Newsletter Engagement: How Long Do People Actually Read For?
Newsletters command significantly more attention than traditional advertising. While print ads typically garner just 2-4 seconds of viewing time and posters around five seconds, a recent study reveals the average newsletter is read for 54 seconds. This demonstrates a significant difference in engagement compared to other marketing channels.
The data, collected by Dialog-Mail using technology developed in 2020 that accurately tracks email reading time, analyzed how long recipients actively kept newsletters open and monitored trends over the last five years.
B2C Newsletters Outperform B2B in Reading Time
A direct comparison between Business-to-consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) newsletters highlights key differences in reader behavior. B2C newsletters hold attention for an average of 60 seconds, while B2B newsletters are read for 46 seconds on average. Approximately two-thirds of all recipients spend up to 30 seconds with a newsletter, and 7% engage with content for over two minutes. Importantly, average reading times have remained relatively consistent in recent years.
Reading Time: A Key Indicator of Interest
Dialog-Mail asserts that reading time is a strong indicator of a recipient’s interest in the newsletter’s content. Spending nearly a minute with a newsletter suggests a comparatively high level of engagement.
Optimizing for Skimmers & Driving Action
The analysis also provides actionable insights for improving newsletter performance. Recognizing that around 19% of readers only skim content, it’s crucial to prioritize clear structure and institution. Newsletters should be formatted for easy scanning, and include prominent, visible calls-to-action to encourage desired responses.
The Value of Tracking Your Own Data
Given that actual reading times can vary considerably based on target audience and content, Dialog-Mail recommends regularly tracking this key metric internally. Collecting this data allows for informed, data-driven decisions to optimize future mailings and maximize engagement.
For more detailed information and further analysis, refer to the blog article “How long are newsletters read?” available on dialog-mail.com.
