With the communication revolution, emails have become a ubiquitous method of communication across various industries. For some, composing an email can be an art form. How long should an email be? There is no set answer to this question, but it’s important to consider the implications of email length on readership and open rates. In this article, we examine the data to better understand the impact of email length on open rates and present some tips to help you write more effective emails.
The prevalence of folk wisdom surrounding email length
There are countless examples of advice on the ideal length of an email. A quick online search yields numerous articles on the subject, often offering a prescribed number of words that an email should have. However, much of this advice is subjective, without any real data behind it. We need to look at data to get a clear and precise idea of how long an email should be.
There is no straightforward answer to the question of how long an email should be. It depends on the message being conveyed, the audience, and the context. Moreover, there are always trade-offs. Longer emails can provide more context and information, but they can also be overwhelming for the reader. On the other hand, shorter emails may not provide enough information or context.
Data collection
To better understand the impact of email length on open rates, we collected data on one hundred thousand bulk emails sent from Buttondown over the last twelve months. We calculated the word count of each email and rounded it to the nearest hundred to create our dataset.
Data analysis
Our data showed that there was no clear correlation between the word count of an email and its open rates. Emails that ranged from 50 to 2500 words had roughly similar open rates of around 30%. However, there was a slight dip in the open rate for emails exceeding 2500 words. This finding is not surprising since longer emails can be intimidating and time-consuming for the reader.
Caveats to consider in interpreting the data
It’s important to keep in mind that our dataset only includes bulk emails. Personal emails may have a different response rate. Moreover, the audience and context of the email are also essential factors to consider when evaluating the ideal email length. Therefore, these findings are not a one-size-fits-all solution, but they can be useful as a starting point.
The interesting findings
Our data revealed that there is no linear relationship between email length and open rates. The most effective emails tend to be of the appropriate length for their content and audience. Therefore, the goal is to write the correct number of words for your email. This finding supports the idea that shorter isn’t always better, and longer is not necessarily worse, but relevance and clarity are crucial.
The Importance of Writing the Correct Number of Words in Your Email
It’s important to tailor the length of your email to the content and audience. Including irrelevant information can lead to a lack of focus, and readers can quickly lose interest in the email. Conversely, if you don’t provide enough information, your email may not fulfill its intended purpose. Therefore, the aim should be to create an email that is neither too long nor too short but is of the correct length to convey the intended message effectively.
In conclusion, the optimal length of an email does not depend on a set number of words or complex algorithms. Instead, it comes down to the context and the resulting relevance of the email. The goal is to keep your email concise, clear, and on-point, while providing enough context and information. Our findings have important implications for both professional and personal email usage, and encourage further exploration into this essential area of communication.