Email marketing analytics for content resonance

most b2b marketers obsess over the wrong email metrics. tracking opens and clicks is like measuring website visits when you actually care about pipeline and revenue. here's what actually matters (and why): 𝟭/ 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 click-to-open rate = clicks ÷ opens. this tells you how compelling your content is *after* someone opens. campaign monitor data shows this is a better indicator of content quality than raw click-through rates. if your click-to-open rate is low, your email content isn't resonating. if it's high (10.5% is the cross-industry average), you've nailed the message-market fit. if you’re following advice to “write good content”, this is an appropriate metric to follow. 𝟮/ 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆) 95% delivery sounds great until you realise your emails are landing in spam folders or promotional tabs. what matters isn't just technical delivery, but actual inbox placement that drives engagement. 𝟯/ 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 most marketers fear unsubscribes. i'd argue its not to be feared. healthy list churn (under 2%) means you're sending relevant content to engaged people. if your unsubscribe rate suddenly spikes, it's an early warning your messaging is off-target before other metrics catch up. 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: 💡 segment by engagement recency, not demographics. we've seen 3x higher conversion rates emailing "opened last 30 days" vs "job title = vp of marketing". aim to address intent. 💡 track conversion rate alongside open rates. we can borrow from b2c here: 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 (𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵) 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘵 1-6%, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬-𝘪𝘯-𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 5.84% 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 - way higher than broadcast campaigns. use nurture emails for contacts who have shown intent (reading your content, attending your webinars, etc.) the bottom line: measure what moves the needle. any other email metrics that you track that correlates with pipeline in your experience?

As someone who has driven over $22M in email revenue, I've had the opportunity to analyze and optimize countless email campaigns. Metrics are the key to understanding what's working and what needs improvement. Let's dive into the critical metrics and how to leverage them for better performance 👉 🌟 Open Rates - This is your first impression metric. A good open rate indicates that your subject lines and preview text are enticing. To improve, experiment with personalization, emojis, and urgency. Track the time of day and day of the week that work best for your audience. 📈 Click Rates - Click rate shows the percentage of people who clicked on a link within your email after opening it. It’s a strong indicator of how compelling your content and CTAs are. To boost click rates, focus on creating clear, actionable buttons, and A/B test different copy and design elements. 💼 Conversion Rates - The ultimate metric! Conversion rate measures the percentage of recipients who completed a desired action, such as making a purchase. This is where the true value of your email marketing is realized. Improve conversion rates by ensuring your landing pages are aligned with your email content and providing a seamless user experience. 🚫 Bounce Rates - A high bounce rate can indicate issues with your email list quality. Monitor and maintain your list regularly by removing invalid or unengaged email addresses. This helps in maintaining a good sender reputation and improves overall deliverability. ❌ Unsubscribe Rates - While unsubscribes are inevitable, tracking this metric can provide insights into how your content resonates with your audience. A sudden spike could signal that your emails are too frequent or not relevant. Use this data to refine your content strategy. 📊 List Growth Rate - It's not just about keeping your current subscribers; growing your list is equally important. Track your list growth rate to ensure you're continually adding new potential customers. Utilize sign-up forms, lead magnets, and social media to attract new subscribers. 💰 ROI Calculation - Ultimately, your email marketing efforts should be contributing to your bottom line. Calculate the ROI of your campaigns by comparing the revenue generated against the costs. This will help you understand the financial impact and justify your marketing spend. Pro Tips: 🎯 Segmentation & Targeting - Segment your audience based on behavior, demographics, or past purchases to send more relevant content. This can significantly improve all your key metrics. 🧩 Personalization - Beyond using first names, personalize content based on user preferences and past interactions. This increases engagement and loyalty. 🔄 Regular Testing & Optimization - Continuously test different elements of your emails, from subject lines to content layout, to find what resonates best with your audience.

Brand owners, if there’s one metric you should prioritize in your email marketing strategy, it’s this: Click-Through Rate (CTR). (Here’s why CTR should be your top priority.) Many focus on open rates and while this metrics provide valuable insights, they only offer a snapshot of immediate results. CTR, however, gives you a comprehensive view of how engaged your audience is with your emails and content. Why is CTR so critical for brand owners? 1. Measures Engagement → CTR directly indicates how compelling your email content is. → High CTR means your audience finds your content engaging and relevant enough to take action. 2. Informs Content Strategy → Knowing your CTR helps you understand what type of content resonates most with your audience. → Allows you to refine your email marketing strategy based on real engagement data. 3. Improves Conversion Rates → A high CTR is the first step towards conversions. → The more engaged your audience is, the more likely they are to move down the funnel and complete a purchase. Use Cases of CTR in Email Marketing 1. A/B Testing → Use CTR to test different email designs, offers, and content types. → Determine which versions drive more engagement and refine your strategy accordingly. 2. Segmentation → Segment your audience based on their engagement levels. → Tailor your email content to different segments to improve overall engagement and CTR. 3. Performance Tracking → Regularly monitor your CTR to gauge the effectiveness of your email campaigns. → Use insights from CTR to adjust your approach and continually optimize your campaigns. -- In the fast-paced world of email marketing, focusing on CTR can transform your email marketing efforts. It shifts your perspective from sending emails to creating content that truly engages your audience, ensuring sustained growth and profitability for your brand. So, the next time you evaluate your email marketing metrics, put CTR at the forefront. It’s not just a number; it’s the key to understanding and maximizing your audience's engagement. -- P.S. Found this helpful? Share this post ♻️ and follow me for more insights on maximizing your brand’s email marketing success. Let’s keep the conversation going – what metrics do you prioritize in your email campaigns? Comment below!