How to Conduct an Email Marketing Audit: The Ultimate 7 Factors to Consider

Email marketing is like the avocado toast of the digital marketing world—everyone does it, but not everyone does it well. Whether you’re a Marketing Manager trying to boost engagement, an E-commerce Manager navigating campaign results, or a business owner wanting to streamline your outreach, an email marketing audit is the first step to identifying opportunities for improvement. This guide will show you how to give your email marketing strategy the glow-up it truly deserves.

And before you roll your eyes at the idea of yet another audit (ugh, right?), hear me out. A proper email marketing audit can save time, sharpen strategies, and, most importantly, do wonders for your bottom line. Here’s how to make it happen.

Why Conduct an Email Marketing Audit

Email marketing is not a “set-it-and-forget-it” strategy. Algorithms change. Audiences evolve. Even emojis fall out of style (RIP crying-laughing emoji). That’s why an email marketing audit is essential—it helps you step back, review what’s working, and fix what’s not.

Here’s what an email marketing audit can do for you:

• Better Engagement: Discover what drives opens, clicks, and reads—then double down on it.
• Stronger ROI: Identify wasted efforts and focus on strategies that convert.
• Improved Deliverability: Ensure your emails avoid the dreaded spam folder.
• Compliance Confidence: Stay aligned with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other email marketing regulations.

Think of an email marketing audit as a tune-up for your campaigns. Without it, they might run, but not as smoothly—or as successfully—as you need them to.

Related Post: Top 10 Best Email Marketing B2B Lead Generation Strategies

The Core Elements of an Email Marketing Audit

An audit might sound like a terrifying, spreadsheet-filled exercise. But breaking it into manageable sections makes it way easier (and dare I say… kinda fun?). Focus on these five areas:

1. Performance Metrics

Start your email marketing audit with the cold, hard numbers. Analyze your campaigns’ open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates.

• Target Open Rates: Aim for 20-30%—though this can vary based on your industry.
• Click-Through Rates (CTR): Anything between 2-5% is generally solid for most sectors.
• Spot Bounce Rates: A high bounce rate (above 2%) might mean it’s time to clean your email list.

2. List Health Analysis

Are your subscribers ghosting you? A healthy list equals a happy database, and keeping it in good shape is key to successful email marketing. Here’s how to check:

• Measure your list size against engagement levels (inactive subscribers don’t truly count as “healthy”). A smaller but engaged list is far more effective than a large, uninterested audience.
• Identify and remove subscribers who haven’t opened or interacted with your emails in the last 6 months. Keeping disengaged subscribers can hurt your deliverability and waste your efforts.

Pro tip: Before saying goodbye, send a re-engagement campaign. A simple email with a subject line like “Want to stick around?” or a special offer can inspire surprising results and win back some of those inactive subscribers. If they still don’t respond, it’s time to part ways and give your list a refresh!

3. Automation and Workflow Evaluation

Automated workflows are the secret sauce of email marketing, but without proper setup, it’s like putting ketchup on filet mignon. (Why would you do that?!) An effective email marketing audit can help you evaluate whether your campaigns are:

• Effective: Are users taking action, like making a purchase?
• Relevant: Is the timing aligned with audience needs and journeys?
• Accurate: Are triggers firing correctly, or are there mysterious delays?

4. Content and Design Review

Be honest—does your email marketing audit pass the visual test as well as the content test?

Check for:

• Subject Lines: Concise, intriguing, and under 50 characters. Emojis optional.
• Email Copy: Engaging, benefit-driven, and tailored to your audience.
• Call to Actions (CTAs): Clear, clickable, and compelling.

And don’t overlook visuals—make sure your design shines on both desktop and mobile. An effective email marketing audit covers it all!

5. Deliverability and Compliance Assessment

Even the world’s best email campaigns are useless if they don’t land in inboxes. This is why an email marketing audit is essential to ensure your deliverability stays on point and your hard work pays off.

• Measure Spam Complaints: Keep your spam complaint rate under 0.1%. High complaint rates can hurt your sender reputation, making email providers flag your messages as unwanted. Monitor these metrics closely during your audit to stay in the safe zone.
• Inbox Placement: Are your emails landing in Gmail’s “Promotions” tab or the spam folder? Poor placement can crush open rates and engagement. Use your email marketing audit to check your content quality, sender reputation, and authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to fix these issues.

Don’t forget to review compliance with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, or CASL regulations during your audit. Beyond avoiding hefty fines, staying compliant builds trust with your audience and ensures long-term campaign success. Trust me, damaged reputations are no fun.

