LinkedIn has released new email-centric analytics for its Newsletter feature. This is an update many businesses and marketers have been asking for.
While it can be argued this information should have been included from the outset, it still fills a much-needed gap. It complements the existing newsletter metrics available on the platform.
What’s New
Two metrics have been added to the Newsletter Analytics page:
- Email Sends – Tracks how many subscribers received an email alert for a newsletter article.
- Email Open Rate – Shows the percentage of recipients who opened those email alerts.
LinkedIn notes that these numbers “are an estimate and may not be precise. ” However, they give publishers some insight into how many people see and engage with their newsletters via email.
Why It Matters
Before this launch, it was unclear how much readers relied on email versus in-app notifications to access LinkedIn Newsletters.
As a result, people questioned LinkedIn’s effectiveness for newsletter distribution. This limitation was apparent when comparing LinkedIn to dedicated newsletter services.
These fresh email stats can help publishers who use multiple channels (for instance, LinkedIn and another newsletter platform) conduct more direct comparisons.
It also offers advertisers and sponsors greater transparency into whether their branded content is landing in inboxes.
More Still Needed
Despite the progress, numerous features remain on peoples’ wish lists.
For one, LinkedIn doesn’t share subscriber email addresses with newsletter authors, restricting their ability to manage subscriber relationships or move them into broader email marketing systems.
Some have proposed an opt-in option allowing subscribers to volunteer their email information, but LinkedIn doesn’t have any plans to introduce such a feature.
LinkedIn’s newly added email data points mark a step in the right direction.
