Glossary
Engagement & Communication

Open Rate

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 16, 2025

Definition:

Open rate is the percentage of delivered emails that recipients open, indicating audience engagement with your messages.
Open rate is a metric used to measure the percentage of recipients who open a specific email out of the total number of emails delivered. For nonprofits, it’s a vital indicator of how well your email communications engage your audience. High open rates suggest that your subject lines are compelling and your audience is interested in your content, while low open rates may indicate issues with timing, relevance, or list quality. Open rates can be affected by factors such as email client settings, spam filters, and even the time of day the message is sent. Analyzing open rates over time can help nonprofits refine their email strategies for better donor and supporter engagement.

Key Takeaways

  • Measures email engagement by recipients
  • Helps assess effectiveness of subject lines
  • Tracked in Keela’s email analytics
  • Can inform message timing and content

Why It Matters

Open rate shows how effectively your emails engage supporters, guiding improvements.

Real World Example

A nonprofit sends out a fundraising appeal to 2,000 email subscribers using Keela. After delivery, the open rate is reported at 35%. This tells the organization that 700 recipients opened the email. By comparing this to previous campaigns, the team notices that emails with personalized subject lines get higher open rates. They decide to test more personalized content in future emails. Over time, they monitor the open rate trends in Keela to continuously improve their approach and maximize supporter engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good open rate for nonprofit emails?

A good open rate varies, but for nonprofits, 20-40% is generally considered healthy. Factors like audience, content, and list quality affect this.

How can I improve my email open rate?

Use compelling subject lines, personalize messages, segment your list, and send emails at optimal times to increase open rates.

Does Keela track open rates automatically?

Yes, Keela automatically tracks open rates for your email campaigns, displaying the metrics on your campaign dashboard.

Why do some emails show as unopened even if they were read?

Some email clients block tracking pixels or images, which can prevent opens from being recorded even if the email was viewed.

Related Terms

Accessibility Compliance
Automation Trigger in a Nonprofit CRM
Average Gift Size
Board Member Profile
Bounce Rate
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