Reading what the platform tells you.
DELIVERED
Sent minus bounces. A falling delivery rate indicates list quality problems.
BOUNCES
Hard bounces mean the address does not exist. Remove them immediately.
Soft bounces are temporary: a full mailbox, a server issue. Repeated soft bounces over time warrant removal.
OPENS
Unreliable, as covered. Use as a rough trend.
CLICKS
The most useful engagement measure. Which links were clicked tells you what interested people.
CLICK TO OPEN RATIO
Of people who opened, how many clicked. A measure of whether the content delivered on the subject line.
UNSUBSCRIBES
A low steady rate is normal. A spike after a particular message tells you something about it.
COMPLAINTS
Should be near zero. Any rise needs investigating immediately.
WHAT TO LOOK AT FIRST
Clicks and complaints. One tells you whether it worked; the other tells you whether you are damaging yourself.
BY LINK
Most platforms show which links were clicked. That tells you what your readers actually want.
