What is engagement, and why is it so important?
In social media, users engage with posts when they interact with a specific brand. These interactions can be measured through "likes," "comments," and "shares." Similarly, in emails, engagement is understood in a comparable way.
Email engagement is measured by email service providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, using metrics such as opens, clicks, and responses, among other behavioral data, to filter messages that will or will not reach users' inboxes.
Email servers have mechanisms to monitor user behavior, learning more about their preferences as they send and receive emails. They also incorporate anti-spam features to "protect" users from unwanted content. For instance, if a user habitually deletes emails on specific topics even before opening them, the email service understands that it should block those messages. This information is stored by the server to increasingly personalize the service.
How to measure engagement in email campaigns?
There's a lot of talk about user engagement, but how do you measure and observe it in email marketing? Monitor specific indicators such as:
Open Rate
This metric indicates the percentage of emails opened compared to the total delivered. The average email open rate varies by industry (education, construction, health, etc.), but this percentage shows how many people are interested in your content.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
This is the ratio of clicks on links in email creatives to all correctly delivered messages. It indicates the number of clicks on links in delivered emails. Each click signifies interest, enabling the adjustment of marketing strategies. Without tracking CTR, you can't identify the impact of your email campaign on your audience.
Unsubscribe Rate
Measures the percentage of users who decided to leave your email list. A high unsubscribe rate signals email service providers and can have negative consequences. Not all user interests can be satisfied; the expected unsubscribe rate is 0.5%, and 0.2% or less is considered good. If the number is higher, your marketing strategy needs improvement. However, this should not be taken too radically for a new company or a new mailing list, as relationships with recipients are developing in these cases.
Need additional help?
If you have questions about the deliverability of your emails, please contact us at hello@edrone.me