Click rate measures the total number of clicks on links within an email as a percentage of delivered emails. Unlike click-through rate (CTR), which counts only unique clicks, click rate includes all clicks, meaning one recipient clicking multiple times increases the count. This metric helps marketers understand overall engagement intensity and link effectiveness.
Click rate reveals how compelling your email content is at driving action. High click rates indicate that recipients find your content valuable enough to engage with it repeatedly. This metric is particularly useful for measuring the effectiveness of individual links, tracking user interest intensity, and identifying which CTAs generate the most engagement. While CTR shows reach, click rate shows depth of engagement.
Click rate is calculated using the formula: (Total Clicks / Emails Delivered) x 100. For example, if you send 10,000 emails and receive 500 total clicks, your click rate is 5%. Note that this differs from CTR, which uses unique clicks. A recipient who clicks the same link three times counts as three clicks in click rate but only one in CTR. Some platforms also report click rate per link, helping identify which content drives the most engagement.
Click rate counts all clicks including multiple clicks from the same recipient, while click-through rate (CTR) counts only unique clicks. If one person clicks a link five times, click rate counts five clicks, but CTR counts one. Click rate measures engagement intensity, while CTR measures reach.
A good click rate varies by industry, but 2-5% is generally considered acceptable. Highly targeted campaigns can achieve 10% or higher. Focus on improving your own baseline metrics rather than industry averages, as engagement depends heavily on your audience and content type.
A high click rate relative to CTR indicates that recipients are clicking multiple times, which often means your content is compelling enough for repeat engagement, or that your links lead to valuable resources people want to revisit. This can also occur with complex products where recipients explore multiple links.
Both metrics serve different purposes. CTR is better for measuring campaign reach and unique engagement. Click rate is better for understanding total engagement and link effectiveness. For conversion-focused campaigns, CTR is typically more relevant. For content engagement, click rate provides additional insights.
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