One in four Britons read emails on mobile

by Stratton Craig

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Consumers are increasingly turning to their mobile devices to read their emails and this trend can be seen worldwide, in a number of different markets, a new survey from email intelligence firm Return Path has found.

Figures reveal that email open rates on mobile have grown by 300% over the past couple of years and at present more than one in three users across the globe reads emails on their smartphones, compared to 30% who use webmail to do that. While open rates on desktop have remained relatively stable since 2010, the number of people using webmail has dropped significantly.

Even though more than half of consumers in the UK own a smartphone, which is among the highest rates globally, Britons still prefer to read their emails on desktop and via webmail, preferred by 36% and 40%, respectively. By contrast, just under one in four Brits opt for mobile devices as the main platform, far behind mobile open rates in the US and Canada, which stand at 38% and 37%, respectively.

However, with growing numbers of devices being sold, it is only a matter of time before more UK consumers start using their smartphones for opening emails, Return Path notes. In order to be prepared for this transition, businesses should invest in optimisation for both desktop and mobile viewing, in terms of both design and content, so that their marketing creates the best possible effect. 

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