Overview

After sending a newsletter, Simpplr tracks how recipients engage with it who opened it, what they clicked, and how long they spent reading. This article walks you through how to access and use the analytics and heatmap for any sent newsletter.

Before you begin

• You must have newsletter manager permissions or be an App manager.

• Analytics are only available for newsletters that have been sent (not drafts or scheduled newsletters).

Step 1 – Open a sent newsletter

1. Go to your User menu (avatar/profile icon) and select Newsletter.

2. On the newsletter listing page, locate the newsletter you want to review.

3. Click on the newsletter name to open it.

Step 2 – View the analytics overview

Once inside the newsletter, scroll down to the Analytics section. You will see the following metrics:

• Recipients – total number of users the newsletter was sent to.

• Open rate – percentage of recipients who opened the newsletter. Tracked as unique per user (one count per person, regardless of how many times or from how many sources they opened it).

• Click-through rate (CTR) – percentage of recipients who clicked at least one element, plus total click count.

• Opens by type – breakdown of which channel (email, SMS, in-app) was used to open the newsletter. A single user can appear in multiple channels if they opened from more than one source.

• Unique clicks by type – number of individual recipients who clicked a specific element. Each person is counted once per element.

Step 3 – Filter analytics by channel, department, or location

To narrow down your data:

1. Use the distribution channel filter to view metrics for email, SMS, Microsoft Teams, or Slack separately.

2. Use the department and location filters to see how specific groups engaged with the newsletter.

Step 4 – Switch to the heatmap view

The heatmap overlays click data directly onto the newsletter layout, so you can see exactly which blocks and links received the most engagement.

1. From the analytics view, click the Heatmap tab.

2. The newsletter is displayed with click percentages shown against each link and element.

3. You can click any URL/web link in the heatmap to navigate directly to that link.

Tip: the heatmap works for newsletters sent in the past as well you can go back and analyse older sends.

Step 5 – Download a CSV report

To export raw data:

1. In the analytics view, look for the Download CSV option.

2. The CSV contains metrics on opens and bounces.

3. Bounces indicate emails that were not successfully delivered common causes include invalid email addresses, full inboxes, or server outages.

Things to keep in mind

• Test newsletters sent using the proper test flow do not affect your analytics. If a test was sent as a production newsletter, those recipients and their activity will count toward your metrics.

• Up to 1% variance may exist between the Analytics/Heatmap tabs and the CSV download or Activity Dashboard, due to the analytics rendering engine.

• Historical user data: Employee Newsletter analytics use the user's profile data at the time the event occurred. If a user changed departments after receiving the newsletter, they will still appear under their original department in the analytics.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I view analytics for a newsletter that's still a draft or scheduled?

Ans: No. Analytics are only available once a newsletter has actually been sent.

Q: If someone opens my newsletter three times from the same device, does that count as three opens?

Ans: No. Open rate is tracked as unique per user, so each recipient is only counted once regardless of how many times or from how many sources they opened it.

Q: What's the difference between the analytics overview and the heatmap view?

Ans: The analytics overview shows summary metrics like open rate, CTR, and opens by type. The heatmap overlays click data directly onto the newsletter layout, showing exactly which blocks and links received the most engagement.

Q: Can I still view the heatmap for a newsletter I sent months ago?

Ans: Yes. The heatmap works for past sends as well, so you can go back and analyse older newsletters at any time.

Q: What does a "bounce" mean in the CSV report?

Ans: A bounce indicates an email that wasn't successfully delivered. Common causes include invalid email addresses, full inboxes, or server outages.

Q: Will sending a test email affect my newsletter's analytics?

Ans: Not if it was sent using the proper test flow. However, if a test was mistakenly sent as a production newsletter, those recipients and their activity will count toward your metrics.

Q: Why do the numbers in the CSV download not exactly match the Analytics or Heatmap tabs?

Ans: A variance of up to 1% can occur between the Analytics/Heatmap tabs and the CSV download or Activity Dashboard, due to how the analytics rendering engine processes data.

Q: If an employee changes departments after receiving a newsletter, will the analytics update to reflect their new department?

Ans: No. Analytics use the user's profile data at the time the event occurred, so the recipient will continue to appear under their original department even after a change.

Q: Who can access newsletter analytics?

Ans: You need either newsletter manager permissions or App manager access to view analytics and heatmap data.