Declining Engagement Metrics:
Open and click rates were consistently low, falling well below benchmarks.
Pain Points:
Unengaged Email List:
A large, unsegmented list of inactive subscribers caused deliverability issues, diluted engagement, and made it difficult to gauge true performance.
Inbox Placement and Deliverability Issues:
A poor domain reputation resulted in emails landing in spam folders, especially in Gmail – their most-used email client – severely limiting reach and engagement.
Strategy & Execution
Aztek implemented multiple strategies to improve deliverability and address engagement issues.
Engagement-Based Segmentation
- Aggressively segmented the email list by subscriber activity (e.g., 0–30 days, 30–60 days, etc.).
- Focused campaigns on engaged subscribers (180-day engagement window) to improve sender reputation.
- Gradually reintroduced unengaged subscribers through annual re-engagement campaigns, adding over 14,000 subscribers back into the active list.
Deliverability Infrastructure Optimization
- Audited and corrected DNS records, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings to authenticate emails properly and improve trust with inbox providers.
- Connected the domain to Google Postmasters to monitor and address Gmail-specific issues, improving domain reputation from "poor" to "high."
- Conducted regular inbox placement tests using Litmus to confirm emails moved out of spam folders into recipients' primary inboxes.
Automation and Content Strategy Adjustments
- Redesigned the BFC automation sequence to better target unengaged users:
- Added a resend email targeting subscribers who hadn’t opened the final email in the sequence, leading to hundreds of additional coupon requests.
- Optimized subject lines, preview text, and send times using ActiveCampaign’s predictive sending.
- Enhanced CTA visibility with design updates (larger buttons and more engaging copy).
List Hygiene Practices
- Removed over 20,000 inactive subscribers who failed to re-engage, reducing list bloat and improving deliverability.
- Conducted annual re-engagement campaigns to attempt to bring lapsed subscribers back into the engaged segment.
- Maintained a steady active list size of around 42,000 engaged subscribers.
Results After 10 Months
51.2%
Open Rate Increase
66.45%
Click Rate Increase
3.98%
Coupon Requests Increase
Results From Start to Now
71.04%
Open Rate Increase
76.91%
Click Rate Increase
6.98%
Coupon Requests Increase
Ready to take your email strategy to the next level?
Let us help you transform your email marketing into a high-performing, results-driven channel. Contact Us Today to learn how Aztek can deliver measurable improvements for your business.
