How Email Cadence Impacts Open Rates

email-cadence-open-rates

Info

Source: NP Digital
Date: April 2025
Category: Email Marketing
Study Methodology: NP Digital study of 30 companies testing weekly email frequencies.

Essential Statistics

One email per week averages a 33.8% open rate.
Two emails average 30.1%.
Three emails average 29.4%.
Four emails average 27.3%.
Five or more weekly emails drop to 26.2%.

Key Takeaways

Open rates gradually decline as frequency increases.
Email fatigue is real but manageable with strong content.
More sends aren’t inherently bad: low-value sends are.
Segmentation becomes essential at higher frequencies.
Cadence strategy should align with subscriber expectations.

Actionable Insights

Start with Weekly Sends

Maintain strong open rates while building trust.

Increase Frequency for Engaged Segments

Send more often only to subscribers who consistently engage.

Audit Every Email for Value

Remove low-impact sends before raising cadence.

Watch Unsubscribe Trends Closely

Let user behavior guide how often you communicate.

Use Automation to Reduce Fatigue

Lifecycle flows improve engagement without cluttering inboxes.

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