EMAIL MARKETING TOP TRENDS 2025
The results are in. Here’s what’s working.
Every year, we analyse millions of emails sent to UK schools to uncover the secrets to better performing campaigns. Follow these trends to improve engagement and get more clicks this academic year.
When’s the best day to send?
Monday campaigns deliver around 45% more clicks than midweek sends. Friday also outperforms the average.
On Mondays, teachers and leaders are planning the week ahead and looking for opportunities and resources. Fridays, meanwhile, often give staff more breathing space to explore new ideas.
Mondays are your most powerful day, with Fridays another smart choice.
What’s the best time to send?
Emails sent between 7–9am achieve nearly double the engagement of post-lunch campaigns. A smaller second peak comes at 3–4pm, once lessons end.
Why? Because inboxes checked first thing in the morning get more focused attention, while after-school checks happen before staff head home.
Aim for inbox arrival before school starts, or catch teachers after the bell.
How long should your subject line be?
3–5 word subject lines generate around 27% more clicks than 9+ word subjects.
Teachers scan inboxes quickly. Shorter subjects get straight to the point without being vague or overwhelming.
Keep it short and sharp — around five words is the sweet spot.
Who should you send to?
Direct inboxes get more than double the engagement of generic mailboxes like info@ or admin@.
Personalised targeting matters. Staff are far more likely to engage with emails that land in their own inbox than in a shared one.
Invest in data quality. Reaching the right person dramatically boosts ROI.
Does school type matter?
Engagement is consistent across academies, independents, and state schools.
Open rates, click rates, and unsubscribes all sit at virtually identical levels. This means sector doesn’t dictate performance, your strategy does.
Focus on your message and timing, not the school type.
Which campaign type works best?
Awareness campaigns perform steadily and safely at scale.
Competitions grab attention with high opens, but clicks don’t always follow
Surveys achieve over 10% higher engagement than average
Sales and Lead Gen underperform slightly, with higher unsubscribe rates.
Use awareness to build familiarity, surveys to drive interaction, and sales once trust is in place.
Buzz Copy vs Client Copy
Buzz-written copy generates around 9% more clicks than client-supplied content.
Why? Professional copy is sharper, more focused, and written with schools’ priorities in mind. It helps staff see the value quickly, leading to more action.
Strong copy pays off. Investing in professional writing delivers measurable results.
Buzz Design vs Client Design
This year our email designs achieved 14% more clicks than client-designed campaigns, and even saw slightly lower unsubscribes.
Clear, professional layouts don’t just look good. They build trust, guide the reader’s eye, and make it easier for staff to take action.
Invest in good design. Clean, accessible emails convert better and keep unsubscribes low.
Need help planning your next campaign?
Our Marketing to Education Calendar 2025-26 gives you all the dates you need to reach out to schools whilst keeping your marketing content topical.
