How do I check whether a newsletter’s readers actually click its links?

Request issue-level data for a long stretch: sends, clicks, unique clickers and the specific links clicked. Opens can be inflated by privacy features and by software that preloads messages, so clicks are the better signal. Be wary of clicks within seconds of sending, since filters can open every link.

Segment the data. Do the same readers click week after week, or is each issue carried by a different group? Compare clicks on sponsor links, affiliate links and the writer’s own links. If the newsletter earns income from clicks, ask for the reports from the partners, and compare them with the newsletter’s own numbers.

Last, consider the list itself. How was it built, how often is it cleaned, and how many subscribers are inactive? Ask about the email platform account and who owns it. Your lawyer can advise on whether the subscribers’ consent allows the list to transfer. Ask to be added to the list, anonymously if you can, so you can read the real issues and links as a reader would. Check also whether links lead to pages the owner controls, since a buyer inherits those destinations along with the list.

Key takeaways

• Ask for click data by issue and link rather than relying on open rates.
• Look for the same readers clicking repeatedly, and discount instant automated clicks.
• Confirm sponsor results with partners and check whether subscriber consent allows a transfer.
• Check who controls the pages that links lead to.