Email remains one of the most direct and cost-effective marketing channels available to small and mid-sized businesses. Yet too often, email performance is evaluated solely by open rates or general impressions. HubSpot provides detailed engagement metrics that, if reviewed consistently, can guide meaningful adjustments and drive stronger results.
The first area to examine is open rate. This metric reflects how many recipients opened your message relative to how many received it. A low open rate typically signals subject line fatigue or poor timing. Use A/B testing within HubSpot to trial alternative subject lines. Avoid vague or promotional phrasing. Instead, use specific language that communicates value or relevance to the recipient’s role or needs.
Next, review click-through rate (CTR). This measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on at least one link in your email. Low CTR often indicates a disconnect between the email’s content and the reader’s expectations. Revisit your layout, call-to-action placement, and link clarity. Ensure that your emails are scannable, with clear benefits in the first few lines.
Pay particular attention to bounce rate and unsubscribe rate. High bounce rates suggest outdated or low-quality lists, while rising unsubscribe rates point to frequency fatigue or irrelevant messaging. Segment your contact lists to ensure more accurate targeting. Use HubSpot’s list tools to create subsets based on lifecycle stage, industry, or engagement history.
HubSpot’s engagement over time graph helps you understand when your audience tends to interact with your emails. Adjust send times based on those insights, ideally aligning with business hours in the recipient’s time zone. You can schedule campaigns directly within the HubSpot email tool to reflect these findings.
Finally, set up a recurring monthly review of email performance reports. Track key metrics over time, rather than campaign-by-campaign, to spot emerging trends. Establish benchmarks for open and click rates specific to your audience segment. When you identify underperforming patterns, revise your content strategy or design accordingly.
Summary Tip: Use HubSpot’s detailed email metrics to refine your subject lines, content, and timing for sustained engagement.