LinkedIn’s New Newsletter Metrics: How Email Sends and Open Rates Can Improve Your Strategy

LinkedIn has been busy evolving its content features over the past few years. From live video to native articles, and now newsletters, it’s clear the platform is betting big on content creators and brands who want to build deeper, long-term relationships with their audience. But with the introduction of new metrics—especially email sends and open rates—LinkedIn has added a powerful dimension to newsletter analytics. If you’ve been publishing without a clear sense of how your audience is engaging, that’s about to change.

Let’s break down what these new metrics mean, why they matter, and how you can use them to sharpen your LinkedIn newsletter strategy.

What Are LinkedIn’s New Newsletter Metrics?

Up until recently, LinkedIn’s newsletter analytics were pretty limited. You’d see basic stats like impressions, subscribers, and reactions. But now, two new metrics have entered the chat:

• Email Sends: This tells you how many subscribers received your newsletter via email.
• Open Rate: This shows the percentage of recipients who actually opened your newsletter email.

These additions might sound basic (especially if you’re used to platforms like Mailchimp or HubSpot), but for LinkedIn, it’s a game changer. Why? Because newsletters on LinkedIn aren’t just in-app content—they’re also delivered directly to inboxes.

And now you can actually measure that performance.

Why These Metrics Matter More Than You Think

Email marketing has always been about tracking performance: open rates, click-throughs, bounces—you name it. With LinkedIn entering the arena, it’s essentially giving creators a hybrid platform: social + email. And these new metrics give you a clearer window into your newsletter’s reach and resonance.

Here’s why they matter:

1. You Can Track Real Engagement Beyond the Feed

Not everyone scrolls their LinkedIn feed religiously. But emails? That’s personal. Seeing how many people are opening your newsletter via email tells you whether your headline and content are compelling enough for a second glance.

2. Better Subject Line Testing

Your newsletter headline is now doing double duty as a subject line. If your open rates are tanking, that’s a hint: your title isn’t hitting. With this data, you can start A/B testing headlines and get a read on what works.

3. Spot Audience Fatigue Early

If your open rates start to drop over time, it could be a sign that your content isn’t staying fresh or relevant. Use that dip as a signal to rework your strategy before engagement completely flatlines.

How to Use These Metrics to Improve Your Strategy

Okay, so you’ve got the metrics—now what? Here are some smart, tactical ways to use email sends and open rates to fine-tune your newsletter strategy.

1. Optimize Your Publishing Schedule

Pay attention to when you’re getting the highest open rates. Is it Tuesday mornings? Friday afternoons? LinkedIn doesn’t offer send-time optimization (yet), but you can still learn a lot by publishing consistently and tracking your performance.

2. Experiment With Newsletter Titles

Think of your title like a subject line—it’s your hook. Titles that spark curiosity, create urgency, or promise value tend to perform better. If you see a spike (or a dip) in open rates, your title is likely the cause.

Try variations like:

• “The 5 Trends Dominating B2B Marketing Right Now”
• “Why 73% of Professionals Are Changing Jobs This Year”
• “What LinkedIn Isn’t Telling You About Your Reach”

Test and learn. Then double down on what works.

3. Segment Your Topics Based on Performance

Are some themes or topics pulling stronger open rates than others? That’s your audience telling you what they care about. Use that insight to guide future content. If people are loving “career growth hacks” but snoozing through “AI in recruiting,” you’ve got your editorial direction.

4. Re-Engage Lapsed Subscribers

Open rate metrics help you identify drop-offs. If you notice a consistent group not opening emails anymore, consider re-engagement tactics like:

• Sending a “We miss you” edition
• Offering an exclusive freebie or resource
• Asking for feedback on content preferences

LinkedIn doesn’t give you granular subscriber-level data (yet), but trends over time can still be incredibly useful.

Tips to Boost Your LinkedIn Newsletter Open Rates

If you’re not happy with your current open rates, here are a few best practices to nudge them in the right direction:

Craft Attention-Grabbing Titles

Avoid bland, corporate-speak headlines. Go for curiosity, specificity, and clarity. People skim their inboxes. Give them a reason to stop and click.

Include a Clear Value Proposition

Let readers know what they’ll get from reading. Will they save time? Learn something new? Get an inside scoop? Make that benefit clear in the title and intro.

Be Consistent

Publishing regularly builds trust. Whether it’s weekly or bi-weekly, let your audience know when to expect your newsletter—and show up like clockwork.

Promote Your Newsletter on LinkedIn Posts

Use your regular LinkedIn content to tease newsletter topics or highlight insights. This keeps your newsletter top of mind and can drive new subscribers too.

What These Metrics Don’t Tell You (Yet)

While open rates and email sends are a great start, they’re just the beginning. Currently, LinkedIn still doesn’t offer:

• Click-through rates
• Time spent reading
• Subscriber churn or growth over time

But with LinkedIn doubling down on newsletters, there’s a good chance we’ll see more analytics rolling out soon. And when they do, expect even more granular insight into how your content is performing.

Build Your Community

LinkedIn’s new newsletter metrics are more than just vanity stats—they’re actionable signals that can guide smarter content decisions. With email sends and open rates, you finally have the data to see how your audience is engaging beyond likes and comments.

If you’re not already using LinkedIn newsletters as part of your content strategy, now’s the time. And if you are, start treating them like a legit email campaign. Test. Analyze. Optimize.

Because when you do, you’re not just building followers—you’re building a community that actually pays attention.

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Not sure where to start with your organization’s social media strategy? We can help! At Pink Dog Digital, we create an online experience that turns users into followers and followers into customers. We can create a customized strategy to meet your needs. 

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