An automated sequence is easy to forget once it is running. That is exactly why it needs regular checking. A welcome series written before last Diwali may still mention an expired offer; a deadline reminder may be going to thousands of people who unsubscribed from everything else. Statistics show you where an automation is working and where it is quietly costing you goodwill.
This page covers the metrics that matter, how to read them for an Indian audience, and what to change when a number looks wrong. We deliberately do not quote “industry average” rates: they vary so much by sector and list quality that your own baseline is a better yardstick.
The core metrics
| Metric | What it tells you | What to do if it is weak |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery and bounce rate | Whether addresses are real and your domain is trusted | Clean hard bounces; check SPF, DKIM and DMARC |
| Open rate | Rough interest in the subject line and sender name | Test subject lines; treat as a trend, not an absolute |
| Click rate | Whether the content and call to action work | Simplify to one clear button; improve relevance |
| Conversion | Whether the email leads to a sale, sign-up or payment | Check the landing page on mobile, not just the email |
| Unsubscribe rate | Whether the frequency or relevance is right | Space out steps; segment more tightly |
You can follow these figures in Mailpro’s email statistics and real-time reporting.
Reading the numbers for an Indian list
Look at devices
If most of your opens come from mobile, as is typical for Indian consumer lists, a click rate that is low on mobile but healthy on desktop points to a design problem, not a content problem. Check button size, image weight and how the landing page loads on a mid-range phone.
Compare languages
If you run parallel sequences in English and Hindi or a regional language, compare them step by step. A version that loses readers after the first email may need better translation or a different offer, not just a new subject line.
Watch seasonal swings
During Navratri and Diwali, inboxes fill with offers and engagement with automated emails often dips. Compare festive weeks with the same weeks the previous year rather than with the month before.
Treat opens with caution
Some mail apps now load images automatically, which can inflate open rates. Give more weight to clicks and conversions when you judge a sequence.
Step-level analysis
The most useful view of an automation is its funnel: how many people received step one, how many clicked, how many reached step three, and where they dropped off. If step two has half the clicks of step one, rewrite step two first. Ideas for improvement:
- Rewrite the subject using our tips on writing better subject lines.
- Replace text links with a clear call-to-action button.
- Use segmentation to split the sequence by customer type, for example first-time buyers versus repeat customers.
- Add personalised fields such as city or product category.
Unsubscribes and complaints are compliance signals too
Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, people must be able to withdraw consent easily, and you must stop processing their data for that purpose when they do. A rising unsubscribe rate in an automation is a warning that people did not expect those emails. Revisit the consent wording on your sign-up forms and make sure the sequence matches what you promised.
A monthly review routine
- Check bounces and remove invalid addresses.
- Compare each step’s click rate with last month.
- Read the content of every step for outdated dates, prices or festival references.
- Test one change per sequence (subject, offer or timing).
- Note results so the next test builds on them.
For the bigger picture of what you can automate, see automated emails in India, and for set-up help read how to send automated emails.