What Your Email Marketing Audit Report Should Include

Your audit results shouldn’t just exist in your head—document them in a concise, actionable report. Here’s what to include:

1. Automations and Workflows

Effectiveness: Are subscribers converting?

Dig deeper into your data to measure how well your campaigns are turning subscribers into paying customers. If conversions are low, it might be time to refine your messaging or offer.

Relevance: Are workflows meeting customers at the right stage?

Ensure your workflows are aligned with where your customers are in their journey. Sending the right message at the right time is key to building trust and engagement.

Trigger Accuracy: Are the triggers firing as intended (and on time)?

Check that your automation triggers are functioning properly. Delayed or inaccurate triggers can disrupt the customer experience and cause frustration.

2. Performance Metrics

Open Rates: Is your subject line game on point?

A great subject line is key to grabbing attention and getting your audience to open your email. Experiment with length, personalization, and intriguing phrases to see what works best.

Conversion Rates: What percentage of readers take the desired action?

Whether it’s clicking a link, signing up, or making a purchase, your email should have a clear call-to-action (CTA) that guides readers and drives results.

Unsubscribe Rates: Are they high?

That’s a sign your content may not be resonating with your audience. It might be time to re-evaluate your messaging, frequency, or targeting to keep subscribers engaged.

Bounce Rates: Keep this under 2%.

Too high means it’s time for some serious list pruning. Remove invalid or outdated email addresses to maintain a healthy list and ensure your messages reach the right inboxes.

3. Email Deliverability

Spam Complaints: Keep a close eye on this metric—

Anything over 0.1% is a red flag and could indicate that your audience finds your emails irrelevant or annoying. High spam complaints can harm your sender reputation, so address this quickly by improving your content or targeting the right audience.

Inbox Placement: Track how often your emails land in the “Primary” tab instead of “Promotions” or worse, “Spam.”

A higher placement in “Primary” means better visibility and engagement. Focus on crafting valuable, engaging messages to boost inbox placement and ensure your emails actually get seen.

4. Content and Design

Subject Lines:

Short, punchy, and optimized to spark curiosity. Think intrigue with just enough information to make the reader want to open the email.

Email Copy:

Clear, engaging, and free from unnecessary jargon. Every word should serve a purpose, guiding the reader effortlessly through the message while keeping their interest.

CTAs:

Simple yet impactful. Use action-driven language or FOMO-inducing phrases to create urgency and inspire clicks without overcomplicating the ask.

5. List Segmentation

Audience Segmentation:

Are you grouping your audience effectively based on their interests, behaviors, or demographics? Proper segmentation ensures your message reaches the right people at the right time.

Personalization:

Are you using first names, tailored content, or personalized recommendations in your messaging? It’s the small details, like a customized email or product suggestion, that make a big impact and build stronger connections with your audience.

6. Compliance and Best Practices

GDPR/CAN-SPAM Compliance:

Double opt-ins are your best friend when it comes to staying compliant. They ensure that users explicitly confirm their subscription, reducing the risk of complaints and strengthening your legal protection.

Opt-in Processes:

Assess whether users fully understand what they’re subscribing to by providing clear, concise information about what they can expect. This includes details about the type of content, frequency of emails, and how their data will be used.

7. Technical Aspects

Mobile Optimization:

Over half your readers will check emails on their phones, so ensure your design is mobile-friendly. Use a responsive layout, easily readable fonts, and buttons large enough to tap without frustration.

Load Times:

Does every element load smoothly, GIFs included? Slow-loading emails can frustrate readers and lead to higher drop-off rates, so compress images and test your email across devices to guarantee a seamless experience.

Tips for Conducting a Great Email Marketing Audit

Feeling overwhelmed? Here are five tips to help you power through:

1. Use a Checklist: Keep things organized and ensure you don’t miss anything.
2. Leverage Analytics Tools: Platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or HubSpot make data collection easier.
3. Assess Competitor Strategies: What’s working for them? Noticing trends can inspire your own experiments.
4. Look at Customer Feedback: Don’t underestimate the power of your audience. Surveys = gold.
5. Be Open to A/B Testing: Testing isn’t just for science class—it’s how you’ll pinpoint what actually resonates.

Take the First Step Towards Excellence

An email marketing audit might feel like a long to-do list, but it’s also a giant leap towards higher ROI, better engagement, and greater confidence across the board. Whether it’s fixing broken automations or finally nailing that elusive perfect subject line, there’s always room for improvement.

Oh, and if you’re looking for easier ways to refine your email strategy… maybe start with us. We promise to be the “Clever Charmer” to your inbox struggles.