After they click, where do they go? Clickthroughs are wasted if, after clicking, recipients don’t know what to do next.

Define a conversion funnel for your email clickers and watch where clickers drop off. You may use your email marketing software and/or web analytics to monitor funnel navigation.

Funnel navigation issues may be a result of poor web design or may be due to unmet expectations established in the email campaign.

For instance, if the email promotion was free shipping for purchases over $100, you may see more dropouts on the shipping page if the campaign minimized the conditions for the offer. Potential buyers who missed the fine print may balk later and may even believe the offer was a bait and switch.

Why is this important? Failure to convert in this case may not only mean a lost sale, but also lost trust.

Next: Conversions