65. iOS15 is Hiding Email Open Rates. What this Means for Your eCommerce Business.

eCommerce Badassery · with Andrew Balecki · June 22, 2021 · 14 min

Summary

Apple's iOS 15 update is making email open rates unreliable. This episode unpacks what that means for your ecommerce business, offering practical steps to prepare your email account and adapt your marketing strategy. Don't panic – it's not the email apocalypse, but a call to shift your focus to more meaningful engagement metrics.

Key takeaways

• Shift focus from email open rates to click-through rates (CTR), website visits, and ultimately, conversions and revenue generated from emails.
• Clean your email list and refine segmentation based on active engagement (e.g., recent purchases, website activity) rather than perceived opens, as Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection can artificially inflate open counts.
• Leverage existing data and customer behavior to maintain effective email communication, such as analyzing click patterns, time spent on site after email interaction, and purchase data.
• Implement A/B testing for subject lines, content, and calls to action to understand audience resonance, even without perfectly accurate open rates.
• Automate workflows based on user behavior (e.g., browsing specific products, adding to cart) instead of email open triggers, as these will become less reliable.

Themes

Topics covered

Episode description

Email open rates are going away, so what now? Is this the email apocalypse? Tune in to hear what this update means for your eCommerce business, how to prepare your email account for iOS15 and how this might impact your email marketing strategy moving forward. Spoiler alert: it’s not as bad as you think What You'll Learn Is iOS15 going to kill email marketing? How to prepare for iOS15 and what steps you should be taking right now How to manage your email marketing once iOS15 is in place Links Mentioned Apple Announcement https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/ios-15-brings-powerful-new-features-to-stay-connected-focus-explore-and-more/ Klaviyo Blog https://www.klaviyo.com/blog/apple-ios-15-updates Klaviyo Forum Thread on the Topic https://community.klaviyo.com/metrics-and-analytics-36/how-is-the-ios-15-update-going-to-affect-klaviyo-s-open-rate-activity-tracking-1527 A Word from Andrew Balecki, CEO of Klaviyo https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bialecki_apple-made-big-news-this-week-with-the-latest-activity-6808737559888310273-OzWy/ Omnisend Information Hub https://opensaredead.com/ Read the Full Transcript eCommerceBadassery.com/65 FREE Resource Library Every freebie I’ve created to help you grow the traffic, sales, and profit in your eCommerce Business, all in one place! http://ecommercebadassery.com/freestuff Want More Badassery? Join the eCommerce Badassery Facebook Group and connect with other eCommerce entrepreneurs just like you! http://ecommercebadassery.com/facebook Let’s connect on Instagram @ecommercebadassery https://instagram.com/ecommercebadassery Ready to Level Up Your Email Marketing & eCommerce Business? Try the Klaviyo Email Marketing Platform - Built specifically for eCommerce, serving entrepreneurs, and iconic brands. https://ecommercebadassery.com/klaviyo Work With Me Interested in getting my brain focused on YOUR business? Learn more about my services… Email Marketing Help: https://ecommercebadassery.com/email-marketing eCommerce

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about email & sms?

Shift focus from email open rates to click-through rates (CTR), website visits, and ultimately, conversions and revenue generated from emails.

What does this episode say about analytics & attribution?

Clean your email list and refine segmentation based on active engagement (e.g., recent purchases, website activity) rather than perceived opens, as Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection can artificially inflate open counts.

What does this episode say about dtc strategy?

Leverage existing data and customer behavior to maintain effective email communication, such as analyzing click patterns, time spent on site after email interaction, and purchase data.

What does this episode say about email & sms?

Implement A/B testing for subject lines, content, and calls to action to understand audience resonance, even without perfectly accurate open rates.

What does this episode say about email & sms?

Automate workflows based on user behavior (e.g., browsing specific products, adding to cart) instead of email open triggers, as these will become less reliable.

Listen

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