Disconnects on Metrics: Health vs. Optimization vs. Success Metrics
Marketers have become very focused on measuring the effects of their work—which is both good and bad. On the one hand, quantifying things can prove that certain strategies and tactics are effective and worth additional investment. On the other hand, we don’t always do a very good job at understanding the numbers…
9 Experts Weigh in on Email Metrics that Matter
If you’re just looking at your email open and click rates, you’re missing out, says Tim Watson, founder of email marketing consultancy Zettasphere. I couldn’t agree more. To help marketers better understand how to use the email metrics that are available to them, Tim asked me and eight other email marketing experts…
The New Litmus Test for a Great Email Marketing Program
I used to say the hallmark of a great email marketing program was that they have a robust A/B testing program. It’s not just because I consider A/B testing a key optimization tool and a vital part of “listening” to subscribers, but because if a brand is taking the time to follow…
The Email Marketing Rules for Measuring Success
In my latest Email Insider column for MediaPost, I discuss three poor email marketing success metrics and explain what a better alternative metric is in each case. Instead of unqualified list growth, where every new subscriber is viewed as equally valuable, I recommend using “real list growth.” This metric adjusts for subscriber…
In Defense of ‘Low’ Open Rates
No one wrings their hands over email marketing’s stellar ROI, but I’m surprised by how often a big deal is made out of “low” open, click and conversion rates. Everything is about perspective. And that’s absolutely the case when looking at open rates, which can be highly misleading, especially when compared over…
Email Marketing Is Blind in One Eye
Measuring the performance of your email marketing efforts is critical. It’s vital to maximizing program revenue, as well as subscriber happiness. But email marketing is not nearly as measureable as we like to think it is. Ignoring how unreliable so-called “open” rates are, subscribers react to our emails in a lot of…