As marketing channels go, email’s return on investment (ROI) is in a league of its own—and it’s not slowing down. In a 2024 study, over half of marketers saw their email ROI double. That’s proof that few other channels can match its staying power for real results.

After tracking and measuring email performance across countless campaigns, I've learned what truly moves the needle on profitability. It often comes down to having the right data—and knowing exactly what to do with it.

That’s why I rely on beehiiv. The platform helps you master email marketing. It makes tracking and optimization simple, guiding you toward better results and stronger overall ROI.

Let's dive into how you can achieve the same.

It’s easy to mix up the email marketing return on investment with vanity metrics, but email marketing ROI isn’t about people opening emails or clicking links. It’s about the actual profit you make compared to what you spent on your campaign.

Think of ROI as the ultimate reality check for your marketing budget. Attention feels good, but it doesn't pay the bills. ROI shows if your emails are generating real results or just noise.

That’s why email marketing ROI statistics are crucial for any brand looking to grow. Knowing your ROI lets you stop guessing and start planning with confidence.

You’ll see which campaigns are worth repeating, which should be scrapped, and how your work translates into cold hard cash. Turn your email list from a basic communication tool into a reliable profit machine.

When I want to know if my emails are effective, I check out their ROI.

Stuck on the math? An email marketing ROI calculator can save you time by crunching the numbers and helping you evaluate your campaigns.

Here’s the basic formula: (Email Marketing Revenue - Email Marketing Cost) / Email Marketing Cost x 100 = ROI %.

Imagine that between platform fees and the time spent writing and designing, I spend $100 on a campaign.

If that campaign brings in $500 in direct sales, here’s the math: ($500 Revenue - $100 Cost) / $100 Cost x 100 = 400% ROI. In other words, every dollar spent brought back four.

However, it isn’t always just about direct product sales. I also count returns from paid newsletter subscriptions or ad revenue from increased site traffic. Those go into the “Revenue” bucket, too.

Indirect returns can complicate the math for even professional marketers. 

Only 25% of companies say they’re measuring their email ROI well, and less than 13% feel like they’re doing a “good” or “great” job analyzing their results. That means a lot of teams are missing out on insights that lead to more profit.

Here’s what really matters: every uptick in your email conversion rate pushes your ROI higher. More conversions — whether that’s purchases, new sign-ups, or downloads — mean you make more without spending extra.

When you focus on measuring and actually improving your email conversion rate, you’re building a stronger and more profitable campaign.

Remember: open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversions are all important, but only conversions truly move the ROI needle. 

Lots of clicks? That’s great, unless they don't lead to action. Not many unsubscribes? That’s helpful, too — it means your list is healthy for the next campaign.

Finally, getting your ROI right comes down to attribution. If someone clicks your email but ends up purchasing after seeing a social media ad, which gets credit?

A good tracking system is essential if you want the full story behind your email marketing results.

Email’s profitability becomes truly striking when you put it into perspective, comparing it to other channels. 

Optimized pay-per-click (PPC) ads usually return $2 for every $1 spent. That’s a solid 200% ROI. 

For social media, the average ROI depends on the platform and niche. It ranges from 40% to 300%.

But in email marketing, the average ROI across all industries is around 3600%. You can gain $36 back for every dollar you invest. 

Results aren’t one-size-fits-all. They change based on your industry, audience, skill, and campaign type.

Benchmarking by industry helps you set realistic goals and spot areas where you can improve.

In the business-to-business (B2B) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) world, email marketing is all about building trust and staying relevant. 

Typical SaaS or tech emails land open rates around 23-30%, with click-through rates sitting between 3-4%.

Since B2B sales cycles can stretch out, ROI is usually fueled by nurturing leads over time rather than instant wins. Successful brands share highly useful, educational content that tackles their readers’ pain points. 

ROI tends to be a little higher than average — between $36 - $42 per dollar spent.

For online stores, email marketing isn’t just helpful—it’s often the main revenue driver. E-commerce brands pull in a typical ROI of 45:1, beating the industry average by a mile.

The path to purchase is short here. Flash sales, abandoned cart nudges, and tailored product picks can lead to quick wins.

Retail emails have open rates that hover around 25%, but high conversion rates. Shoppers are already primed to buy.

