The Importance of Metrics in Email Campaigns

As email marketers we need to be in a continualquestions if you see a high unsubscribe rate:
learning mode. Each campaign we send will produceIs your content geared to their interests or are you
different results. As one size does not fit all, oneconstantly selling?
campaign is not suited for everyone. So how do you- Are your calls to actions clear and simple to
judge the results of each campaign? Are there statsperform?
that take precedence over others? To answer that- Are your lists built from an opt-in subscription form
question, a marketer must have clearly defined goalson your website or through your email campaigns?
for every campaign, knowing what they are trying to- Do you buy or rent your lists?
accomplish.- Are you emailing too often?
Successful Campaigns need Provable MetricsIf your emails are normally getting a good response
Key Performance: You cannot manage what you dorate, then these "Unsubscribers" may just have lost
not measure. Metrics bring us back to earth, a bit ofinterest. In this case, you can cut your losses.
a "wakeup call". A great looking campaign, optimizedTrimming your email database to all those who are
graphics, properly defined fonts, with a relevantactively receiving and opening your email is an
message, "does not a successful campaign make."important benchmark.
Metrics tell us to put our personal feelings and ideasUnsubscribe Rate Formula: Number of emails
on the side, as we deal with the facts and stats.addresses who unsubscribed/ number of email
Working with accurate results creates a rock solidaddresses sent minus the number of email addresses
foundation from which to plan our present and futurebounced *100%
campaigns.4. Creating a Viral Rate Component: When designing
Establishing your Key Performing Metricsyour content, incorporate some viral marketing
Having clearly defined goals for your email marketingstrategies:
campaigns gives the email marketer clear guidanceEnable your email to be forwarded easily to their
and direction. Without direction, you will be lost infriends, family, and colleagues. Incorporate a social
metrics mayhem. Remember, the supreme goal is notmedia button so they can send the email to their:
as much the click as it is the completed call to action!Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter accounts. It is
A new client, a new opt-in recipient, whatever theimportant that your email marketing service tracks
desired results of your campaign, the main objectivethis metric. This can be an important factor for new
it is to convert prospects to clients.subscribers.
Key Metrics for All Email Campaigns:Viral Rate Formula: Number of emails forwarded
1. Deliverability: These metrics measure the amountnumber of emails sent minus the number of emails
of emails successfully delivered to the recipients.bounced *100%
There are many issues and reasons that cause a
negative number. Incorrect email addresses, ISP5. The Coveted Conversion: The conversion rate or
rejections, spam filters, recipient's inbox is full, aresometimes called the response rate measures those
just some of the obstacles you may encounter.unique email addresses that preformed a call to
Hard bounce: A message is returned as permanentlyaction. A call to action can be a new subscriber to
undeliverable. This will be a good time to check toyour newsletter, a product purchase, a demo
see if you have outdated email addresses, typosdownload, or a clicked link to a video or external file.
within your addresses, etc. Make it a habit to cleanConversion Rate Formula: Number of actions taken /
up your address lists on a monthly basis.number of messages delivered.
Soft bounce: This is a message that gets through to6. Adjusted Response Rate: This measures the
the client's server but was not delivered. Attachmentnumber of actions taken when compared to the
could be too large, server problems, etc. In this case,number of click-through links, clearly showing how
the server will continue to try to send the messagemany completed actions there were when compared
through for a few days and if it cannot be delivered,to the click through rate. Use this formula when
will be labeled and counted as a hard bounce.modifying and optimizing your landing page,. This
Deliverability Rate Formula: Number of emailsmeasures the effectiveness of your website landing
delivered x 100 / total sendspage in the conversion arena.
2. Click Open rate: The click open rate metric givesAdjusted Response Rate Formula: Number of actions
you the number of recipients who opened the emailtaken / number of click-throughs.
message. Sometimes you get both the click open7. Reach Out and touch someone: Comments and
rate with the unique open rate. The unique open rateFeedback. Asking your prospects and clients to
tells you how many different recipients opened yourrespond to your website, content, product, or
mail and how many emails they specifically opened. Inservice gives you an opportunity to personally
this metric, only the unique numbers of users areconnect with your audience. Asking for their
counted, not the amount of emails they opened. Youcomments, will enable you to see what their interests
can see how important the unique open rate is asare and what is important to them, through their
opposed to the general open rate is. This will giveeyes. Get the insight needed, making modifications
you an idea of how many people are opening yourand changes based on their responses. It is a win -
campaigns.win for all.
Click Open Rate Formula: Number of emails openedWe are a Global Digital Community
number of emails sent minus the number of emailsThere is no doubt that the social media craze is
bounced *100%growing and most definitely here to stay. Social
Unique Open Rate Formula: Number of unique emailsmedia has changed the way B2B and B2C business
opened/number of emails sent minus the number ofrelate to each other and to their clients. We tweet,
emails bounced *100%twitter, and blog, every feeling and every opinion,
3. Unsubscribe rate: The Unsubscribe Rate is a criticalencompassing an entire digital community. Everything
piece of data because it is measuring yourwe do and we say is now viral. Good or bad, our
subscriber's interest and perception of youremail campaigns become viral as well. More than ever,
campaigns. Instead of seeing this as a negative, usemeasuring their success remains crucial.
this as a temperature gauge and ask yourself these