While marketers tend to measure their e-mail programs using such basic metrics as clicks, opens and sometimes even conversions, one expert says most of them have got it all wrong.
“There are metrics people should be looking at that they’re completely ignoring,” says Andrew Robinson, director of international services for marketing services provider Lyris. “The real screamer is short visits to a Web site from an e-mail campaign. This is one we look at all the time that people in the industry aren’t looking at. Once people click through, if they spend less than two seconds on the site and then move away, then that’s a short visit.
“ We’ve seen e-mail campaigns that have great open and click-through rates but 60% short-visit rates,” he adds. “This means the e-mail’s doing its job, but what’s on the Web site is completely wrong and is not meeting expectations that have been set up by the e-mail.”
Companies should set up their Web analytics programs so they can measure their e-mail marketing program’s performance based on business goals.
“You want to be testing for particular goals,” he notes. “That means people complete certain actions such as a purchase, or download of a whitepaper or download of an application or whatever goals you have.”
Got an e-mail tip to share? Contact Beth Negus Viveiros at [email protected]
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