Positive engagement lifts reputation; negative engagement and inactivity lower it. Metrics are also how you decide who to keep sending to.
How to implement email engagement metrics#
- Track clicks and replies as primary metrics; opens are unreliable after Mail Privacy Protection.
- Set benchmarks per segment and channel rather than industry averages.
- Watch unsubscribe rate (aim under 0.5%) and complaint rate (under 0.1%).
- Feed engagement back into segmentation and sunset policies.
How to verify it worked#
Send a test message to seed mailboxes at Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, then inspect the Authentication-Results and delivery headers. Repeat after any DNS or sending-platform change.
Common mistakes#
- Reporting opens as success when Apple inflates them by prefetching.
- Ignoring the complaint rate until Postmaster Tools flags it.
Frequently asked questions#
What is a good click-through rate?
2 to 5% for marketing email is common; transactional mail often exceeds 10%.