Why No One Reads Your Emails — and How to Fix It

If you’ve ever poured hours into crafting the perfect email campaign—writing a clever subject line, designing a sleek layout, picking the right call-to-action—only to send it out and get… nothing, you’re not alone.

Every day, businesses and creators hit “send” with big hopes, but their emails end up unopened, unread, and unclicked. So what’s really going on? And more importantly—what can you do to change it?

Let’s dive into the hard truths, the real reasons behind low engagement, and how you can turn your email marketing into a channel your audience actually looks forward to seeing in their inbox.

The Harsh Reality: 69% of Emails Are Ignored

Recent research from NP Digital paints a pretty grim picture for email marketers.

• 69% of emails go completely ignored. Deleted. Forgotten. Buried.

• Of the remaining 31% that do get some attention:

  • 12% are skimmed (just a glance)

  • 8% are saved for later (which often means “never”)

  • And only 11% are actually acted on

Think about that for a second. Out of every 10 emails you send, less than one person might click, reply, or buy something.

If your open rates are low, you’re not alone. But you are facing a reality check.

Why This Happens: It’s About Trust, Not Just Subject Lines

When most people see these stats, they immediately blame subject lines.

“I need to make them more clickable.”

Or they think they need to write shorter emails. Or send fewer. Or send more.

But here’s the truth: the real problem isn’t your email—it’s your relationship with your audience.

Today’s inbox is chaos. Everyone is drowning in promotions, newsletters, updates, alerts, receipts—you name it.

Ask yourself: Which emails do YOU open without hesitation?

Chances are, they’re from:

• People you know personally

• Brands you trust

• Companies you’ve bought from before and had a good experience with

People don’t open emails from strangers. They open emails from brands they believe in.

That’s the game.

The Fix: Build a Brand People Actually Care About

Here’s where most marketers get it wrong: they think the solution is to “write better emails.”

But your emails don’t exist in isolation—they’re just one part of how people experience your brand.

If you want people to open, read, and act on your emails, you have to give them a reason before you ever hit send.

That means building:

✅ A recognizable brand – so your name stands out in their inbox.
✅ Trust across every touchpoint – on social, your website, in your customer service.
✅ A reputation for delivering value – so every email feels worth opening.

When people already trust you, your emails become something they look forward to—not something they ignore.

How to Start Turning This Around

If your email open rates are in the gutter, don’t panic. Here’s where to start:

1️⃣ Audit your brand presence.
Does your audience even know who you are when they see your name in their inbox?

2️⃣ Deliver value outside of email.
People should see you showing up on social media, your website, or even in-person before they ever read an email from you.

3️⃣ Ask the right question before you write.
When you draft an email, pause and ask yourself:

“Why would I open this if I were my own subscriber?”

If the answer isn’t clear, rewrite it—or rethink what you’re sending.

The Bottom Line

Here’s the truth: email marketing isn’t just about writing emails. It’s about building trust.

You can have the cleverest subject lines in the world, but if people don’t care about your brand, they won’t even click.

Focus on value. Be consistent. Build relationships before you ask for action.

Because when people trust you, they’ll open your emails. And when they open your emails, they’ll act on them.