In email marketing, the click-through rate (or click rate) is one of the most critical metrics for measuring engagement. It tells you how many recipients click on a link within your email, helping you understand whether your content, call to action (CTA), and overall strategy are effective.
A high click-through rate means your audience is actively engaging with your emails, while a low click-through rate suggests something might be wrong—perhaps your content isn’t compelling, your CTA isn’t clear, or your emails aren’t reaching the right people.
The average email marketing click-through rate is around 2%. But what exactly is considered a good click-through rate? And how can you improve yours?
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What Is Considered a Good Click-Through Rate?
Industry Benchmarks
While there is no single “good” click-through rate, as it varies depending on the industry, audience, and email type, MailerLite’s 2025 email marketing data suggests that 2% is the average click-through rate across all email marketing campaigns. However, industry benchmarks provide an idea of what to expect in your specific niche. Here are some of the averages based on the same source:
| Niche | Click-Through Rate |
| Hobbies | 4.36% |
| Government | 4.31% |
| Media and publishing | 4.02% |
| Nonprofits | 3.25% |
| Healthcare | 1.75% |
| Business and finance | 1.63% |
| E-commerce | 1.19% |
| Restaurant | 1.13% |
| Marketing and advertising | 1.11% |
| Travel and transportation | 0.77% |
| Others | 2.17% |
Email Type Matters
Different types of emails yield different click-through rates. Transactional emails like order confirmations usually have higher engagement, while promotional emails tend to have lower click-through rates.
These benchmarks are useful, but they can vary. A good click-through rate depends on your goals and how well you optimize your emails.
Factors That Affect Click-Through Rate
Several factors influence how many people click on links in your emails:
- Industry and audience: Some industries naturally have higher engagement than others.
- Email list quality: Your click-through rate will be low if your list has many inactive or unqualified contacts.
- Content relevance: Emails that match your audience’s interests and needs generate more clicks
- Email type: Newsletters often have higher click-through rates than sales-driven promotional emails.
- Mobile optimization: If emails aren’t mobile-friendly, fewer people will interact with them.
Why “Good” Click-Through Rates Vary
Instead of focusing on hitting a universal benchmark, track your performance over time. If your click-through rate was 2% last month and now it’s 3%, that’s an improvement, even if the industry average is higher.
How to Improve Your Click-Through Rate
If your click-through rate is lower than you’d like, here are some actionable strategies to boost engagement:
Write Engaging Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first thing people see. If it doesn’t grab attention, they won’t open the email or click the links inside. The following are actionable tips for constructing better subject lines:
- Keep it short and clear: Under 50 characters is best.
- Personalize it: “John, Don’t Miss This Exclusive Deal!”
- Create curiosity: “Are you making this marketing mistake?”
- Avoid overusing spammy words like “free” or “act now.”
Here’s an example of a weak subject line:
“Our latest newsletter”: This is too vague and uninteresting
An example of a strong subject line is:
“5 Quick SEO Fixes that Can Boost Your Traffic Today.” This is specific and compelling.
Personalize Your Emails
Generic emails don’t perform well. People respond to messages that feel tailored to them. Follow these simple tips to personalize the emails in your next campaign. Check out our article on personalization.
- Use the recipient's first name in the subject line and body.
- Send content based on their past interactions with your brand.
- Segment your email list by interest, location, or behavior.
For example, if someone recently browsed your online store’s winter jackets, they are more likely to click an email about “Top Winter Jackets”.
Use Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)
A weak or confusing CTA leads to low click-through rates. Your CTA should:
- Use strong, action-oriented language, like “get your free guide,” instead of a mere “click here.”
- Stand out visually. Use bold colors, large buttons, and so on.
- Be placed above the fold so it's seen immediately.
Here’s an example of a weak CTA:
“Learn more”: This is too vague. What are we learning more about?
Example of a strong CTA:
“Download your free SEO checklist now”: This is clear and valuable.
Optimize Email Design for Mobile
More than 50% of emails are opened on mobile devices. If your email isn’t mobile-friendly, your click-through rate will suffer.
- Use a single-column layout for easy reading.
- Make buttons large enough for touch screens.
- Avoid small fonts. Use at least 14px for body texts and 22px for headlines.
A/B Test Your Emails
A/B testing helps you identify what works best for your audience. You can test:
- Subject lines: Does “Exclusive Offer” work better than “limited time offer”?
- CTA placements: Should they be at the top or bottom of the email? Which one has worked better in the past?
- Email length: Do shorter or longer emails get more clicks?
- Sending times: Do emails sent at 8 a.m. perform better than those sent at 6 p.m.?
By consistently testing and analyzing results, you can gradually improve your click-through rate.
FAQs
The Final Word
A good click-through rate depends on your industry, audience, and email type, but most marketers aim for at least 2%. Instead of chasing a specific number, focus on continuous improvement by optimizing subject lines, personalizing content, improving CTAs, and A/B testing.
If your click-through rate is low, don’t panic—Phalera can help. We’re an all-in-one CRM with a built-in email marketing tool with 450+ email templates and a user-friendly email builder designed to help you craft engaging emails. Book a demo now to discover how we can help you scale your email marketing campaigns.
