Definition of Analytics
Analytics for email marketing is the collection, measurement, and analysis of subscriber data to understand performance and behavior. It's your newsletter's report card. It shows you what happened, helps you to discover why, and informs you about what to try next.
Why you should care
Analytics helps you make decisions based on evidence, not hunches. You can see what content resonates with your audience.
It can assist to identify things like:
- Ideal send times
- Subject line lengths
- Which subscriber segments bring the most value
The biggest struggle? Cutting through data overload to find what matters.
Too many creators chase vanity metrics. They miss actionable insights. A good analytics approach links metrics to real goals. It connects data to revenue, reader satisfaction, and content strategy. This turns numbers into clear next steps for both you and your readers.
Need data beyond your ESP analytics suite?
We can help set up first-party systems that'll gather your data from all distribution channels in one place. Better data, single source, faster decisions.
Some resources we rely on
Ask Claude for help with Analytics
Copy and paste this prompt into Claude or the AI of your choice. Be sure to tweak the context for your situation.
<goal>
Help me create a Google Sheet analytics tracker that turns my ESP data into actionable insights about what's working in my newsletter.
</goal>
<context>
* Already have access to basic metrics from my ESP
* Need to discover patterns in content performance
* Want to test elements like subject lines, send times, and topics
* Looking to make data-driven decisions for future content
</context>
<output>
Please provide:
* A Google Sheet template structure for tracking ESP metrics alongside content variables
* Columns to track: content topics, subject line length, send time, day of week, etc.
* 3 calculated fields that reveal patterns across multiple sends
* Simple visualization suggestions to spot high-performing combinations
</output>
<example>
Pattern analysis: Subject line length impact
- What to track: Character count in subject lines alongside click rates
- How to analyze: Group by length ranges (0-30, 31-50, 51+) and compare average performance
- Visualization: Simple bar chart showing engagement by subject line length category
</example>
<guardrails>
* Keep the sheet simple enough to update in under 15 minutes
* Design for at least 6 months of weekly data
* Include conditional formatting to highlight outlier performances
* Make sure insights directly connect to newsletter content decisions
</guardrails>