Email Forwarding Rate Metric Definition

Email Forwarding Rate is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the percentage of recipients who forward a given email to others. This metric helps businesses understand how engaging and shareable their email content is, indicating the level of trust and value the content holds for recipients.

Detailed Explanation

What is Email Forwarding Rate?

Email Forwarding Rate is calculated by dividing the number of email forwards by the number of emails delivered, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. A higher forwarding rate indicates that the email content is compelling and valuable enough for recipients to share with others.

How it Works?

Email Forwarding Rate provides insights into the virality and reach of an email campaign. It is an important metric for assessing how well the email content encourages recipients to share it with their network, extending the campaign’s reach beyond the initial recipient list. High forwarding rates suggest that the content is resonating well with the audience and encouraging further engagement.

Types of Forwards

1. Manual Forwards: Recipients forward the email by manually clicking the forward button in their email client.
2. Social Shares: Recipients use social share buttons embedded in the email to share the content on social media platforms.

Illustrative Scenarios

Examples

• If 1,000 emails are delivered and 10 are forwarded, the Email Forwarding Rate is (10/1,000) x 100 = 1%.
• If another campaign delivers 5,000 emails and 50 are forwarded, the Email Forwarding Rate is (50/5,000) x 100 = 1%.

Segmentation

Analyzing Email Forwarding Rate by different segments (e.g., by audience demographics, email type, or campaign) can provide deeper insights. For example, comparing forwarding rates across different audience segments can help optimize email content and design for each group.

Factors Influencing Email Forwarding Rate

1. Email Content Relevance: Relevant and valuable content is more likely to be forwarded.
2. Email Design: Visually appealing and well-structured emails can enhance forwarding rates.
3. Call-to-Action (CTA) for Sharing: Clear and compelling CTAs encouraging recipients to share the email.
4. Personalization: Personalized content that addresses the recipient’s interests can boost forwarding rates.

Strategies to Improve Email Forwarding Rate

1. Creating Valuable Content: Producing content that is interesting, informative, and worth sharing.
2. Optimizing Email Design: Designing emails that are visually appealing and easy to forward.
3. Including Clear CTAs for Sharing: Encouraging recipients to share the email with clear and compelling CTAs.
4. Personalizing Emails: Using personalization techniques to make the content more relevant to each recipient.

Email Forwarding Rate Benchmarks

Email Forwarding Rate benchmarks vary by industry and type of email campaign. For example:

• E-commerce: Typically has forwarding rates ranging from 0.1% to 0.3%.
• Technology: Forwarding rates often range from 0.2% to 0.5%.
• Finance: Forwarding rates usually range from 0.1% to 0.2%.

Comparing your Email Forwarding Rate against industry standards can help gauge performance and set realistic goals.

Tools for Measuring Email Forwarding Rate

1. Email Marketing Platforms: Tools like Mailchimp, HubSpot, and Constant Contact provide detailed forwarding rate metrics and analysis.
2. Analytics Tools: Platforms like Google Analytics can help analyze email performance and forwarding rates.
3. CRM Systems: Tools like Salesforce and Zoho CRM offer email tracking and forwarding rate data.
4. Marketing Automation Tools: Tools like Marketo and Pardot provide comprehensive email analytics and reporting.

Common Pitfalls and Mistakes

1. Ignoring Content Quality: Failing to create valuable content can result in lower forwarding rates.
2. Overlooking Email Design: Poorly designed emails can reduce the likelihood of being forwarded.
3. Neglecting CTAs for Sharing: Not including clear CTAs can lead to missed opportunities for sharing.
4. Inconsistent Personalization: Not personalizing emails can lead to lower engagement and forwarding rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Email Forwarding Rate?

Email Forwarding Rate measures the percentage of recipients who forward a given email to others. It is calculated by dividing the number of email forwards by the number of emails delivered, then multiplying by 100.

Why is Email Forwarding Rate important?

Email Forwarding Rate is important because it indicates how engaging and shareable the email content is. A higher forwarding rate suggests that recipients find the content valuable enough to share with others, extending the reach of the email campaign.

How can I improve my Email Forwarding Rate?

Improving Email Forwarding Rate can be achieved by creating valuable content, optimizing email design, including clear CTAs for sharing, and personalizing emails to make the content more relevant to each recipient.

What factors influence Email Forwarding Rate?

Factors influencing Email Forwarding Rate include email content relevance, email design, CTAs for sharing, and personalization. Addressing these factors can help increase forwarding rates.

What is a good Email Forwarding Rate?

A good Email Forwarding Rate varies by industry. E-commerce typically ranges from 0.1% to 0.3%, technology from 0.2% to 0.5%, and finance from 0.1% to 0.2%. Comparing against industry benchmarks can help set realistic goals.