Open and click rates are a starting point, but they do not tell you whether an automated campaign is genuinely contributing to business results. Here is what to look at alongside them.
Look past open rate alone
Open rates are increasingly unreliable due to privacy changes in email clients. Treat them as a rough directional signal rather than a precise measure, and weight click-through and reply rates more heavily.
Track what happens after the click
A good click-through rate means little if those visitors do not take any further action. Connect your automation to basic conversion tracking so you can see whether the sequence leads to enquiries, bookings or purchases.
Watch unsubscribe and complaint rates
A rising unsubscribe rate during a particular sequence usually signals that the content or frequency has drifted from what the audience expects. Treat this as useful feedback rather than ignoring it.
Review performance by sequence, not just by message
Look at how an entire sequence performs from start to finish, including where drop-off happens between messages, rather than judging each email in isolation.
Key takeaways
- Treat open rate as directional, not precise
- Track conversions, not just clicks
- Monitor unsubscribe and complaint rates as feedback
- Review performance across the whole sequence