10 Metrics to Track for Behavioral Email Success

Jacob Bytom Updated on Mar 12, 2025

Behavioral email marketing is all about sending the right email at the right time based on customer actions. To measure success and improve results, focus on these 10 key metrics:

Email Open Rate: Tracks how many recipients open your emails. Improve it with personalized subject lines, optimized send times, and mobile-friendly designs.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures the percentage of recipients clicking on links. Boost it with clear CTAs, segmentation, and A/B testing.
Email Conversion Rate: Shows how many clicks lead to actions like purchases. Use personalized offers and perfect timing to increase conversions.
Revenue Per Email (RPE): Calculates how much revenue each email generates. Enhance it with segmentation and targeted campaigns.
Unsubscribe Rate: Tracks how many people opt out. Lower it by sending relevant, well-timed emails and offering preference options.
Email Bounce Rate: Measures undelivered emails. Keep it low with list cleaning and email validation.
Email List Growth: Tracks subscriber increases. Use effective signup forms and incentives like discounts or exclusive content.
Long-term Engagement: Monitors subscriber activity over time. Re-engage inactive users with personalized campaigns.
Email Sharing Rate: Measures how often emails are forwarded or shared. Create shareable content and make sharing easy.
Email Marketing ROI: Calculates the financial return of campaigns. Use tools and analytics to refine strategies and maximize profits.

These metrics help you understand your campaign's performance, improve engagement, and drive better results.

1. Email Open Rate

Email open rate shows the percentage of recipients who open your emails. Here's the formula:

Open Rate = (Number of Opened Emails ÷ Number of Delivered Emails) × 100

Several factors influence open rates, including:

Subject lines that grab attention
A recognizable sender name
Sending emails at the right time
Preview text that sparks interest
Segmented email lists tailored to your audience

Want to boost your open rates? Try these tips:

Write personalized subject lines that feel relevant.
Experiment with different send times to find what works best.
Remove inactive subscribers to keep your list fresh.
Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly for easy reading.

Once you've improved open rates, you can dive into click-through rates to measure how engaged your audience really is.

2. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Once you've checked open rates, the next step is to focus on CTR (Click-Through Rate). This metric shows how engaging your content is by measuring the percentage of recipients who clicked on a link in your email. The formula is simple: (Clicks ÷ Delivered Emails) × 100.

Pay attention to CTR trends over time. While industry benchmarks differ depending on the type of behavioral email, your own historical data is the best guide for improvement.

Here are some ways to boost your CTR:

Strategic CTA Placement

Place your main call-to-action (CTA) where it stands out. Use bold colors, clear action words like "Shop Now", and ensure there's enough space around it to draw attention.

Advanced Segmentation

Tailor your emails based on factors like purchase history, browsing habits, engagement level, or where the customer is in their journey. The more targeted, the better.

Content Relevance

Personalize product recommendations to match customer preferences.
Send emails at times when your audience is most likely to engage.
Experiment with different CTA designs to see what resonates.
Use dynamic content that adapts to customer behavior.

Mobile Optimization

Make sure your emails are mobile-friendly with layouts that adjust seamlessly and highlight CTAs for smaller screens.

Testing and Iteration

Run A/B tests on elements like button colors, CTA wording, email layout, or link placement. Use the results to refine your approach.

Pair your CTR data with conversion metrics to get a clearer picture of how your clicks are driving results. Up next: analyzing how those clicks turn into actual conversions.

3. Email Conversion Rate

Once you've tracked clicks, the next step is to evaluate how well those clicks turn into actions using the email conversion rate.

This metric measures the percentage of recipients who complete a specific action - like making a purchase, signing up, or submitting a form - after opening your emails. Unlike click-through rate (CTR), which only tracks clicks, the email conversion rate digs deeper to show the actual outcomes of those clicks. The formula is simple: (Conversions ÷ Delivered Emails) × 100.

