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Email Campaign ROI: All You Need to Know

Beefree team
Beefree team
Oct 14, 2020
Email Campaign ROI: All You Need to Know
Email Campaign ROI: All You Need to Know

You can only improve what you can measure. That’s why analytics play such an integral role in digital marketing. And that’s why, in order to be effective, you need to consider data such as your email campaign ROI (return on investment).But what actually is ROI? Which metrics should you consider? And what do you do with your ROI once you have it? Today we’re going to break down all of these questions, diving into how you can improve your email campaign ROI and just why it’s so important.

You can only improve what you can measure. That’s why you need to consider data such as your email campaign ROI.

What is email ROI?

ROI stands for “return on investment.” It’s a metric you can use to calculate how effective a certain investment — such as an email campaign — has been. Tracking your ROI can help you figure out what's working and ultimately improve your impact.To calculate your email campaign ROI, subtract the money you earned from the money you spent. Then divide your result by the amount of money you spent and express your final answer as a percentage. Here’s what ROI looks like in formula form:

(Money gained - money spent) / Money spent x 100 = ROI (as a percentage)

If you don’t want to do the work yourself, you can also use a free online email ROI calculator to get a detailed response in seconds. Sleeknote’s ROI calculator walks you through each metric that’s required to provide a detailed breakdown of your basic ROI. (You can also track ROI by looking at more specific metrics — we’ll get to that in a minute.)

email ROI calculator

Why is email ROI important?

If you want to succeed with email marketing, you can’t overlook your ROI. Calculating the return on investment of an email campaign is essential because it helps you identify changes you can make to earn more revenue.It’s also important to know that email marketing generally produces a very high ROI. Statistics show that when it comes to ROI, email marketing far surpasses the ROI of other channels such as keyword ads or SEO. Businesses earn an average of $40 for every one dollar spent on email marketing! This is because millions of people around the world use email every day.When you know your email campaign ROI, you’re able to make informed decisions for future email campaigns. And that will result in greater brand awareness and more revenue.Here are a few specific email campaign metrics you can track to see how successful you’ve been in various marketing goals.

Email metrics to track

Brand awareness

Measuring brand awareness can be tricky. It's difficult to track because it’s not a hard-and-fast metric — it’s more ambiguous. We suggest measuring brand awareness in one of two ways: by looking at website traffic or link building. We’ll talk about website traffic next, but for now let’s focus on link building.For this email marketing measurement metric, use Google Analytics to track where your external links are coming from. Then you can measure how many of those links are coming from people on your email list. Link building ROI is a good way to get a feel for where your brand awareness is and how you can help it improve.

Website traffic

Website traffic is an important metric to track for email ROI in 2020. After all, your website is where all the important things happen — like customers clicking “purchase!” Your ESP can most likely help you track what percentage of your website traffic comes from your email campaigns. Boost your web traffic by creating strong CTAs.

Open rate

To find your open rate (the percentage of your total subscribers that opened an email from you), use the following formula:

(Number of emails opened / number of emails sent) x 100 = Open rate (as a percentage)

What’s a “good” email open rate? The answer to that question will vary by industry, audience and other factors. Tracking your open rate over time can help you figure out a good open rate for you. Help your open rate improve by writing snazzy subject lines that entice your readers to click.

email subject lines to improve open rate

Click-through rate

Your click-through rate is the percentage of people who clicked on a link in your email. Here’s how to find it:

(Number of total people who clicked / number of delivered emails) x 100 = CTR (as a percentage)

Your total click-through rate refers to the number of total clicks that a given email receives. Unique click-through rate tells you the number of unique clicks — if the same person opens the same link twice, only one of those clicks will count.Boost your click-through rate by personalizing emails and making sure they’re mobile-friendly, like this message from Skillshare:.Subject line: Kelly, raise happy plants, illustrate patterns, and more! 

mobile friendly email

Conversion rate

Your conversion rate is the percentage of total subscribers who convert and become a customer by making a purchase through an email (or who become a lead, based on your goal). This is the formula to find conversion rate:

(Number of conversions / number of delivered emails) x 100 = Conversion rate (as a percentage)

Follow email design best practices to help your conversion rate and your ROI improve. We love this simple yet effective email from HelloFresh. It’s colorful without being too complicated and draws your eye to the CTA.Subject line: Fav fall flavors are here (hint: squash, cranberries & walnuts!)

email campaign ROI

How to use ROI

Figuring out your email marketing goals can guide you as you start tracking your ROI and help you understand what constitutes success for a certain email campaign. For instance, in this campaign from Land’s End, it looks like the company’s goal is to promote its 50% off sale. So conversion rate might be a good metric to track.Subject line: Ends tomorrow! Up to 50% off corduroys and more

improve email campaign ROI

Once you know your ROI, you’ll be able to judge how successful your email campaigns have been. Your email campaign ROI will also help you make informed decisions about future marketing strategies. When you look at how your ROI changes from one campaign to the next, you’ll be able to see what approaches are most effective. Your ROI can also prove that marketing is a valuable investment for your company and can help you invest wisely in specific types of marketing.

Wrap-up: Improve your email ROI

Create emails that convert using our responsive HTML email templates. Each template is created by a professional designer, making email design easy — and providing a boost to your email marketing ROI. Check out our template catalog to find the best message for your campaign!

