Over at the MediaPost newsletter Email Insider, Melinda Krueger shares her wisdom about putting links into your email. Net/net: it’s a good thing when it’s a good deal for your target, but don’t do it just for tracking.

Email Insider: What I’ve Learned About Links, Part II by Melinda Krueger

Augie Ray, owner of a successful specialty e-commerce site and retail store, provides another important consideration. "If all I went on were CTRs, I wouldn’t bother sending out e-mail. But people who come to the store mention them so often, it has become very apparent–even without clicks–that we are keeping ourselves top of mind via e-mail, and that our e-mail is an important relationship builder." Augie suggests that we ask ourselves: If there weren’t a single link in this e-mail message, what impression would I leave with the reader?