If you want to get the most out of your digital marketing campaign, you need to focus on the best ways you can measure your success rate. Even though there are plenty of metrics out there, how should you consider measuring your performance?
Some metrics are more useful in some situations than others, and that is why it is important to learn the difference between click rate, click-through rate, and clicks per unique opens. However, click rate and click-through rate are often used interchangeably, and are technically the same metric. Clicks per unique opens is another important measure worth incorporating and understanding alongside the first two.
Even though there are situations where both can be useful, click rate/click-through rate and clicks per unique opens have very different implications. What do you need to know about these metrics, and how can you use them to improve the quality of your email marketing campaigns?
Learn more below, and make sure you put your future campaigns in a position to be successful.
The difference between click rate and clicks per unique opens
Even though there are some similarities, click rate and clicks per unique opens are not the same thing.
If you send out a hundred emails to your targets, the click rate represents the percentage of the people who received those people who actually clicked on and opened the email.
The clicks per unique opens represents the percentage of people who not only opened the email but also clicked on the link or ad in the email.
What is click rate?
If you run an email campaign, you probably try to use enticing subject lines to get people to open the email. What percentage of people actually open the email you send them?
There is a chance that some people might have those emails blocked out by spam filters. There is also a chance that some people may see the subject line of the email, recognize that it is a marketing email, and make the decision to ignore it. The click rate refers to the number of people who actually open the email that you send them.
What is clicks per unique opens?
Clicks per unique opens is different. This represents the number of people who actually click on the advertisement in the email.
Not everyone is going to open the email, and not everyone who opens the email is going to click on the advertising. Some people may be interested in the subject line, but once they start reading the email, they may realize that the product or service is not necessarily for them. If that is the case, they might not click on the advertisement or link in the email, which could cause the clicks per unique open rate to drop.
Even though there are several differences between the click rate and the clicks per unique opens, you need to keep an eye on both metrics. Both are important for your email marketing campaign, which is why you need to know how to properly measure both values.
Why click rate is important
Click rate is a pivotal measure of email campaign success, highlighting how many recipients engage by clicking links within the emails. For example, if 1,000 subscribers receive your email and 25 click a link, the click rate is 2.5%. A high click rate signifies engaged recipients and can channel traffic to your website, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your campaign.
Why click rate matters in deliverability
Monitoring your click rate is crucial for understanding how well your emails are being received. It can also influence email deliverability, as higher engagement rates can improve your sender reputation and ensure your emails reach more inboxes.
Why it’s important to monitor click rates and clicks per unique opens
Keeping track of your click rate is essential for gauging email engagement and improving deliverability.
For example, you need to know what your click rate is because you need to know that your front end email marketing and digital marketing metrics are working. It doesn't matter how good your products and services are if people do not know about them.
If people are unwilling to open the emails you send them, the rest of your marketing campaign is simply going to fall flat.
That is why you need to keep an eye on your click rate. If you are wondering why your sales and page view numbers are lagging behind, it might be because your click rate is not high enough. You need to work with your marketing team, using the latest tools available. That way, you can figure out how you can increase your click rate.
Similarly, monitoring clicks per unique opens gives insights into how well your audience interacts with specific links in your campaigns.
Then, you can figure out where you want to allocate your optimization efforts. Even though there are some situations where one metric might be more important than the other, it is important for you to keep an eye on both values. That way, you know that you are getting as much out of your marketing campaign as possible.
What is a good click rate?
When you take a look at your click rate, you might be wondering how you stack up.
What is a good click rate in email marketing? Click rates in email marketing differ across industries. Typically, technology companies achieve higher rates compared to retail. A click rate between 2-5% is often seen as successful. It's essential to compare your rates with industry benchmarks and continuously refine your strategies for better results.
That is why it is important to take a look at trends over time. If you notice that your click rate is suddenly dropping, you need to figure out why. Or, if you notice that the rate is going up significantly, you need to figure out what caused the jump. That way, you can capitalize on what is working, improve what is not, and get the most out of the money you spend on your digital marketing campaign.
What if you have a high click rate, but low sales?
When you take a look at your numbers, you need to figure out what they mean. After all, the goal is to increase online sales. Even though it is important to understand the difference between click rate and clicks per unique opens, you also need to know what the numbers mean. If you have a high click rate, but a relatively low sales volume, what does this mean?
Wrong target audience
It might mean that you are targeting the wrong audience. For example, a lot of people will open the advertisements and emails that you send to them, but once they realize that the product or service is not for them, they will simply move on. As a result, you might see that your open rate is relatively high, but your sales volume is relatively low.
Your sales numbers might be low because you might not necessarily be targeting the right audience. If you want to improve your sales numbers, consider sticking with the same marketing strategy, but switching the target market. You might need to invest in different tools that can help you figure out what the right target market is.
Unpleasant buying experience
Another reason why your sales numbers might be low is that you do not necessarily provide people with a smooth buying experience. For this information, you may want to take a look at the clicks per unique opens. If your click rate is high but your clicks per unique opens is low, this is still a sign that you are targeting the wrong market because people are not clicking on the advertisement in the email.
On the other hand, if you notice that the click rate and clicks per unique opens are high, but your sales are low, this could indicate that there is a problem with the buying process. You need to make the process as smooth as possible if you want people to complete the purchase. If people realize that the website is not working properly, or if they see that you do not accept their payment method, they may decide to go somewhere else.
Monitor your marketing emails, too
It is critical for you to keep an eye on your marketing emails. That means looking at your click rate and clicks per unique opens. If you keep an eye on your email marketing campaign, you can put yourself in the best position possible to maximize the results of your digital marketing effort.
Your time is your most valuable resource, and you need to use tools that will provide you with the information to make appropriate decisions regarding your email marketing efforts.
That is why you might want to invest in a few retargeting ads and email marketing tools as well. You can find some of the best tools available today if you rely on Mailchimp. Mailchimp can help you keep an eye on your email marketing efforts, identifying what is working and what is not.
That way, you can put your email marketing campaign in a position to be successful. As long as you understand the most important metrics to track, you can optimize your marketing efforts accordingly.