Email Campaign Metrics You Need to Track (and Why)

Want better results from email marketing? Start by tracking the right KPIs.

Email marketing is still one of the most affordable and powerful ways to reach your audience. But just sending emails isn’t enough. To know what’s working (and what’s not), you need to track performance using email marketing KPIs.

These KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) show you how well your emails are doing. They help you make smarter decisions, improve future campaigns, and get better results.

What Are Email Marketing KPIs?

Email marketing KPIs are numbers that tell you how your emails are performing. They are different from general metrics. While metrics might show how many people opened an email, KPIs help measure how successful your email is based on your goals.

Why tracking KPIs is important:

• You learn what your audience likes
• You fix what’s not working
• You improve campaign performance
• You prove ROI (Return on Investment)

📌 Related: How to write email newsletters that actually convert

Top Email Marketing KPIs You Should Be Tracking

Let’s look at the most important KPIs you should track in every email campaign.

1. Open Rate

What it means: The percentage of people who opened your email.
Why it matters: If people aren’t opening your emails, they’re not seeing your message. Open rate shows how well your subject line and sender name are working.

Industry average: Around 17–28%, depending on your niche.

✅ Tip: Test different subject lines to improve open rates.

2. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

What it means: The percentage of people who clicked on a link inside your email.
Why it matters: This shows how engaging your content and CTA (Call-to-Action) are.

Formula:
CTR = (Number of Clicks ÷ Emails Delivered) × 100

Low CTR? Try making your buttons clearer or your offers more attractive.

3. Conversion Rate

What it means: The percentage of people who did what you wanted them to do—like buying a product or signing up.
Why it matters: This is the most direct way to see if your emails are working.

Ways to improve:

• Use clear CTAs
• Design better landing pages
• Match the email message with the landing page

4. Bounce Rate

What it means: The percentage of emails that didn’t reach inboxes.
Types of bounces:

• Hard Bounce: Invalid or non-existent email address
• Soft Bounce: Temporary issue like full inbox

High bounce rates can hurt your sender reputation.

📌 Related: What makes a drip campaign successful in 2025?

5. Unsubscribe Rate

What it means: The percentage of users who clicked “unsubscribe.”
Why it matters: A high unsubscribe rate may mean your emails are too frequent, irrelevant, or annoying.

How to fix it:

• Let people choose how often they hear from you

Keep your emails helpful and on-topic

6. List Growth Rate

What it means: How fast your email list is growing.
Formula:
(New Signups – Unsubscribes – Bounces) ÷ Total Subscribers × 100

A growing list means your content is valuable and people want more.

7. Spam Complaint Rate

What it means: The percentage of people who mark your email as spam.
Why it matters: This directly affects deliverability. Too many complaints can get you blacklisted.

How to reduce complaints:

• Get permission before sending emails
• Use clear subject lines
• Let people unsubscribe easily

How to Track These KPIs Easily

Use tools like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ConvertKit, or HubSpot. These platforms offer easy-to-read dashboards and reports.

Tracking tips:

• Set clear goals for each KPI

   

• Review reports weekly or monthly

   

• Use A/B tests to compare versions

   

Check how each audience segment performs

What These KPIs Tell You

Tracking KPIs helps you:
✅ Improve subject lines and timing
✅ Create more engaging content
✅ Increase clicks and conversions
✅ Get more value from your list

Example:
If your open rate is high but CTR is low, your content might need work. If your CTR is good but conversions are low, try fixing your landing page.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

• Don’t chase vanity metrics (like total emails sent)
• Don’t ignore user segments
• Don’t forget to tie KPIs to business goals
• Don’t track too late—review in real time
• Don’t use outdated email lists

Tracking is about quality, not just quantity.

Conclusion

Email marketing KPIs give you real insights into your email performance. When you track the right ones, you’ll make better decisions, improve results, and build stronger relationships with your audience.

Want expert help running and tracking high-performing email campaigns?

✅ Let’s Grow Together

📩 Get in Touch with Decodigit to boost your email campaign success with our expert strategy and analytics services.