Question

Topic: Research/Metrics

Benchmark Studies For Email, Enewsletter, Webinars

Posted by mneumeier on 1/21/2018 at 1:23 PM ET 250 Points
I'd love to see if there are any recent benchmark reports for tactics like email marketing, enewsletters and webinars specific to B2B companies that will help create some projected success metrics for campaigns.
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  • Posted by joy.levin on 1/21/2018 at 1:56 PM Accepted
    Here are a few resources to look into that typically have good benchmarking reports:

    https://www.emarketer.com/
    https://www.marketingsherpa.com/
    And of course, MarketingProfs.

    You will want to not only look for usage, but effectiveness rates as well. For example, you might find a certain click-through rate is standard, but you will want to look deeper for conversion statistics.

    However, it is important to keep in mind that every situation is unique, even within the B2B world. The benchmarks that are usually most helpful to marketers are their own; to launch some campaigns with testing and observe your own benchmarks. This strategy will yield much more realistic goals for your business and will provide lessons that will support the unique aspects of your industry and marketing situation.

    Good luck!
  • Posted by mneumeier on 1/21/2018 at 2:07 PM Author
    Thanks Joy!
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 1/21/2018 at 3:07 PM Accepted
    They vary by email system. Yo might want to start here:

    https://www.smartinsights.com/email-marketing/email-communications-strategy...

    https://www.marketo.com/analyst-and-other-reports/2017-marketing-benchmark-...

    https://www.skidmore.edu/webhelp/informz/2017_Association_Email_Marketing_B...
  • Posted by dubois on 1/21/2018 at 4:15 PM Member
    What Joy said and a caveat that you can expect surveys of self reported performance statistics to be on the high side. Not that marketing people brag. :-) The mail services are a good reference, e.g. Constant Contact tracks opens and CTRs by industry.
  • Posted by dubois on 1/21/2018 at 4:15 PM Member
    What Joy said and a caveat that you can expect surveys of self reported performance statistics to be on the high side. Not that marketing people brag. :-) The mail services are a good reference, e.g. Constant Contact tracks opens and CTRs by industry.
  • Posted by mneumeier on 1/21/2018 at 4:27 PM Author
    Thanks all good stuff...
  • Posted by mgoodman on 1/22/2018 at 11:34 AM Moderator
    I don't understand what possible use benchmark studies can have. There are so many factors that can impact a decision, or the true effectiveness of a marketing campaign. Not all campaigns have the same goals, and the creative elements can vary a lot more than the vehicles. How would you interpret the results ... even if the studies were reliable?

    As Joy suggests, some marketers want high click-through rates, while others care only about conversions. How would you evaluate success?
  • Posted by dubois on 1/23/2018 at 11:38 PM Accepted
    Good question, Michael! If a benchmark study has enough participants to reduce the effect of extraneous variables, e.g., season, copy quality, list hygiene, etc., would that make it more useful?

    For example, GoToWebinar published a nice report based on data from 300,000 webinars from one year. That feels to me like it scrubs most of the deviation, especially since the results weren't self-reported. Clint McLaughlin can dissect one email or twenty, it's interesting but not enough data points for statistical validity IMO.

    Studies measure specific metrics. If they don't include benchmarks for the KPIs that a given client manages for, then I agree, that study isn't of much use to you. That webinar study reported on attendance, but not on close rates. CC compares your opens and CTR to broad industry averages. It's all in how the client measures value.

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