rates from the year before.
When it came to click-to-open rates, the real estate, design, and construction industry led the way with 17.2%. This shows that when people in that industry opened an email, they were very likely to click on something inside.
The Power of Personalization and Automation
Personalization was a big theme in 2021. Emails that had a personalized subject line had a 50% higher open rate. This shows that people like feeling that an email is just for them. It is important to make a connection.
Many businesses used automation to help with their email efforts. Automated emails, like welcome emails, performed very well. Welcome emails had a very high open rate, often over 80%. Automated emails also had a much higher click-through rate. In 2021, automated workflows generated much higher returns compared to one-off email campaigns. This shows that using technology to send the right message at the right time was a smart move.
Looking Ahead from 2021
The statistics from 2021 taught us a lot. They showed the importance of a good subject line and relevant content. They also showed that knowing your audience is key. Overall, email marketing was a powerful channel for many businesses. It delivered strong results. It was a go-to tool for getting customers and building loyalty. The data from 2021 helped set the stage for how businesses would use email in the years to come.