Better Results with Data-Driven Email Campaigns

Learning Objectives

• Understand how to track the performance of email campaigns using Squarespace
• Learn how to interpret Squarespace email campaign analytics effectively
• Identify optimal scheduling times and messaging improvements for future campaigns

Introduction

This chapter shows you how to use data to improve your email campaigns on Squarespace. You'll learn to interpret the key metrics that matter and use those insights to create more effective campaigns. By the end of this chapter, you'll know exactly what to look for in your analytics and how to act on what you find.

Lessons

Tracking Email Campaign Performance

First, you need to know where to find your campaign data and what it means.

Step 1: Log into your Squarespace account and go to Marketing > Email Campaigns.

Step 2: Click on any sent campaign to view its performance data.

Step 3: Review these key metrics:

• Open rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email
• Click-through rate: The percentage who clicked a link in your email
• Bounce rate: The percentage of emails that couldn't be delivered
• Unsubscribe rate: The percentage who opted out after this email

Your open rate shows how compelling your subject line was. Your click-through rate reveals how engaging your content was. If your bounce rate is high, your email list needs cleaning up.

Finding Your Optimal Send Times

When you send matters as much as what you send. Here's how to find your best times.

Step 1: Send the same type of email at different times over several weeks.

Step 2: Try these time slots:

• Tuesday to Thursday, 10am-11am
• Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm-3pm
• Saturday mornings around 10am

Step 3: Compare the open rates and click-through rates for each time slot.

Step 4: Note which day and time combination gives you the highest engagement.

Most audiences respond best to mid-week sends, but your audience might be different. Test to find out.

Improving Your Content with A/B Testing

A/B testing helps you understand what works best for your audience.

Step 1: When creating a campaign, look for the A/B test option in your campaign settings.

Step 2: Choose one element to test:

• Subject line
• Sender name
• Email design
• Call-to-action button text

Step 3: Create two versions that differ only in your chosen element.

Step 4: Send to a small portion of your list first, then send the winning version to the rest.

Step 5: Wait at least 4 hours before deciding which version won.

Change only one thing at a time. If you change both the subject line and the design, you won't know which change caused the difference in performance.

Reading Your Analytics Reports

Your campaign reports tell a story about your audience's preferences.

Step 1: Look at your open rates over time. Are they improving, staying steady, or declining?

Step 2: Check your click-through rates. Low rates might mean your content isn't relevant or your calls-to-action aren't clear.

Step 3: Review your unsubscribe rates. A sudden spike might indicate you're sending too often or your content has changed in a way your audience doesn't like.

Step 4: Use the heat map feature to see which parts of your email get the most clicks.

Good benchmarks to aim for:

• Open rate: 20-25%
• Click-through rate: 2-5%
• Unsubscribe rate: Under 1%

Practice

Set up an A/B test for your next email campaign. Pick one element to test – your subject line is usually the best place to start. Create two versions and send them to see which performs better. Record the results and use the winning approach for your next campaign.

FAQs

How do I access analytics for my Squarespace email campaigns?
Go to Marketing > Email Campaigns in your Squarespace dashboard. Click on any sent campaign to see its performance data.

What's a good open rate for email campaigns?
Most industries see open rates between 15-25%. Anything above 25% is excellent. Focus on improving your subject lines if your open rates are below 15%.

How long should I wait before checking my campaign results?
Wait at least 24 hours for basic metrics, but give it 48-72 hours for more complete data. Most people check email within this timeframe.

Can I see which specific subscribers opened my emails?
Squarespace shows you aggregate data but doesn't reveal individual subscriber actions due to privacy regulations.

How often should I review my email analytics?
Check your analytics after each campaign, then do a deeper review monthly to spot trends and plan improvements.

Jargon Buster

Analytics: Data about how your email campaigns performed, including opens, clicks, and other engagement metrics.

Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email out of all emails successfully delivered.

Click-Through Rate: The percentage of recipients who clicked at least one link in your email.

Bounce Rate: The percentage of emails that couldn't be delivered, usually due to invalid email addresses.

A/B Testing: Sending two slightly different versions of an email to see which one performs better.

Segmentation: Dividing your email list into smaller groups based on subscriber characteristics or behaviour.

Wrap-up

You now know how to track your email campaign performance and use that data to improve your results. Start with the basics – check your open rates and click-through rates after each campaign. Then experiment with send times and A/B test your subject lines. Small improvements in these areas can lead to significantly better engagement over time.

Ready to take your email campaigns to the next level? Join our membership for more advanced strategies and hands-on support: https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership