Email marketing isn’t dead. It’s just misunderstood.
The problem is that brands are tracking the wrong metrics (or worse, celebrating vanity numbers that don’t actually move the business).
If you’re still judging email performance by open rates alone, we need to talk. Here’s what actually matters and why.
Email is one of the few channels you actually own. But ownership doesn’t equal effectiveness.
The right email KPIs (key performance indicators) help you:
Yes, open rate still has a place, but it’s not the star of the show anymore.
What it tells you:
What it doesn’t tell you:
Pro tip:
Use open rate as a diagnostic metric, not a success metric.
If opens are the handshake, clicks are the conversation.
CTR measures:
Low CTR with high opens usually means:
This is one of the most important engagement KPIs to track consistently.
This one’s underrated—and incredibly telling.
CTOR = clicks ÷ opens
It answers the question:
“Once someone opened this email, did they care enough to act?”
High CTOR = strong content.
Low CTOR = disconnect between subject line and body.
This is where email stops being “marketing” and starts being business.
Conversion rate tracks:
RPE tells you:
This KPI helps you move conversations from “we sent an email” to “here’s what it earned.”
Track:
Fast growth with poor engagement is a red flag.
Slow growth with high engagement is usually a green one.
This metric isn’t the villain people think it is.
Unsubscribes can mean:
A small unsubscribe rate is normal. A sudden spike is a signal worth investigating.
This is one KPI you never want to ignore.
High spam complaints hurt:
If this number climbs, pause optimization and fix trust first.
Ask yourself:
Different emails = different KPIs. A welcome email shouldn’t be judged the same way as a promo blast or a nurture sequence. Context is everything.
Email KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are metrics used to measure the effectiveness of email marketing campaigns. Common KPIs include open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, unsubscribe rate, and revenue per email.
The most important email KPI depends on your goal. For revenue-focused campaigns, conversion rate and revenue per email matter most. For engagement-focused emails, click-through rate and click-to-open rate are more meaningful.
Open rates can be useful for trend analysis and subject line testing, but they are less reliable due to privacy changes. They should be used alongside engagement and conversion metrics—not on their own.
Email KPIs should be reviewed after every campaign and analyzed over time to spot trends. Weekly and monthly performance reviews help inform optimization decisions.
Improving email KPIs typically involves refining subject lines, clarifying CTAs, improving segmentation, adjusting send frequency, and aligning content more closely with audience needs.
Tracking email KPIs is one thing. Knowing how to act on them is another.
That RANDOM Agency helps brands build email strategies rooted in the metrics that actually matter—engagement, conversion, and long-term growth. 👉 Work with That RANDOM Agency to turn email data into smarter strategy and stronger results. Request a proposal today.
