18 June 2015

What can be taken as the ultimate measure?

It goes without saying that most email marketers love the channel for its ability to be measured. We know exactly how well our investment is doing. 

The essential metrics - delivered, opened, clicked or click to open have served us well and generally continue to tell us how we're achieving our objectives.

In some cases, however, these metrics may be a blunt instrument. What is someone doesn't click through from an email, but buys anyway - is that a failed email? What if our email isn't actually promoting a direct response - how do we measure impact? Can the essential metrics be taken as the ultimate measure over a period of time or are they merely a measure at a point in time?

All of these questions are being asked by email marketers keen to take a more nuanced view of the channel and this refocus makes total sense when seen alongside other key developments such as optimization technologies - email may be digital's old workhorse but it is more than capable of being reinvigorated too. A real focus on measurement is topical. According to Econsultancy's 2014 Email Marketing Census, 36% of marketers cite poor measurement and analytics as barriers to effective email marketing. They know that the right metrics will drive the right business results.

Dotmailer have issued a white paper on this study. To download and read the complete document, please see the below PDF.