Case Study: How Redesigning Our Email Templates Increased Open Rates by 30%
Discover how one strategic email redesign led to a 30% increase in open rates — and what you can learn from it.
The Problem: Great Content, Low Opens 😩
Our emails looked good, our offers were solid, and our lists were warm…
But the numbers told a different story: low open rates, sluggish engagement, and slipping conversions.
Sound familiar?
We knew we had to rethink not just what we were sending — but how we were designing it.
The result? A strategic overhaul of our email templates that led to a 30% increase in open rates, stronger click-throughs, and a measurable lift in revenue.
Here’s exactly what we did — and how you can apply it to your own email campaigns.
📉 Before the Redesign: What Wasn’t Working?
❌ Overly Graphic Headers
Looked nice but screamed “promotion”
Triggered image blocking in Gmail and Outlook
Took too long to load on mobile
❌ Weak Preview Text
Defaulted to random alt text or fallback copy
Didn’t support or complement the subject line
❌ Cluttered Layouts
Multiple CTAs in one email
No visual flow
Low click intent due to too many options
❌ Inconsistent Branding
Varying button styles
Different tones across campaigns
Fonts and colors were off-brand
🎯 The Redesign Strategy: What We Changed
🧠 1. Focused on Subject Line & Preview Optimization
We used A/B testing and SenderWiz’s rotation feature to test:
Personalized subject lines
Urgency vs. curiosity phrasing
Emojis (when appropriate)
Preview text variations
Result:
✅ 18% increase in opens just from better subject/preview combinations.
🎨 2. Simplified the Template Design
We moved to:
Single-column layouts
Clear visual hierarchy (headline → image → CTA)
Responsive design that stacked cleanly on mobile
💡 Load time improved dramatically, reducing bounce rates.
🔁 3. Introduced Content Rotation
Using SenderWiz’s smart rotation, we started rotating:
Subject lines
Hero images
CTA copy
“Recommended for you” product sections
Result:
✅ Reduced email fatigue
✅ Made every version feel more personal — at scale
🎯 4. CTA Overhaul
We:
Made CTA buttons consistent in shape and color
Moved primary CTA above the fold
Added a secondary CTA below the fold (but made it less prominent)
Result:
✅ Click-through rate increased by 22%.
🎯 5. Brand Alignment
We created a mini brand guide for email:
Fonts
Button styles
Color palette
Logo usage rules
Result:
✅ Emails felt instantly recognizable — and more trustworthy.
📱 6. Mobile-First Formatting
We used SenderWiz’s mobile preview mode to:
Optimize text size
Make sure buttons were easily tappable
Ensure spacing felt natural for small screens
Result:
✅ 70% of our opens now came from mobile — and mobile conversions doubled.
💡 Key Takeaways for Your Own Email Template Redesign
✨ Simplicity Wins
Cut the clutter. Prioritize one message, one CTA.
🧪 Test More Than Just Subject Lines
Use rotation for headlines, images, and even button text.
📲 Think Mobile First
Design for the thumb — not the mouse.
🧠 Stay On-Brand
Your email should feel like an extension of your website and social channels.
🚀 Use Tools That Let You Scale Smart
SenderWiz gave us the ability to:
Rotate content
Preview mobile and dark mode
Personalize at scale
Track replies and engagement
Final Thought: Great Design Isn’t About Looks — It’s About Results
You don’t need a fancy layout to get noticed.
You need a smart one — one that loads fast, looks good, and feels on-brand.
✅ Use your email templates to guide, not confuse
✅ Test, track, and tweak continuously
✅ Leverage tools like SenderWiz to rotate, personalize, and optimize without starting from scratch
Because sometimes, a few small design decisions can lead to big results 📈💌
