Email marketing boom recorded for charities amid pandemic

The public’s engagement with email marketing from charities increased markedly during 2020, according to latest data.

Information provided by nine email marketing service providers, including dotdigital and Pure360 and covering more than 158 billion emails, was used for the research.

This found that the proportion of people clicking on links in charity emails almost doubled between 2020 and 2019 from 3.9% to 6.8%.

This is the highest rate since 2016, the first year included in the research, and triple the average click rate of 2.3% for all sectors.

The figures have been revealed by the Data and Marketing Association (DMA) in its latest Email Benchmark Report.

Rates of the public opening emails sent by charities have also improved amid the pandemic. With a rate of 26.1%, up 5% on the previous year, the not-for-profit sector was the best performing sector.

Meanwhile, B2B marketing emails open rate fell over the same period, from 20.3% to 19.8%.

The research found that emails from medical and social support charities registered a higher level of engagement.

According to DMA head of insight Tim Bond, “an increased sense of compassion and altruism brought people to engage with charities to either volunteer their time or donate money to support others in need”.

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


Video Q&A: In conversation with Vicki Sellick MBE, CEO of Good Things Foundation
Vicki Sellick MBE, CEO of Good Things Foundation joins Charity Times editor, Lauren Weymouth to discuss her leadership journey, the organisation’s new strategy and the findings of the Digital Nation 2026 report. She explores the challenges of digital inclusion, the opportunities and risks of AI, and how the sector can ensure nobody is left behind.

Video Q&A: Benefits of bespoke investment vs pooled funds for the third sector
In this Charity Times video Q&A, editor Lauren Weymouth speaks to Ed Caswell of RBC Brewin Dolphin to explore how charities can align investment strategies with their mission, balance income and growth, and adapt to changing needs. He discusses discretionary management, responsible investment and the importance of effective governance and regular portfolio reviews.

Charity Times Awards 2023