Email open rates used to be the North Star of cold outreach, answering the very simple question: “Did they open my email?”
The key phrase here is “used to.”
Thanks to new policies from Google, Apple, and others, tracking opens has become a straight-up liability. It’s not only unreliable, but it can actually cause harm (thankfully, not physical).
Let’s talk about why, and what you should focus on instead.
Most open rate tracking relies on a teenie tiny tracking pixel hidden in your email. When the person opens the email, that pixel loads, sending a signal to let you know that the email has indeed been opened.
Simple enough, right?
The concept is great, except the data is now nothing more than hot garbage.
*pause for shock and awe*
Here’s what’s happening:
I hate to break it to you, but your “80%+ open rates?” It’s all smoke n’ mirrors…
Email providers hate tracking pixels. Plain and simple.
Why? Because spammy senders love ‘em. And unfortunately, when you use them, you get lumped into the same category.
Some email security tools block or flag emails with tracking pixels as “suspicious” (or sus as the kids say) and if an ESP (Email Service Provider) detects tracking, it’ll mark your email as promotional or even spam.
Tracking pixels aren’t generally added to internal or 1-off emails. They’re associated with mass automated campaigns. And that’s not exactly what Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo want in an inbox experience for their customers.
Using open tracking could be lowering your sender reputation without you even realizing it.
If open rates are dead (R.I.P.), what actually matters? Real engagement.
Here’s what to track instead:
✅ Reply Rates → You can’t reply to an unopened email.
✅ Click-Through Rates (CTR) → If you include a call-to-action link, are people clicking it?
✅ Deliverability Metrics → Keep tabs on bounces, spam complaints, and inbox placement. If your emails aren’t seen, they’re useless.
✅ Conversions → Did the email lead to a booked call, demo, sign up, or a sale?
Focus on the metrics that matter to your pipeline and revenue. Open rates? They’re barely vanity metrics.
Here it is, plain as day:
> Ditch open tracking. It ain’t worth it anymore.
> Focus on reply rates & click-throughs. These will tell you if your emails are working.
> Test your inbox placement. Use tools (like Parakeet’s inbox tester 👀) to see where your emails are landing.
> Write copy like a real human. The less automated your emails look, the better they’ll perform.
> Monitor your sender reputation. If your emails start landing in spam, it’s game over.
If you need help making sure your emails land where they should (your prospect’s inbox),
you know where to find us.
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Try it for FREE today
Cold email only works if people see it, and that won’t happen if you land in spam. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; we’ve all been there.
Even the best-crafted emails won’t get replies if they don’t make it to an inbox.
If you’re diving into cold emailing, setting up a dedicated Google Workspace is a no-brainer. It’s the most reliable way to spin up a cold email infrastructure to avoid spam issues, keep your domain reputation squeaky clean, and make you look legit. Let’s break down how to get it all set up.
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