I just sent a campaign for MailChimp yesterday, and checked my stats. Here’s my personal stat-checking routine:

1. Check for abuse complaints. My list is double opt-in, and I never import anybody, so complaints should be virtually zero. I got no complaints. Hooray!
2. Check the feel-good stuff, like open rates and click rates. I rarely send emails to this list (don’t want to bug them) so I typically get between a 40%-50% open rate. Yep, 41% so far.
3. Look at what URLs people clicked on. I like to see what my audience is most interested in. It’s usually techie/how-to stuff.
4. Check bounces.

Bounces are where a lot of people get confused, because there are different types of bounces, and different ways you should treat them. But they also reveal a lot about your list, and can be like that canary in the coal mine, telling you “something’s wrong and you better act soon.”

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