In this sector, segmentation and timing are everything. Drop the right offer at just the right moment.

Media and entertainment brands average a 32:1 ROI, though the model is a bit unique.

Here, companies and newsletter-first businesses live and die by engagement. Most of the revenue comes from ad sponsorships, premium subscriptions, or strong affiliate ties.

Unlike E-commerce, where a fast sale is the goal, media newsletters focus on building habits and boosting retention. 

If you have a loyal subscriber base that opens everything you send, that’s gold to advertisers and a major revenue booster.

Boosting ROI means using the right tools to make smarter decisions. 

I moved to beehiiv for its built-in analytics and monetization tools, which gave me a much clearer path to profitability. There’s no need for a pile of third-party apps. The platform simplifies everything.

Here are the beehiiv features that made the biggest impact on my bottom line.

One of the most powerful features is beehiiv’s native conversion tracking. It connects the dots between who opened an email, who clicked a link, and who ultimately converted to a paid subscription.

The guesswork is removed. I can see exactly which free posts are most effective at driving upgrades, ad revenue, and sales. That clarity lets me double down on what works.

Engagement and growth metrics are also clear. Focus your energy where it will do the most good.

For example, while list size matters, it isn’t everything. Brands with under 500,000 subscribers see about a 33:1 ROI, while those with more than 500,000 can reach 42:1. Go too big — over 5 million — and you’ll notice diminishing returns.

It’s not about having the biggest list, but the most engaged one.

Sending the same message to everyone is a recipe for low engagement. I use beehiiv’s segmentation tools to group my audience based on behavior, like which links they’ve clicked or how long they’ve been a subscriber.

Segmented emails get about 30% more opens and 50% higher click-through rates than those sent to a broad list.

You can even personalize content to each recipient. 

Brands that “often or always” use dynamic content, which changes based on user data, see an average ROI of 43:1, compared to just 12:1 for those who rarely update content. 

Make purchases and upgrades feel like the natural next step in the relationship with perfectly pitched emails.

If you send out emails too often, you risk burnout and unsubscribes. If yo don’t send them out often enough, you lose momentum.

While the designated ROI sweet spot — sending 9 to 16 emails per month — nets an average ROI of 46:1, every brand is different, with a unique optimum frequency and timing.

beehiiv A/B testing and analytics let you fine-tune your rhythm for strong, sustainable engagement. The platform's analytics show me how different cadences affect open rates, clicks, unsubscribe numbers, and revenue.

Profitability can also come from opening new revenue streams. beehiiv's monetization tools, like Boosts and the Ad Network, have been fantastic for this.

Boosts let me get paid by other newsletters for recommending them to my audience. The Ad Network places relevant, high-quality sponsors in my emails automatically.

These features create incremental revenue that adds to my piggy bank with minimal effort.

The world of email marketing keeps evolving. The current trend is toward genuine relationships and meaningful engagement. Success relies on personalization, deliverability, and smart use of first-party data.

These elements contribute to your ROI, and, in turn, your ROI signals which tactics work best for your brand.

Platforms like beehiiv make mastering every step much simpler. They provide tools to earn money, track revenue, and execute intelligent campaigns.

Ready to see how a powerful platform can boost your email marketing ROI? Sign up for a free trial of beehiiv today and start building more profitable connections with your audience.

Why Trust Me

I’m a seasoned email marketer with a history of driving profitable campaigns and tons of familiarity with the beehiiv platform. I also regularly research and write on the hottest industry trends and best practices.

Yes, email marketing usually involves costs for tools and resources. However, it's much more cost-effective than most other marketing channels, delivering strong results with a lower investment.

Email marketing offers one of the highest returns on investment of any marketing channel. While figures vary by industry, studies often show an average ROI of around 36:1. This means for every dollar you spend on your email efforts, you can expect to get back $36.

Calculating your email marketing ROI is straightforward. First, determine the total revenue generated from an email campaign. Then, subtract the cost of that campaign. Finally, divide the net profit by the campaign cost and multiply by 100 to get your ROI percentage.

(Net Profit / Campaign Cost) x 100 = ROI %

Yes, email newsletters can be very profitable. They build a direct line of communication with your audience. This relationship can lead to increased sales, customer loyalty, and opportunities for monetization through ads or premium content.