Opens:
Note: we can only calculate this rate based on the number of people who displayed the images (open) or who clicked on a link in the email (implied open).
Your real open rate might be higher than the open rate reported because:
- Most email clients don’t display images unless the sender is a “trusted sender” or the user clicks on the link to display images.
- You might have a large portion of text-email (rather than HTML) recipients on your list.
Open Rate:
(People who displayed images + People who clicked on a link) ______________________________________________________________
Total number of people you sent your email to
Expected results: Between 15% – 40%
Variables:
- Permission: Sending campaigns about content your subscribers actively opted in to receive
- Relationship with the list: For example, an older, non-reconfirmed list will not perform nearly as well as a targeted campaign.
- Get delivered: Internet Service Providers know exactly how many of their users are opening/clicking/deleting/ignoring your emails. If you are sending to an active list of people that are engaged with the content you are sending them, you’ll build your good reputation.
- Frequency: Sending on a regular basis, which you should communicate to your subscribers.
- Subject: Clear and explicit subjects will yield higher open rates.
- Alternate views: Keep the [SHOWEMAIL] (“Open in a browser”) link in the header of your email
- Multiplicity: A lot of links (since, as previously mentioned, links that are clicked are considered “implied opens”) and many small images.
- Encouraging people to display images at the top of your email: A quick sentence like: “Not displaying the images? You’re missing out on the picture our latest arrival!” or “Experience this email to the fullest: display the images” can get your subscribers to show the images – yielding you more accurate results.
Your Click Rate
Note: Your email should be short and succinct. People have a 15-20 second attention span when they’re reading emails. Make sure you always have many links linking to more information.
Click Rate:
People who clicked on a link / Number of unique opens
Expected results: Between 3% – 10%
Variables:
- Purpose of the email: If you’re just wishing “Happy Holidays,” you might not get very many clicks
- Interest: If people don’t care, they won’t click to get more information, so keep your campaigns as targetted as possible.
- Location of the link: if it’s hidden in the footer of your email, not many people will see it.
- Amount of information within the email: if it’s so long that people become disinterested, they won’t want to “read (even) more”