Using Behavioral Data to Boost Conversions

Purchase History Analysis
Look at past buying habits to send timely and personalized reminders that resonate with customers.
Browse Behavior Targeting
Monitor website activities like cart abandonment, product views, or wishlist updates. Use this data to send targeted emails that address specific interests or hesitations.
Engagement-Based Segmentation
Group your audience by their email activity. For example, separate active buyers, frequent openers, occasional readers, and inactive subscribers. This helps you craft messages that feel relevant to each group.

Strategies to Improve Conversion Rates

Dynamic Content Personalization
Tailor email content to fit individual preferences. For instance, recommend products based on browsing history or highlight offers that align with their interests.
Perfect Timing
Schedule emails when engagement is most likely. Take time zones and customer behavior into account, and experiment with different send times to find what works best.
Clear Value Proposition
Make the benefits of your offer obvious. Use reviews or ratings for credibility, create urgency with limited-time deals, and emphasize what sets your product or service apart.

4. Revenue Per Email

After analyzing open and click-through rates, Revenue Per Email (RPE) offers a clear picture of your email campaign's financial performance. It’s calculated by dividing the total revenue generated by the number of emails successfully delivered. This metric shows how much revenue each email contributes to your business.

Why RPE Matters for Behavioral Campaigns

RPE helps you understand which email campaigns are the most profitable. For example, cart abandonment emails often perform well because they target customers who are already close to making a purchase.

How to Calculate RPE

To calculate RPE, track the revenue generated directly from email clicks and any follow-up customer actions, such as repeat purchases. This kind of tracking allows you to identify areas for improvement and refine your strategy with better audience segmentation and well-timed email triggers.

Ways to Improve RPE

Segment your audience to target high-value customers effectively.
Send emails at the right time to catch customers when they’re most likely to engage.
Include content that motivates repeat purchases to increase lifetime value.

For more tailored advice on improving RPE, companies like UltraLabs (https://ultralabs.digital) offer specialized solutions for digital commerce.

5. Unsubscribe Rate

The unsubscribe rate measures the percentage of people who opt out of your emails. It’s a quick way to gauge how well your messages connect with your audience and how effective your campaigns are. Ideally, you want this number to stay low, but the "acceptable" range can vary depending on the type of email.

What to Know About Normal Unsubscribe Patterns

Not all emails perform the same way. For example, welcome emails, cart abandonment reminders, post-purchase updates, and browse abandonment messages will each have their own unsubscribe trends. Tracking these rates by campaign type helps you set benchmarks and spot when something might be off.

Red Flags for High Unsubscribe Rates

Here are some signs that something might need fixing:

A sudden increase in unsubscribes after a specific campaign
A steady rise in unsubscribes over multiple campaigns
Noticeably high churn in certain types of emails

If you notice any of these, it’s time to revisit your approach.

How to Lower Unsubscribe Rates

Here are a few tactics to help keep subscribers engaged:

Tweak your email frequency: Send messages at intervals that match your audience’s preferences.
Make your emails relevant: Base your content on what your subscribers recently did or showed interest in.
Use segmentation wisely: Group your audience by their activity level and tailor your messages to each group.
Time it right: Analyze when your audience is most likely to engage and schedule emails accordingly.

Keeping Your List in Good Shape

Some churn is normal and even healthy - it ensures your list stays full of engaged readers. Instead of focusing solely on reducing unsubscribes, aim to attract and retain active subscribers. Regularly clean your list and offer options, like a preference center, where subscribers can choose how often they hear from you instead of leaving altogether.

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6. Email Bounce Rate

Email bounce rate refers to the percentage of emails that fail to reach recipients. Keeping this rate low is crucial for ensuring your emails are delivered and your campaigns perform well.

Types of Email Bounces

There are two main types of email bounces to keep an eye on:

Hard Bounces
These occur when delivery fails permanently, often because the email address is invalid or no longer exists. To protect your sender reputation, remove these addresses from your list immediately.
Soft Bounces
These are temporary issues, like full inboxes or server errors. Most of the time, these resolve on their own after a few retries. Monitor them, but don't take immediate action unless the problem persists.

