Email marketing continues to prove its value. While new channels and AI-powered experiences dominate industry conversations, email remains one of the most reliable ways to build customer relationships, drive engagement and generate measurable results.
The DMA Email Benchmarking Report 2026 reinforces that message.
Spotler UK is proud to be one of the email service providers contributing data and expertise to this year’s report.
By combining benchmark data from six leading ESPs, alongside industry commentary, the report provides marketers with a clear picture of how email is performing across the UK and where the biggest opportunities lie.
But let’s look at what the findings mean for marketers.
Email performance is stronger than ever
One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s report is that email continues to perform exceptionally well.
Improving deliverability, lower unsubscribe rates and record click-through rates suggest that marketers are becoming more effective at sending relevant, valuable communications. Rather than relying on volume, organisations are increasingly focusing on quality, relevance and customer experience.
This reflects a wider shift across the industry. The most successful email programmes are no longer measured purely by how many emails they send, but by how well those emails meet customer needs.
For marketers, that’s encouraging news. It shows that investing in better segmentation, cleaner data and more personalised communications is delivering tangible results.
Benchmarks should guide, not define, success
Benchmark reports are valuable because they provide context.
It’s natural to compare your open rates or click-through rates against industry averages, but the real value lies in understanding why your performance differs.
For example, a lower open rate doesn’t necessarily mean your email strategy isn’t working. Different sectors, audiences and campaign objectives naturally produce different results.
A retailer sending daily promotions will have different engagement levels to a membership organisation sending monthly updates.
Instead of asking: “Are our metrics above average?”
Ask: “What can our metrics tell us about our audience?”
Benchmarks should help identify opportunities for improvement, not become the only measure of success.
Clicks matter more than opens
As inbox privacy changes continue to influence email reporting, marketers are becoming more cautious about relying solely on open rates.
Open rates still provide useful insight, but they no longer tell the whole story.
Clicks, conversions, website activity and customer actions provide a much clearer indication of engagement and campaign effectiveness.
This year’s report reflects that shift. Record click-through rates suggest marketers are creating content that encourages meaningful action, not simply attracting opens.
The focus is moving away from vanity metrics towards business outcomes.
Better data creates better results
One theme continues to appear throughout the report: better data leads to better email performance.
Accurate customer information allows marketers to:
- Segment audiences more effectively.
- Personalise communications.
- Improve deliverability.
- Reduce unsubscribes.
- Create more relevant customer journeys.
At Spotler, we’ve seen this first hand.
The organisations achieving the strongest results aren’t necessarily sending more emails. They’re sending the right emails to the right people at the right time.
As AI and automation become more sophisticated, the quality of customer data will become an even greater competitive advantage.
AI is changing how marketers work, not replacing strategy
Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of the email marketing toolkit.
From subject line generation and content creation to send-time optimisation and predictive segmentation, AI can help marketers work more efficiently.
However, the report also highlights an important reality. Technology can improve execution, but it can’t replace strategy.
Successful email programmes still depend on understanding your audience, creating valuable content and delivering relevant customer experiences. AI makes good marketers faster, but it doesn’t replace good marketing.
Industry comparisons reveal new opportunities
One of the strengths of the DMA report is its ability to compare performance across industries.
Different sectors naturally experience different engagement patterns, but these comparisons can uncover opportunities that marketers may otherwise overlook.
If organisations in similar industries consistently achieve stronger click-through rates or lower unsubscribe rates, it’s worth asking:
- Are they segmenting differently?
- Are they sending fewer, more relevant emails?
- Is their content more closely aligned with customer intent?
Benchmarking is about learning what good looks like and adapting those lessons to your own audience.
The future belongs to relevant communication
Perhaps the biggest message from the report is that relevance continues to outperform volume. Customers expect communications that reflect their interests, behaviour and stage in the customer journey.
Mass email still has its place, but increasingly, marketers who combine strong customer data with automation, segmentation and personalisation are seeing the best results.
This isn’t simply about improving campaign metrics. It’s about creating better customer experiences.
What marketers should do next
The DMA Email Benchmarking Report offers more than a snapshot of industry performance. It provides a roadmap for improving your own email marketing.
As you review your campaigns, ask yourself:
- Are you measuring the metrics that matter most?
- Is your customer data accurate and up to date?
- Are your segments still relevant?
- Are your emails delivering value to recipients?
- How does your performance compare with organisations similar to yours?
Answering these questions will often reveal bigger opportunities than simply chasing a higher open rate.
Download the DMA Email Benchmarking Report 2026
The DMA Email Benchmarking Report 2026 provides valuable insight into how email is performing across the UK, the trends shaping customer engagement, and the practical lessons marketers can apply to improve results.
Whether you’re reviewing your own performance, planning future campaigns or looking to benchmark your strategy against the wider market, it’s an essential resource for every email marketer.
Download the report today and discover how your email performance compares.