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Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

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Why product reviews matter

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  • Fosters customer loyalty: Requesting and listening to feedback makes your customers feel valued and heard. It demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction, which helps you build stronger, long-term relationships. Review requests also act as re-engagement emails by starting new conversations with customers.
  • Increases sales: Social proof drives sales. According to a recent survey by Power Reviews, 90% of potential customers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. In fact, reviews have more influence over purchasing decisions than product prices. Turning product reviews into customer testimonials and encouraging reviews on third-party sites can significantly boost sales.
Image sourced from powerreviews.com
  • Builds Customer 360 insights: Customer feedback delivers insights into customer needs and sentiments, enriching Customer 360. Exactly what is Customer 360? It’s a unified, 360-degree view of customer data. It empowers you to tailor products and customer experiences to meet individual needs and preferences. 
  • Drives product improvements: Sincere customer feedback reveals what target customers like/dislike about your products. It provides key insight into their value, functionality, and usability, unlocking large-scale development opportunities.

How to create an email campaign to collect product reviews

Want to unlock the power of product reviews? Let’s explore how to create email campaigns that encourage customers to share their feedback.

Segment your audience

Like promotional emails, product review requests shouldn’t be sent to every subscriber.

If subscribers haven’t had the chance to try your product, product review requests will feel irrelevant and may trigger unsubscriptions. So, only send review email requests to customers recently trying your product.

You can do this by segmenting your email list based on where customers are in the buying cycle. Target loyal customers, recent purchasers, and first-time buyers with tailored email campaigns. This ensures that you’re sending emails to customers most likely to respond with insightful feedback.

Write a compelling email subject line

According to Superoffice, 33% of people open an email based on the subject line. 

Image sourced from superoffice.com

To get the click-through rates you want, your email subject lines should be personalized, relevant, and engaging. Here are some examples:

  • Did you love [product]? Or hate it? Let us know!
  • We value your opinion — help us improve!
  • We want YOU to help us make our product better!
  • Up for a discount? Share your feedback for 10% off! 

Learn more > Tips for writing open worthy subject lines.

Optimize for customer engagement

A successful email marketing strategy relies on customer engagement. Here are some key email elements you need to encourage interactions.

  • An attractive email design: With the right layout, color scheme, typography, and images, you ensure easy readability and promote interaction. Use these engagement-boosting email design best practices to help you create a design that boosts conversion rates.
  • Gratitude and value: Thank customers for reading the email and explaining why their feedback is so important. Also, consider including a personalized Gmail email signature with your content details to build trust and encourage customers to engage with your review request. 
  • Personalized, relevant content: Personalized email content motivates engagement. Use customer data platform (CDP) data to tailor messages to individual customers. What is a CDP? It’s a centralized platform that collects and unifies customer information, building comprehensive customer profiles. 
  • Incentives: Offering a small discount can motivate customers to leave reviews, especially first-time buyers. That said, incentives can (sometimes) generate insincere reviews, so stress the importance of honesty. 
  • A strong call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA should direct readers straight to the reviews submission page. Use clear CTAs with bold buttons and typography to make it stand out.
  • Mobile responsiveness: If your emails are slow to load or don’t display correctly on mobile devices, your bounce rate will spike. Leverage solutions that offer advanced mobile optimization features — such as Beefree— to create responsive emails every single time.

Ask specific, concise questions

Complex, drawn-out questions that are too open-ended can disengage customers. So, get straight to the point with concise, direct questions. Here are some examples:

  • What did you think of [specific product feature]?
  • How often do you use our product?
  • What are your favorite/least favorite features?
  • How likely are you to recommend this product?
  • What could we do to improve our product?

Use a mixture of closed and open-ended questions to increase your chances of receiving meaningful responses.

Make it easy to respond

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more responses you’ll receive. So, make the process as seamless and convenient as possible. One way to do this is with survey emails.

Email surveys have high response rates. They can be completed within the email with minimal effort, which is a big plus for busy customers. And, they can generate a wealth of quantitative data and metrics that are quick to analyze, leading to faster improvements. BeeFree has an extensive collection of email survey templates to suit every need.

For longer review requests, include a CTA that directly links to the review submission page. Review forms should use simple, clear language, be optimized for mobile, and have a progress bar. 

You could even provide your telephone contact details to allow customers to leave a review via telephone. It’s the preferred communication method for 55% of Baby Boomers according to Hubspot, so it’s worth considering. 

Leverage small business telephone services from Vonage to access call center capabilities like virtual receptionists and CRM integrations, streamlining processes.

Also consider directing customers to leave reviews on popular review sites, such as Google and Amazon.

Optimize email timings

If you send product review requests too early, there’s a chance your customers won’t have tried your product yet. But if you send them too late, your customer might have forgotten their experience. 

So, when’s the best time to request reviews? 

Aim to send review requests within 7-14 days post-purchase. This gives customers a chance to try the product a few times, leading to more sincere, meaningful reviews. Plan for seasonal surges such as Black Friday and incorporate them into your schedules.

Key takeaways

Do email campaigns work for gathering valuable product reviews that drive improvements, boost trust, and increase sales and loyalty? 

Absolutely — but they need to be strategic.

To generate sincere reviews and valuable data, ensure your marketing emails are personalized, engaging, and optimized for convenience. And, use email list segmentation and marketing automation to ensure they’re sent to the right customers at the right time.

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