Eliza McElhaney

These Email Marketing Stats Might Change How You Hit 'Send' in 2025

If you’ve ever hit “send” on a newsletter and then immediately refreshed your analytics hoping for a flood of clicks… same. Email marketing can feel like a mystery sometimes—especially when you’re doing all the things and still hearing crickets.

The good news? Email is far from dead. In fact, it’s one of the most effective tools out there—when you know what actually matters. The team at Stacked Marketer rounded up some of the most relevant email marketing stats right now, and we're breaking down what they mean for the way you write, design, and measure.

Let’s talk about what’s working, what’s flopping, and what’s worth tracking in 2025.

What’s Working

According to Litmus, here are the email elements that are actually making a difference:

  • 77% saw improvement from subject line personalization – No surprise here. Readers want to feel like you’re talking to them, not the entire internet.

  • 73% saw better performance with emojis in subject lines – It’s not for every brand, but a well-placed emoji can help you stand out in a cluttered inbox.

  • 72% had success using animated GIFs or PNGs – A little movement can be eye-catching, especially when it supports your message.

  • 68% benefited from dynamic content – The more tailored your content, the better. Think beyond the first name token.

And a few timeless truths that continue to win:

  • Mobile-first matters: 80% of users read email on their phones. If your message isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re already behind.

  • Simple beats pretty: Emails with too many design bells and whistles get skipped. Strong headlines, short paragraphs, and clear CTAs still rule.

  • Real personalization > mass blasts: Segment your list. Speak to where your audience is. You’re not yelling into a crowd—you’re talking to individuals.

What’s Not Working

  • Click rates are down – It’s not email’s fault. The bar for what people click has gone up. Time to rethink your CTA game.

  • Image-heavy emails – Too many visuals can trigger spam filters and fail to load properly. Keep it balanced.

  • No strategy – If you’re sending emails without looking at what’s performing (and what’s not), you’re flying blind.

What You Should Actually Track

  • Click-to-open rate (CTOR) – Tells you if the content inside your email is landing. If open rates are high but clicks are low, your message missed the mark.

  • Unsubscribes – This one’s not always a bad sign. A clean list is a healthy list, especially if your content isn’t right for them.

  • Conversions – This is where the magic happens. What action did your reader take after clicking? That’s your real ROI.

The Real Takeaway

Email is still powerful—but only when it’s intentional. That means:

  • Writing like a real human

  • Designing for the scroll (especially on mobile)

  • Tracking what matters instead of chasing vanity metrics

If it feels like no one’s reading, it might not be about your design or frequency—it might be time to get back to the basics. Be useful. Be clear. Be relevant.