Industry Benchmarks for Bounce Rates

Bounce rate benchmarks can differ by industry, but a well-maintained email program typically has a very low bounce rate. Hard bounces, in particular, should be kept to a minimum to avoid damaging your sender reputation. Regularly monitoring overall bounce rates is key to maintaining strong deliverability.

Tips to Avoid High Bounce Rates

Here are some practical ways to keep your bounce rates under control:

Use Double Opt-in
Confirm email addresses with a double opt-in process to ensure they're valid and active.
Clean Your List Regularly
Remove inactive subscribers who haven’t engaged within a specific timeframe. Adjust this timeframe based on the type of campaign you're running.
Set Up Authentication
Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to improve email security and delivery.
Validate Email Addresses
Use trusted email validation tools to check addresses before sending campaigns.
Monitor Engagement
Keep an eye on how different campaigns perform, especially automated emails like cart abandonment or browse reminders.

Monitoring and Responding to High Bounce Rates

If your bounce rate spikes, take these steps:

Temporarily pause your email campaigns.
Investigate why the bounces are happening.
Clean up the affected segments of your email list.
Ensure your authentication protocols, like SPF and DKIM, are correctly set up.
Resume sending emails cautiously after addressing the issue.

Regular validation and monitoring will help you keep your list accurate and maintain strong deliverability over time.

7. Email List Growth

Email list growth shows how quickly your subscriber base is expanding, giving you a clear picture of how well your behavioral email campaigns are working.

How to Measure List Growth Rate

Use this formula to calculate your growth rate:

(New Subscribers – Unsubscribes) ÷ Total Subscribers × 100

Keep in mind that growth benchmarks can differ depending on your industry and business size.

Where you place your signup forms can make a big difference. Some effective spots include:

Exit-intent popups: Capture visitors who are about to leave.
Homepage headers: Make your signup offer the first thing visitors see.
Post-purchase pages: Engage customers right after they buy.
Product pages: Encourage signups while users browse.
Static footer forms: Keep a signup option available at all times.

Creating the Right Incentives

Offering the right perks can encourage more people to join your list.

Content-Based Offers:

Digital lookbooks
Industry insights or reports
Buying guides
Tutorials from experts

Purchase-Related Offers:

Discounts on first orders
Free shipping deals
Early access to special sales
Invitations to exclusive product launches

Signs of High-Quality Growth

Pay attention to these indicators to ensure your list is growing with engaged subscribers:

How new subscribers interact with your welcome emails
Time it takes for new subscribers to make their first purchase
Metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and overall engagement

Mobile-Friendly and Segmentation Tactics

Make sure your signup process is mobile-friendly by using:

Single-column designs
Few required fields
Buttons that are easy to tap
Clear messaging about what subscribers will gain

Start segmenting your list based on:

Where subscribers signed up
Their initial interests
The type of device they used
Their geographic location

This kind of segmentation helps you track and improve engagement as you go.

8. Long-term Engagement

Long-term engagement looks at how well your email campaigns keep subscribers interested over time. By tracking this, you can spot patterns and identify areas where your strategy might need tweaking.

This metric builds on others like click-through rates and conversions, giving you a bigger picture of how loyal your subscribers really are.

Key Engagement Metrics

Pay attention to these metrics to understand long-term engagement:

Active Subscribers: The number of subscribers who have opened or clicked your emails within the past 90 days.
Interaction Frequency: How often subscribers engage with your emails.
Time-of-Day Patterns: When subscribers are most active, helping you optimize send times.

Re-engagement Tactics

If engagement starts to drop, re-engagement campaigns can help bring inactive subscribers back. Here’s how to approach it:

Segment inactive subscribers based on their last activity or purchase history.
Create personalized content designed to win back each segment.
Experiment with different methods to find what works best for reactivating your audience.

Using advanced email tools, like those from UltraLabs, can make it easier to track these metrics and execute targeted campaigns. This ensures your emails stay effective and keep your audience engaged over the long haul.

Email sharing rate measures how often subscribers forward your emails or share them on social media. For behavioral emails, this metric reveals how well your content spreads organically and how much your subscribers advocate for your brand. Tracking these numbers helps you expand your campaign's reach and integrate sharing data into your overall engagement strategy.

