Open, click, conversion rates and revenue per email metrics can either be calculated based on the number of messages sent or the number delivered. Each one is perfectly acceptable, providing you consistently stick with one method. However it could be argued that basing your metrics around the number sent is more appropriate for acquisition than retention.

Generating clicks will provide you with valuable information on each of your subscribers, from which content is most attractive to exactly what each individual subscriber is interested in.

In the 6 months we have been publishing the AWCM [pronounced:آ aw-suhآ m]آ index we have noticed that email marketers appear to have a marked preference for sending emails on the second and third weeks of the month. With the exception of November (probably due to the Christmas effect) email volumes peak during the second or third week and tend to drop markedly at month end.

Before you buy in a third-party list, check: are you making the most of the program you’ve already got?
Look to build your list organically instead: create something worth subscribing to and communicate its benefits clearly
Make it really easy to subscribe from your website – build email subscription into your web template if possible
Consider an audit of your subscription process and goals
Don’t collect info you’re not going to use in the next 12 months

So far, Metric of the Month has looked at conventional email metrics. Essentially, these ‘campaign based’ metrics examine how the message performed and treat each message as a discreet event. They do not tell you anything about subscriber behaviour over time. Whilst campaign based metrics are useful they can be frustrating because they give you a sense of what, but not why leaving you with more questions than answers.

Our regular report of the following metrics:

Campaign Based Metrics
Unique Metrics – by month
Campaign Metrics – by Issue
Click Analysis
Reach
Frequency
Recency
Campaign Based Metrics
This month’s update of Email Worx’ performance shows a continuing trend of falling open and click rates. Whilst overall they are still above industry averages, it’s not something we like to see. The total number of subscribers we’ve reached however continues to climb and is now nearly 90% which is a great achievement, and now, with 100% in our sights, we going to try to do the impossible and we’re aiming for 100% by the end of the year… We generally see 60% open reach for a 12 month period so this will be no easy task but a great challenge!

And finally… don’t overlook the footer elements at the bottom of your email – they’re a great last chance to hook your reader and a great way to bypass the search engines.

It’s last but by no means least. The bottom section of your email – the various footer panels below your sign-off – is an area that tends to be rather neglected by marketers, yet is actually a very potent piece of screen real estate.

Naked Email achieves an average open rate of 58%

As you know we like to bare all, showing you that we practice what we preach in email marketing. That’s why we are keen to share our success, and to reveal where we feel we could still improve.

After 3 issues Email-Worx has an average unique open and click rate of 58% and 27% respectively and we are very proud that we appear to be providing value to our subscribers. However we still feel that there is room for improvement, but where do we start? That is a difficult question if all we look at are the average open and click rates and highlights the limitations of basic metrics.