You’ve just put the finishing touches on the latest issue of your e-newsletter. It’s got a ton of meaty stories, eye-catching graphics and snappy headlines. You hit the send button and you know that your audience is going to read every line.
But how do you know?
Ask any newspaper or magazine rep about their circulation and you’ll get a nice packet of information that includes key statistics, such as their subscription rates and readership demographics. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a packet of information like that for your e-newsletter the next time you have to present to the executive team?
Stop groaning. Measurement doesn’t have to be a long, complicated project. In fact, you may already have some key metrics–like email opens or clicks—available. There are others that can be easily collected.
Below are just a few quick ways you can arm yourself with knowledge and learn how your e-newsletter measures up:
Assessing your e-newsletter
| What you’d like to know | How to measure |
| Which articles are the most popular? | Examine email opens and click-through rates |
| What do employees have to say about this article? | Include “like” buttons and a comment box to encourage real-time feedback |
| Are the articles the right length? | Use external research to create article standards (word-count, reading grade level and sub-heads) |
| Do employees find the articles interesting? | Create a short electronic survey |
| Why do employees like certain articles best? | Conduct focus groups to determine preferences and ways to make improvements |