Key Metrics to Track

Focus on key sharing metrics like forward rate, social share rate, and new subscriber attribution. Use tools that automatically track these actions to simplify your analysis.

The right content can naturally encourage sharing. Consider:

Helpful Resources: Industry reports, research, or practical guides
Interactive Features: Polls, quizzes, or surveys that spark engagement

Remove barriers to sharing by implementing these tips:

Add visible social sharing buttons
Include a clear "Forward to Friend" option
Ensure your emails look good on all devices
Experiment with button placements and designs to see what works best

These tweaks make it easier for subscribers to share your content, increasing its reach.

Evaluating the Impact

Understand how sharing influences your campaign by looking at these metrics:

Metric	Impact on Business
Direct Forwards	Helps bring in new subscribers
Social Shares	Boosts brand visibility
Secondary Opens	Measures extended audience reach
Forward-to-Open Ratio	Shows how shareable your content is

Tips for Success

Optimize for Mobile: Make sure sharing buttons are easy to click on smartphones.
Smart Placement: Place sharing options near content that grabs attention.
Test Across Platforms: Check that sharing works smoothly on all email clients.

These strategies will help you understand how sharing contributes to your email marketing success. Up next, explore how these efforts tie into your overall ROI.

10. Email Marketing ROI

Email marketing ROI measures the financial return generated by your email campaigns.

How to Calculate Email ROI

Use this formula to calculate ROI:

ROI = [(Revenue from Email - Cost of Email Campaign) / Cost of Email Campaign] x 100

When calculating costs, remember to include:

Email platform subscription fees
Design and content creation expenses
Operational costs

This calculation works alongside metrics like conversion rate and revenue per email to give you a full picture of your campaign's performance.

Advanced Metrics to Track ROI

Metric	What to Track	Why It Matters
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)	Total revenue per customer over time	Shows your campaign's long-term impact
Cost Per Conversion	Total campaign cost divided by conversions	Helps you allocate budget effectively
Revenue Per Subscriber	Total revenue divided by active subscribers	Reflects the quality of your email list
Campaign Profitability Index	Net profit divided by total sends	Highlights efficiency at scale

Tracking these metrics helps you identify areas to improve and create more profitable campaigns.

Automated ROI Tracking Tools

Platforms like UltraLabs offer built-in ROI tracking for Shopify users, making it easier to make data-driven decisions for your email campaigns.

Ways to Improve Email ROI

Here are some proven methods to boost your email marketing results:

List Segmentation: Group your audience based on behavior or engagement to send more targeted messages.
Automation: Set up workflows for cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups, re-engagement, and more.
A/B Testing: Experiment with subject lines, send times, content, and CTAs to see what drives better results.

Tools for Monitoring ROI

To get real-time insights and refine your ROI, consider using these tools:

Google Analytics for tracking website conversions
Email platform analytics to monitor engagement
CRM systems for mapping the customer journey
E-commerce platform data to attribute purchases

With the right tools and strategies, you can maximize the profitability of your email campaigns.

Conclusion

Keeping an eye on these 10 metrics helps you understand how well your behavioral email campaigns are working. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates give you the tools to tweak your strategies and improve both performance and ROI.

Each metric plays a role in painting a full picture of your campaign's success. For instance, open rates show how many people are initially interested, while conversion rates and revenue per email reveal the real impact on your bottom line. At the same time, comparing unsubscribe rates with list growth ensures you're building a strong, engaged audience. Together, these insights help you adjust and improve every part of your campaign.

Think of these metrics as a guide for improving your email marketing efforts. If you're looking to take things up a notch with advanced automation, working with experts in the field can fast-track your progress.

Here’s how to make the most of these insights:

Track Trends: Look at metrics over time to spot patterns and new opportunities.
Take Action: Use what you learn to fine-tune your targeting, timing, and content.
Experiment and Improve: Test different strategies to see what works best.
Align with Goals: Make sure your email metrics support your overall business objectives.