We previously used MailChimp and consistently saw email open rates around 40%. Since switching to HubSpot, our open rates have dropped significantly, and I’m trying to understand why.
Recently, we ran an ad campaign where customers filled out a form to receive a discount. We followed up with an email containing the discount code, but a surprising number of recipients didn’t open the email.
It’s odd—they took the time to fill out the form but didn’t open the message to get their free hour.
Is it possible that our HubSpot emails are landing in spam or junk folders and is there a way to verify this? Wondering why MailChimp gets more open rates ans action.
Hi @GCL! One point to consider is that each platform has its own “success” metrics. For an email to count as “opened” in HubSpot it must:
Open rate: the percentage of people who opened your email out of the people who were delivered your email. An email open is counted when the images in the email load, or when the user clicks on a link in the email even if the images do not load.
MailChimp may have different criteria for what counts as an opened email. It would be something to look in to and determine if you need to create a “new normal” for emails in HubSpot.
I forget the exact numbers, but I was once concerned about Bounce Rate on webpages and learned that Google reported it much differently than HubSpot. That lesson always has me thinking about the variety of reporting metrics across tools.
Hope that gives you something to think about. Someone else may pop in with more ideas.
Yes, it’s definitely possible that some of your HubSpot emails are ending up in spam or junk folders, especially if domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) isn’t fully set up yet. That’s the first thing I’d double-check. You can do that in Settings > Website > Email > Sending Domain in HubSpot.
Also, I’d recommend running your email through a spam checker before sending these are some tools like Mail Tester, GlockApps, or MXToolbox can show you a spam score and highlight potential issues that might be causing emails to be flagged. It’s a simple step, but super helpful.
Another thing that trips people up: HubSpot tracks opens a bit differently than Mailchimp. It uses a tiny invisible image to register opens, so if someone’s email client blocks images (which is more common now with privacy features like Apple Mail’s), it might not count the open, even if the person actually read the email. This could explain why your open rate looks lower, even if the engagement is there.
Here are a few other quick tips that might help:
Authenticate your domain – SPF, DKIM, and DMARC all matter. Without them, spam filters might not trust your emails.
Watch your subject lines and sender name – Make sure they’re recognizable and relevant. Sometimes small tweaks can make a big difference.
Send emails immediately after the form fill – Strike while the intent is hot. Even a short delay can lower the chances of them opening.
A/B test – HubSpot lets you test subject lines, content, and send times. Use that data to fine-tune your strategy.
Preview your emails – Send test emails to different inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) and see where they land.