Overview
Fuel Cycle's Communications Center tracks delivery and engagement metrics for email, SMS, and push notification campaigns. The metrics available for each channel differ based on how each channel works technically.
Why Metrics Vary by Channel
Email operates in a web-based environment, which allows for the most complete tracking. SMS and push notifications use carrier and device-level delivery systems that do not expose the same level of feedback.
Email provides the most complete funnel because it operates in a web environment that supports pixel tracking and link routing.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Sent | Message was submitted for delivery |
| Bounced | Message could not be delivered to the address |
| Delivered | Message reached the recipient's inbox |
| Opened | Recipient loaded the message (tracked via pixel) |
| Clicked | Recipient clicked a link (tracked via redirect) |
SMS
SMS has fewer trackable signals because mobile carriers do not return delivery or open confirmations to sending platforms. The only trackable action is a link click, and only when the message includes a URL that can be routed through a tracking server.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Sent | Message was submitted for delivery |
| Clicked | Recipient clicked a tracked URL in the message |
Push Notifications
Push notifications have the least visibility of the three channels. Apple and Google control the delivery layer and provide only limited feedback confirming that a notification moved through the pipeline. There is no confirmation of device delivery or user interaction, and no URL-based click tracking mechanism is available.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Planned | Notification has been scheduled |
| Queued | Notification has entered the send pipeline |
| Sent | Notification was submitted to Apple/Google for delivery |
Summary
| Channel | Available Metrics |
|---|---|
| Sent, Bounced, Delivered, Opened, Clicked | |
| SMS | Sent, Clicked |
| Push | Planned, Queued, Sent |